BOOK REVIEW: MY YEAR WITH THE ITALIAN GIRL by Linda Leuzzi

TITLE OF YOUR BOOK: MY YEAR WITH THE ITALIAN GIRL

AUTHOR OF BOOK's NAME: Linda Leuzzi

AUTHOR'S EMAIL ADDRESS  Leuzzi.Linda@gmail.com

AUTHOR'S FAVORITE LINKS:  LindaLeuzzi.com, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Amazon

ADD THIS ASSURANCE TO SATISFY COPYRIGHT LAW: 

 X  Yes, I have received permission from the reviewer to reprint their review in its entirety. 

REVIEWER’S BYLINE: 

Campbell Dalglish – (Writer, Director, Producer) - Founding Director of D'Arc Productions, award winning playwright, screenwriter and director. Associate Professor, The City University of New York. Amazon review

REVIEW: Having followed Linda Leuzzi’s award-winning journalism for the last 20 years in the Patchogue/Bellport area on the South Shore of Long Island, I can attest to her savvy uncompromising activism for the environment as well as her coverage of our community. She pulls us all together when it really counts, and you can count on her research. So it was no surprise that she is also a witty novelist who has created an imaginary community based on Bellport that is threatened by environmental concerns and the politics of builders eager to build more housing. “My Year With the Italian Girl” stands out as a novel about community and reminded me of Thornton Wilder’s play “Our Town” in its various voices, and even Dylan Thomas’ “Under Milkwood” that depicts unique characters in Welsh poetic fashion. Written in a “head hopping” point of view the reader gets to see our imaginary village that is of course a real village to us, the Bellport reader, through the voices of three women who share the role of protagonist. Vivian Allegra, also a journalist, has taken in an Italian exchange student, Francesca from Catania, Italy. The third woman in this triad is a high school Step Dancer, Keisha, who introduces Francesca to her world of Bellport. Other characters continue to pop up throughout this story as Vivian romances with a witty Brit, faces off with Rowland a builder, and revisits her community through the eyes of her Italian guest as she gets initiated into Keisha’s circle of friends at school. All the characters are rich and unique, including a Canadian Goose named George and a black bird named Crowbar. I have read the book already once and am starting it up again. Head Hopping is a pleasurable literary device when used well, allowing us to get into different mind sets to arrive at the truth, whatever that may be. Often used in mystery thrillers for a Rashomon Effect where the truth is a guessing game played out by unreliable narrators, Leuzzi has used it for the joy of seeing her imaginary world, which soon becomes ours through three different and distinct reliable perspectives, engaging us not so much in the mystery of Bellport as with its unique character. I could easily see this turned into a play or an episodic TV series, and it’s the kind of book you can take with you to the beach for summer reading again and again.

Campbell Dalglish’s website is https.darcproductions.net.

 (See video of Isabella Rossellini interview with Linda at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it0oVFeTSQU.

P.S. (I have a total of 48 reviews on Amazon.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR WHOSE BOOK IS BEING REVIEWED:  

Linda Leuzzi is an award-winning journalist, author and editor and her latest novel “My Year With the Italian Girl” was featured in a book talk interview by Isabella Rossellini. She’s written 8 non-fiction books for young adults, two of which garnered New York Public Library citations. Linda also wrote a book for the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts celebrating their 20^th anniversary. As former editor of the Long Island Advance, Tide of the Moriches and Suffolk County News who now writes frequently for them, her stories have won 19 New York Press Association Awards including First Place mentions for In-Depth Reporting, Spot News, Coverage of the Arts, Spot News Photo and Sports Feature. She’s won two Third Place Sharon Fullmer Awards for Community Leadership for team coverage of LGBTQ+ issues. Her many celebrity interviews have included Isabella Rossellini, Chazz Palminteri, Bernadette Peters, Sara Jean Ford, Tony Danza, Joe Piscopo, Melissa Errico, Lou Diamond Phillips, choreographer Randy Skinner as well as Nobel Prize, MacArthur Award scientists and astronauts. She also received a Media Award at the Long Island Women’s Conference for her contributions and positive community impact as well as a Science Museum of Long Island Outstanding Advocate for Science and Technology Award for Environmental Writing. She regularly writes musical theater previews and reviews for The Gateway Performing Arts Center as well as for art exhibits and film festivals. Community awards include Woman of Diversity for the Of Colors Black History celebration, Brookhaven Town’s Women’s History Outstanding Service in Media/Communications and a Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts honor for her stories. Linda also writes for the Fire Island News. She has mentored several young people over the years in the newspaper business and also via the Rotary Exchange Student program (six young women hosted at her home). A member of the Long Island Author’s Group, Linda is also a Sayville Rotarian who was asked to speak about her book during a regional conference. She trains at the Patchogue YMCA,, is an avid walker with her dog Tina, and loves trips to Manhattan visiting museums and attending Broadway plays as well as animals. Passionate about travel, her last two trips included a women’s wine tour to the Campagna region in Italy and a Celtic trip to Scotland and England. She also enjoys visits to the East End, stomping in preserves, and is an avid environmentalist. 

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in the right column of this blog home page (a silver and gold badge and threee silver-gray circles beneath it. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author and veteran educator, she also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing HowToDoItFrugally http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews. Pre-format the post editor for each new post. Cancel Save Post published

How-to-Books-For-Authors

Please help me celebrate the release of the 3rd edition of the Winningest Book in Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s “HowToDoItFrugally” Series of books,  “The Frugal Editor”! 

SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 2023

Dawn Colclasure Lauds Carolyn Howard-Johnson's "The Frugal Editor"

I love author-edited newsletters like the one below from Dawn Colclasure below for information, yes, but especially for networking and building a loyal base.  You'll see from the "More About the Author" that Dawn is not only a prolific author, but among her books are career-boosting how-tos for writers--and you (my SharingwithWriters and TheNewBookReview subscribers and visitors) know how I am about books being the most frugal way (and often the most credible way!) to build writing careers. Today's post was a surprise from Dawn, perhaps my first quite like this. It is what I will call and "editorial review" or recommendation.  It will become a vital part of my celebration of the release of the 3rd edition of my #TheFrugalEditor. Here it is! Along with a sample of her newsletter!   Welcome to the latest issue (the of the  Thirteenth!) of the SPARREW Newsletter! An Assortment of Dawn Colclasure's Poetry, Fiction, and About Anything and Everything Else!  The free monthly newsletter for self-publishers, authors, readers, reviewers, editors and writers! I am happy to have you aboard! Thank you for subscribing! And welcome to new subscribers! Thanks to her lovely contributions to this newsletter, Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s newest release, the third edition of The Frugal Editor: Do-It-Yourself Editing Secrets-From Your Query Letters to Final Manuscript to the Marketing of Your New Bestseller is not an unknown book to me. If you’d like to read about Carolyn’s thoughts on why the update of this book was necessary, you can check it out in my article in First Chapter Plus here: pages 16-17   But aside from getting new nuggets of editorial wisdom from this book, I was surprised by how Carolyn’s reminder to edit query letters really hits home. I have reviewed many rejected query letters and realized that, after some thought, they definitely could use some editing. Carolyn’s book can help whip those query letters into shape! It’s definitely a must-have book for every writer serious about making their work shine.   We got a great issue put together for you this month.   In a recent issue of The Wordling newsletter, I learned about self-publisher Paul Millerd. After reading about his success as a self-publisher, I knew I had to interview him for my own newsletter! Despite his VERY busy schedule, Paul was able to find some time to answer my questions. Check out his sage advice about self-publishing below!   The author interview is with an author I have know for some time: William Meikle. I met William decades ago, through the Absolute Write Water Cooler. Even though it’s been many years since I’ve participated at the Water Cooler, I kept track of William through other online platforms – mainly, social media. When I learned he had books coming out this month, I wanted to interview him so he could share all about them! Don’t miss my interview with William and learn all about his journey in becoming an author.   And finally, the writer interview is with another fellow scribe I have known for many years: Shanta Everington. I met Shanta when I was writing for a parent publication based in England, and we kept in touch on and off ever since. Shanta graciously took some time to answer questions for the writer interview and to share her wisdom about all things writing.   This month’s feature article is from a fellow author who I recently crossed paths with. After I won a book drawing through Jessica McCann’s newsletter, I wanted to return the nice gesture and asked her if she would like to contribute a guest post to this newsletter. Thankfully, Jessica agreed to do so, and I loved how her ideas for writing puts a nice spin on the process! Please check out her article to find out just how she does it!   I hope you enjoy this issue! Feel free to drop me a note or connect with me on social media! I'd love to connect with you! Enjoy this issue!

Daniel Gawthrop Reviews Victim ~ A Feminist Manifesto from a Fierce Survivor

TITLE OF BOOK: Victim: A Feminist Manifesto from a Fierce Survivor

AUTHOR: Karen Moe

REVIEWER:  Daniel Gawthrop

REVIEWER’S BYLINE: The British Columbia Review Publisher and Editor

ASSURANCE TO SATISFY COPYRIGHT LAW: 

 X Yes, I have received permission from the reviewer to reprint their review in its entirety. 

REVIEW:

For any new author seeking a large audience for a polemical work, the self-declared “manifesto” is a risky undertaking. Driven by the urgency of singular purpose, a manifesto in the wrong hands can result in the most artless of writing: self-righteous, tone-deaf in its didacticism, utterly lacking in irony, or all three. In a book title, the word “manifesto” combined with “feminist” and “victim” calls up all sorts of red flags that will turn off certain readers: one might well assume that what’s between the covers will be drearily predictable and all too depressing.

Fortunately, this “manifesto” is nothing of the kind. To the contrary, the reader is in good hands with Karen Moe: her first book, a memoir about rape and recovery, turns out to be creative non-fiction of the most readable, if gut-wrenching, sort. Much of this has to do with the author’s self-deprecating humility, which shines through in every chapter. In turning the narrative lens toward herself, Moe—an art critic, visual/performance artist, and feminist activist—employs a high degree of self-awareness in deconstructing not only a traumatic event in her own life but also the misogynistic ideas and behaviours that produce rape culture, constantly examining her own assumptions while doing so. She has clearly done her homework, too, coming to this project armed with all the feminist theory she needs to build her case. ...

Now fifty-five, Moe says she was emotionally incapable of writing this memoir until now. And that’s a good thing, for Victim is a much better and wiser book than it would have been had she published it within a short time of her terrifying abduction. As a memoir charting the author’s decades-long recovery, Victim is a rich and soulful testament to the power of human resilience that redefines the meaning of victimhood itself. It confirms the power of art as a source of healing while offering rape victims a time-tested roadmap for recovery, self-empowerment, and—in response to reactionary political events like the overturning of Roe vs. Wade—resistance.

Donovan's Literary Services Shares Bob Freeman's "Tech Manual for a Future"

TITLE : H2LiftShips - Bosons Wave Vol 3

SUBTITLE : "A Tech Manual for a Future"

ISBN: 978-1-64456-483-7   

 

AUTHOR: Bob Freeman 

WEBSITE: https://www.h2liftship.com

Twitter: @h2lift

GENRE: SciFiTech

AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: Teen Nerd to Ancient Nerd

NUMBER OF PAGES: 244

PURCHASE LINKS

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B4R9W8G7

https://books2read.com/u/31e956

PUBLISHER: Indies United Publishing House, LL

Note: Reviews of other books in this series to follow

Reviewed by D. Donovan of Donovan's Literary Services 

             

H2LiftShips - Bosons Wave recounts the ongoing story of Captain Graciela and the crew of the H2LiftShip LunaCola, whose secret mission involves a journey that embraces family and political drama in this third volume of an intriguing space opera adventure. It's set in a world that simultaneously feels both familiar and alien.

This is a world of space pirates and high-tech oddities, from algae rocket ships to an odd marriage between advanced technology and old-world devices—bioGel laser rifles and HAM radios, for example.

It's a scenario in which Captain Graciela and her crew battle the brainless algae which have joined with angry bioGel computers to challenge both sides with impossible situations.

From Jovian clouds integrated with DNA computers to gamblers who operate in a space casino against the backdrop of intrigue and conflict, Bob Freeman crafts an environment that will especially please prior series readers with more than just a fast pace.

Freeman takes the time to incorporate vivid descriptions into his world-building space opera, marking them with a wry sense of humor that overlays the action: "Mort ships, the transports for boxed cellular remains of sentients, preferred dark colors for the ship and sails. The color scheme wasn't required for the job, but it matched their ethos."

The descriptions of both heady clashes and everyday activities build a strong sense of place to contrast extraordinary events with ordinary life pursuits, but with a twist: "The 'gelTxt was moderately successful. She got the rope, nutrients, and some leads on fresh manure and grains. It was time to hit the regolith and search for some more supplies and tasty snacks for the long journey ahead. Captain Grace was in her element, picking out products to re-sell, for a serious profit. She was looking for bargains and kept away from the central storehouses."

Readers of the prior books in this series will find Bosons Wave a powerful survey of risky experiments, HiveSister concerns and sentient developments, and the crew's struggle to avoid disaster.

Ironic, delightful phrasing fosters a stream of ironic observation through the story: "The green monster's visit was not as friendly as it seemed."

The result is a fitting compliment to the other books in the series, expanding the escapades of this Navy crew's space-faring struggles as they tackle interstellar emergencies, family issues, and military operations with equal ability.

Readers seeking a rollicking good read from a modern space opera will find H2LiftShips - Bosons Wave a fine adventure that employs many futuristic descriptions to power its characters and their dilemmas.

From the Reviewer:

Please feel free to quote any pieces from my reviews for your publicity purposes (with credit to Donovan's Literary Services or Midwest Book Review, as the review will appear in both places). 

Reviews by D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

http://donovansliteraryservices.com/september-2022-issue.html#h2b

More About the Author

The author is a retired Public Health Microbiologist/Lab Director/LIMS Software designer and a confirmed science geek. 

With expertise in anaerobic microbiology and writing an exorbitant number of tech manuals and protocols, the only logical path going forward was to write what I wished.

Misunderstanding the common SciFi tropes of the day, the author builds complex worlds, adds a few interesting characters, and lets them have at it.

Further expanding on tropes, the stories are not boom/bang/fight from the start and every third page, but explicitly designed to not be interesting to an eight-year-old male. Interesting kids of any age or sex may enjoy the work even with the lack of explosions.

The author began writing SciFi in 2021 at the tender age of 70 and is writing short stories before tackling his 4th novel in the LiftShip series.

Thanks

Bob 
------------ 
Bob Freeman

BtB Software, LLC www.btbsoftware.com

SciFi Stories: 
www.h2liftship.com/beyondluna    
www.h2liftship.com/backstory 
www.h2liftship.com/bosonswave 

LinkedIn:   linkedin.com/in/freemanbob

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's #AuthorsHelpingAuthors service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Lacroix by Xavier Vidal Reviewed by Alvin M. Stenzel

Review of Lacroix by Xavier Vidal (Reviewed by Alvin M. Stenzel)

TITLE:  LACROIX

AUTHOR:  Xavier Vidal

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE:  https://xaviervidalworld.com/

GENRE:  Adventure/Crime/Fiction

AGE / INTEREST LEVEL:  Adult

PAGE #:  386

PUBLISHER:  Independently Published

A LINK TO WHERE THE BOOK MAY BE PURCHASED

 REVIEW 

Not Your Ordinary Adventure Story

Reviewed by Alvin M. Stenzel originally for Amazon

For a crime/adventure story, Lacroix is an interesting twist.  Ditch the big city back alleys and car chases and enter an entirely different environment.  A castle, forests, lakes and blissful peace, but hiding terrible secrets.  A young, single mom, nearly alone on what was supposed to be a deserted castle estate?  Not how it turns out!  Terrible dangers lie around every corner.  I was fascinated enough to read it in three days.  It may seem to start out slowly, but it's only the initial ride to the top of the roller coaster.  Hang on!

The Bridges We Will Build by Kacie LeCompte Renfro Book Review

What if read for people who have thoughts about Jesuit Volunteer Corps or other poverty schools

by Carolyn Wilhelm

A "what if" read for people who have thoughts about volunteering and living in another city for the Jesuit or other diverse domestic service programs. The book centers on the interwoven lives of a few women and how they came to be paid or unpaid workers at a diverse primary school. From different backgrounds, life experiences, ages, and religions, they form a tight bond beginning with loving the students. Refugee and immigrant lives are explained so well readers will truly understand what they go through, and some endure unimaginable hardships yet survive. A story from the BBC alerts one of the retired volunteers, Lydia, to the fact that one teaching assistant has something very personal in her background she would rather not reveal, and keeps the secret. She does not reveal the information to anyone until a gathering in the cafeteria and as a witness in court.

A riveting read yet heartwarming book that might inspire actual volunteer participation for the brave at heart.

Highly recommended for those considering working in a diverse environment and teachers who dearly love children, as well as those who would like to understand more about the lives of refugees.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you for reading!

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Midwest Book Review Shares Their Review of Bernard Jones' Discovery of Troy

TITLE: The Discovery of Troy and its Lost History

AUTHOR: Bernard Jones

AUTHOR'S WEBSITE: www.trojanhistory.com

GENRE: HISTORY - NON-FICTION

AGE/INTEREST LEVEL: From 14/15 Years upward

ISBN: 9781916499218, 

PAGES: 400 

AWARDS:

1.America's Reader Views Literary Awards 2020; 1st Place History Category.

2.America's Reader Views Literary Awards 2020; Global Award - Best History    Book (Europe).

3.Canada's IAN Book of the Year Awards; Finalist - History Category.

PUBLISHER: Trojan History Press

AVAILABLE: www.amazon.com/Discovery-Troy-its-Lost-History/dp/1916499201

Originally Reviewed by Midwest Book Review's Small Press Bookwatch

 

Synopsis: The Trojan War was the greatest catastrophe of the ancient Hellenic world. We are told that it devastated Europe and Asia and plunged the known world into a Dark Age that lasted 500 years. 

 

Thirty years of painstaking investigative research has finally resolved this 3,000-year-old mystery as author and historian Bernard Jones uncovered the evidence piece by piece, separating fact from fiction, and unlocking the secrets of the past. Unbelievably, Bernard's research showed that the Trojan War could not have taken place in the Aegean area, or even in the Mediterranean world. This evidence turns our accepted geography on its head and leads us on a fascinating journey of discovery back to the real world in which the Trojans lived. Here, we discover who the Greeks and the Trojans really were, and the parts they played in Homer's Bronze Age world. 

 

Secret knowledge concealed in the "Iliad" reveals Homer's work to be a genuine historical record. Yet, only in the corrected Bronze Age environment can it be understood. Deciphering Homer's coded information becomes the key to finding the location of the Trojan War and the Bronze Age city of Troy itself. Lost histories also tell the whole story of the migrations that took place following the Trojan War and the nations that arose out of the ashes of Troy. The records of these nations independently verify the author's findings, and they overturn the theory of a 'Dark Age'. 

 

Critique: An absolutely fascinating and iconoclastic read from beginning to end, "The Discovery of Troy and its Lost History" is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. Impressively informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Discovery of Troy and its Lost History" is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and university library Ancient History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of students, academia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Discovery of Troy and its Lost History" is also available in a paperback edition (9781916499201, $22.99). 

 

This review will also appear in the Cengage Learning, Gale interactive CD-ROM series "Book Review Index" which is published four times yearly for academic, corporate, and public library systems. Additionally, this review will be archived on our Midwest Book Review website for the next five years at http://www.midwestbookreview.com 

AUTHOR BIO:

Bernard Jones was, until recently, a multi-disciplinary professional; a Chartered Practitioner and Chartered Fellow with a lifetime of scientific, technical, investigative and research work behind him. In addition to his professional vocation, he is a historian of some 35 plus years.

He completed his post graduate research in ancient philosophy/mythology and ancient history. For the last three decades he has applied his professional skills to his work as a historian, the result of which is two extraordinary books. The Discovery of Troy and its Lost History is the first of these. 

His second book, The Voyage of Aeneas of Troy is scheduled for publication in 2022.

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Elise Cooper Shares Newest in J.A. Jance's Mystery/Thriller Series

Title: Unfinished Business 

Subtitle: An Ali Reynolds Book 16

Author: J. A. Jance

Published: Gallery Books Pub.

Release: June 1^st, 2021

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

ISBN: 9781982131111

Reviewed by Elise Cooper

Unfinished Business by J. A. Jance brings back the Ali Reynolds character. As with all her books Jance knows how to build tension and is a fabulous storyteller.  This series, more than her other series, focuses and highlights the characters. In this installment there are three sub-plots: A new character, Mateo, has just been released from prison after sixteen years; a tenant who has anger management problems and sees everything as a humiliation; and Ali’s father who has dementia. 

 

Mateo Vega will hopefully be added to the High Noon Enterprises team and readers can see his character grow in future books. Ali Reynolds and her husband B. Simpson own High Noon Enterprises, a computer security service based in Cottonwood, Arizona. Mateo was accused of killing his girlfriend, and though he was innocent, took a plea to avoid a life sentence. When the board finally paroles him, the only job available is working at a thrift store. Because he was a computer expert, while in prison he kept up his skills and decides to ask his former boss, Stuart Ramey, for a letter of recommendation. Stuart happens to work for High Noon Enterprises and is impressed with Mateo’s skills.  Since there is an opening at the firm, Mateo is quickly hired. Just as he begins his new job, another employee goes missing.

 

“Mateo Vega has a case that strands both Arizona and Washington.  I thought, who better to help solve the case than my perfectly good cold case guy, Beaumont. I wrote his scenes in the first person, so the readers understand his point of view, where he is coming from and what he is thinking.  The Ali books are written in the third person.  I tried to write him in the third person for this story, but he said, ‘no way Jose.’ After a few days of absolute frustration, I gave up.  My new editor at Simon & Schuster never read a Beaumont book and tried to change his voice to third person. The moment I read that part I realized he was no longer this living, breathing character but was suddenly a cardboard cut-out.  I hope readers will give it a chance and see that it ties into the story.”  

 

The High Noon business complex contains extra offices, which are rented out to tenants for additional income. One renter is Harvey McCluskey, a crooked home inspector who's two months behind on his rent. Ali and her employee, Cami Lee, go to McClusky's office to serve an eviction notice, which Cami films on her IPAD. McClusky is embarrassed and infuriated, and vows revenge against the ladies. He kidnaps Cami and plans on torturing her.  Needing all hands-on deck, they turn to the artificial intelligence Frigg who can hack into anything. This AI handles everything from background checks to strategic planning and can apply cyber-magic to tracking down Cami’s kidnapper.

 

“I wrote the protagonist as disturbing from the beginning.  The reader knew the High Noon folks were in jeopardy long before those working there knew.  He turned out that way because of his environment.  His mother was mean; I based her on my parental grandmother.  All three had anger issues, were easily humiliated, never took responsibility, and held grudges.  I came to realize now how my grandmother influenced the writing of these characters.  I did not see the resemblance between Broomy, his mother, and my grandma Busk until you asked the question.”

 

While all this is going on Ali must also handle family concerns.  Her father, Bob, has dementia, and her mother, Edie, is having a hard time continuing to be his caregiver. They tried hiding the fact that he's losing his memory and acting out. Edie is exhausted, Bob is depressed, and the couple have been isolating themselves.  As the situation goes downhill fast Ali insists that her parents get help.

 

“I put in this book quote, ‘Lucid and rational one minute to off the charts the next.’  I spent several months the last year corresponding with a woman who had to put her husband into a memory care facility due to dementia.  She cared for him at home until she could no longer do it.  She died six months after he did.  The cost on the caretakers’ health is insufferable. I was thinking of her in the back of my mind as I was writing these scenes.  Seeing what happened to Ali’s mom was sad yet realistic.”  

 

Serious real-life issues are addressed in this story.  The characters make the story come to life and Jance does a wonderful job telling their story.  Making a cameo appearance, speaking in the first person instead of the book’s normal third person, is J. P. Beaumont, the retired detective who is now solving cold cases. Fans of Beaumont will understand how his presence is only enhanced with first person narratives.  This does not affect the flow of the story which is very fast paced.

More About the Reviewer

Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best selling authors since 2009. Her reviews cover several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women's fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband. She is a frequent reviewer for #TheNewBookReview. Use this blog's search engine (in the right column of the home page) to find more of her reviews.  

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. #TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing

Elise Cooper Reviews Texas Murder Mystery Book Two for The New Book Review

Title: Flight 

Subtitle: Texas Murder Mystery Book 2

Author: Laura Griffin

Publisher: Berkley Pub, March 30^th, 2021

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Romance

ISBN: 9780593197349

 

Reviewed by Elise Cooper

 

Flight by Laura Griffin is a riveting mystery with very believable characters.  She excels at writing characters the readers root for, and her descriptive details of the Texas landscape has readers believing that they are there. 

 

“I think the Texas coast setting is great for a murder mystery.  There is the natural drama of the coast, thunderstorms, and wildlife.  Mother Nature is a dramatic piece of the story.  Lost Beach is based on Padre Island in Texas.  South Padre Island is a beautiful place with a mix of tourism and nature.  There are bars, motels, and shops.  They have a turtle rescue and a Birding Center.  North Padre Island is basically an uninhabited park with sand dunes.  The water is clearer, and the sand is whiter.” 

 

The heroine Miranda Rhoads, the sister of the heroine in the last book, decides to move to Lost Beach Texas after experiencing burn out and a need to destress after her last case went awry.  As a forensic photographer she uses those skills to capture the native birds for the Texas Birding Association’s upcoming calendar. Unfortunately, she discovers two bodies in a canoe. Although Miranda wanted to escape the life she led before, she finds herself unable to step away.  She has a nose for detail and her insights are spot on.  The detective on the case, Joel Breda, convinces her to join the team as their forensic photographer. As more murders turn up the police realize they don’t just have a murderer on their hands, they have a serial killer.

 

In a short time, both Miranda and Joel find themselves very much attracted to each other; the chemistry between them was great.  Working together they find clues that will lead them to the killer. Joel wants to protect her and the community, while Miranda is an intelligent and complex character.  The tension is ratcheted up with the heat, humidity, mosquitoes, and all the other factors that come together to make Texas such a unique environment.

 

“Miranda is conflicted.  Observant and has an eye for detail.  She is a visual person where she cannot get images out of her head. Miranda is also a people person. She has a lot of baggage that makes her anxious. She decides to stay at Lost Beach to escape the emotional upheaval she experienced at her job as a forensic photographer. She has guilt, anger, confusion, and worries about the previous case.   While Joel is tenacious. Determined. Persuasive.  Charming. He is also intense, confident, and self-assured.  He wants to protect the community as well as Miranda.  He sees the economic benefit to a small town but does not always see tourism as good. They realize they are more alike than different. . Both are wary of having a relationship and are not looking for a serious one.  They need to evolve for it to work.”

 

Laura Griffin is a master at suspenseful storytelling. Her books never disappoint.  The complex mystery has readers on the edge of their seats. 

More About the Reviewer

Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best selling authors since 2009. Her reviews cover several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women's fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband. She is a frequent reviewer for #TheNewBookReview. Use this blog's search engine (in the right column of the home page) to find more of her reviews.  

 

More About #TheNewBookReview Blog 

 The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Authors, readers, publishers, and reviewers may republish their favorite reviews of books they want to share with others. 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 and love. Please see submission guidelines in a tab at the top of this blog's home page or go directly to the submission guidelines at http://bit.ly/ThePlacetoRecycleBookReviews or to the guideline tab at the top of the home page of this blog. Authors and publishers who do not yet have reviews or want more may use Lois W. Stern's "Authors Helping Authors" service for requesting reviews. Find her guidelines in a tab at the top of the home page, too. Carolyn Wilhelm is our IT expert, an award-winning author, a veteran educator and also contributes reviews and posts on other topics related to books. Reviews, interviews, and articles on this blog are indexed by genre, reviewers' names, and review sites so #TheNewBookReview may be used as a resource for most anyone in the publishing industry. As an example, writers will find this blog's 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. 

#TheFrugalbookPromoter, #CarolynHowardJohnson, #TheNewBookReview, #TheFrugalEditor, #SharingwithWriters, #reading #BookReviews #GreatBkReviews #BookMarketing