Readers' Favorite Reviews New Sci-Fi Novel

Title: Strike Three

Author: Joy V. Smith 
Genre: Science fiction
ISBN:   9781936099658
Review was originally published on Barnes & Noble
Publisher:  WolfSinger Publications
Reviewer's rating: 5 Stars
Availability:  For the print edition of Strike Three, go to Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/4876544   

If you prefer eBooks, go to Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/452298 

Reviewed by Michael McManus originally for Readers' Favorite

In her novel, Strike Three, Joy V. Smith introduces us to the aftermath of World War III, a short battle that claimed the lives of the majority of the Earth’s population. The survivors of the war that turned the planet brown, those who went underground well prepared, and those who survived in spite of poor planning, returned to find the world outside their caves, fallout shelters, missile silos and communication bunkers completely barren. Nothing had survived a “hot virus” that had been unleashed onto the world by an unknown enemy. Some places were obliterated by nuclear bombs, but the most severe devastation took place in the plant and animal worlds. Even the insects perished. Sheridan and Lea Zane emerged into the new world ready to organize a recovery of the planet, or at least their corner of it. They had plants and wildlife enough for their own survival, but they reached out to other survivors as they returned to the surface and began to reestablish their homes and farms. Soon, the development of a trade route brought hope to the many settlements that formed; hope that the nation and, indeed, the planet could be saved.

This story grabbed me from the start and would not let go. I read it in three sittings. Along with the plot moving at lightning speed, the characters are real and interesting in the way they react to the situation they have inherited. For the science freak, there is enough detail about the devastation and recovery to keep you going. There is also adventure, a bit of action and even politics. I happily recommend this book to a general audience.

 

 

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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. 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, 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.

Targeted Resources To Get You Invited To Be a Radio Guest!

This is not exactly the usual New Book Review review. I am running it on this blog because I know that many of the authors and publishers who have offered their reviews to The New Book Review will find this series of booklets useful. They offer up-to-date opportunities for radio interviews.  The author, Fran Silverman, is also the author of
Talk Radio Wants You: An Intimate Guide to 700 Shows and How To Get Invited published by McFarland Co. 2009. It was a National "USA Best Books 2009" Awards winner in the Business: Reference category. And her new booklets are especially valuable because they are targeted to specific topics and genres and are frugally priced!


The following ebooks for radio guests are available from Fran:


Animals ($12 for 46 shows) - Covers animal advocacy, health, care, competition, communication, behavior, longevity, dog relationships, pets and the paranormal, pet peeves, wildlife, training, shelter and rescue.

Authors ($12 for 52 shows) - Covers writing, editing, publishing, marketing, literary agents, Christian authors, author spotlights; genres include thrillers, suspense, action/adventures, novels, teen/YA, romance, poetry, science, historical, baseball, screenplays, songwriting.

Business ($25 for 274 Shows) - Covers workplace issues, innovation, entrepreneurship, business strategies, careers, finance, small business, sales, home-based businesses, law, investments, insurance, money management, customer service, and real estate.

Entertainment ($20 for 176 Shows) - Covers art, fashion, movies, music and comedy.

Environment ($12 for 39 shows) - Covers green lifestyles, sustainable communities, conservation, cleaner energy, natural healing and medical remedies, environmental news, non-toxic living, wildlife, and activism.

Food and Travel ($12 for 64 shows) - Covers grilling and barbequing, wines and spirits, tea, chefs and recipes and raw food, parties, special event planning; all kinds of travel: budget, frequent, upscale, good deals, cruises and medical and health tourism.   

Health ($20 for 178 Shows) - Covers healthy living and lifestyles, fitness, health as a business advantage, natural healing, alternative medicine, medical travel, issues, education and treatment, and overcoming adversities.

House and Garden ($12 for 26 shows) - Covers gardening, growing vegetables, going green, home improvement, repair, and remodeling, healthy home design trends, buying and selling homes, feng shui, organizing vegetable garden

Men and Women ($12 for 67 shows) - Covers chick lit books, female and Christian entrepreneurs, fun for women over 40, men's comedy, girl's math and science, women empowerment, life makeovers, interesting women, women's health, parenting, women's ministries and spirituality, women in business, medicine, politics, gay, lesbian and transgender issues.

New Age - ($25 for 220 Shows) - Covers astrology, metaphysics, Tarot, Angels, psychic development, paranormal, parapsychology, holistic health, healing, mysticism, occult, and mediums.

Parenting ($15 for 64 shows) - Covers parenting issues and pressures, education, security and safety, family life, parenting parents, health, home-school, child development, schooling, charter schools, mom entrepreneurship, homebirth, adoption, marriage, military moms, single mothers, childhood cancer, and money management.

Politics ($20 for 216 Shows)- Covers current events, conservatism, Christian conservatism, liberalism, Libertarianism, government, pop culture, U.S. Constitution, Tea Party movement, democracy, the military and labor.

Relationships ($15 for 72 shows) - Covers dating, relationship strategies, weddings, marriage, sex and divorce.

Science and Technology ($12 for 50 shows) - Covers hardware, software, wireless communication, clean energy technology, nanotechnology, engineering, film and video production, biology, astronomy, geology, robotics, physics, and outer space.

Self-Help ($20 for 231 Shows) - Covers personal and professional goals, growth and empowerment, emotional freedom techniques, motivation, creativity, living one's calling, making for a better world, transforming your life and self-realization

Sports ($20 for 100 Shows) - Covers wrestling, biking, gaming, fantasy sports, golf, fitness/health, football, baseball, basketball, hockey, tennis, thoroughbred racing, hunting, fishing, camping, birding, hiking, skiing, kayaking, and performance.
 
To order go to her buy page on her Web site: http://www.talkradioadvocate.com/Ebooks.html

Or e-mail her for more information at:
franalive@optonline.net. 

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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. 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, 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.

Kirkus Gives Mystery Big Thumbs Up

Title: Messages
Genre: mystery/thriller/humor/general fiction
Author: Forrest Carr
Format: Paperback, eBook, 496 pages
ISBN: 1493593617
ASIN: B00ECK0DBK
Publication Date: December 11, 2013
Website: http://www.forrestcarr.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/forrestcarrauthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ForrestCarr1
Available in print from major online retailers, and for the Kindle via Amazon.com.
Print Edition from Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Messages-Forrest-Carr/dp/1493593617
Print from Barnes Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/messages-forrest-carr/1117689631
Print Edition from Books a Million:  http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Messages/Forrest-Carr/9781493593613
Ebook from Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Messages-Forrest-Carr-ebook/dp/B00ECK0DBK
Thumbs Up from Kirkus Reviews

Reprinted with permission from Kirkus reviews

Journalist Carr’s (A Journal of the Crazy Year, 2013, etc.) accomplished debut novel takes readers into the world of local newsroom politics, rendering that world in elaborate, Dickensian detail.

Here are the petty turf wars over stories and bylines, the venal and greedy ad-people willing to do anything to increase the station’s revenue, the brainless and bullying newsroom bosses whose screw-ups make life miserable for the hardworking writers and reporters. Here are the pompous news-readers enjoying their local celebrity and the real stories reporters have to fight to get told. Arrow Henley, an ace reporter at WDIK-TV’s Action News in Knoxville, Tenn., had been told by his station’s general manager to go get sensational footage of a young man threatening to commit suicide by throwing himself off a bridge. Remembering the assignment sends Henley on a drinking binge, but his dilemma—an old-fashioned, story-oriented newsroom being taken over by ratings-and-numbers-driven mindless media—is shared by all of Carr’s main characters, including Dexter Drimmel, a caustic newsman from WIMP in Little Rock, who’s tired of seeing his station run preprogrammed “content” (bought in two-hour blocks from a West Coast company) rather than actual local news reported by actual local reporters. Reporter Dan Price, whose copy gets rewritten by his overbearing bosses and who dreams of somehow fighting back, feels the same way. These workplace stories are rendered by Carr in such intricate detail and with such smooth skill that readers will easily gain a vivid sense of what it’s like to work in a local newsroom—the technical problems, the industry jargon, the multitude of quick decisions that need to be made every day. Against this backdrop, Carr weaves a theme of corruption that provides most of the book’s considerable comic energy and fast-paced dialogue.

A spirited, lavishly detailed behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a newsroom.

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK
Notes of merit: 4.6 reader review score on Amazon.com.  Featured in Broadcasting & Cable, Tucson Weekly, KGUN9-TV's "The Morning Blend."

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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. 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, 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.

Historical Fiction Appeals to Midwest Book Reviewer

Title: Olivia, Mourning (Book 1 of the Olivia series)

Author: Yael Politis
Author's website:  yaelpolitis.wordpress.com
Genre: Historical Fiction (USA, 1840s)
ISBN:   1493652451
ASIN:   B00H0GYRT2
Available on Amazon

Reviewed by Diane Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer for Midwest Book Review

 

Olivia, Mourning, Book 1 of the ‘Olivia’ series, is historical fiction at its best. It is the story of Olivia Killion, a feisty, would-be-independent woman – a seventeen-year-old female living in 1841 who’s determined to fulfill the requirement of her father’s will and cultivate 80 acres in Michigan in order to gain title to the land.

She spent two years caring for her demanding father during his long illness and now feels entitled to a home she can call her own. Many obstacles stand in the way of her plans but Mourning, her childhood friend, has experience working the land and agrees to become a partner in this endeavor. Olivia not only trusts him but fears no romantic entanglement developing between them and complicating matters.

There’s only one problem: he’s black and reluctant to risk the wrath of white men by working with a young white girl. He’s also the orphaned son of slaves who escaped to the north. Mourning was born free in Pennsylvania, but knows that the private agents who patrol the free states in search of fugitive slaves to return to the south are not particular about the legal status of the young black men they kidnap.

Olivia believes she can make her dream come true without putting Mourning in danger, and the two set off to an isolated log cabin to work the land together. Olivia represses the feelings she begins to develop for Mourning and focuses instead on her attraction to a young neighbor. But when all turns to disaster, Olivia is forced to acknowledge – and re-assess – not only her feelings for Mourning, but the very nature of her drive for independence.

Olivia, Mourning deftly captures the atmosphere of her times, offering readers a smooth introduction to Olivia’s character and its origins, her purpose, and her growth: “Olivia had heard the good women in the pews behind her all through her father’s funeral service, a flock of pecking hens in winter poke bonnets. They lowered their voices, but not enough; she heard their opinions of what that Killion girl ought to do. Or not do. Just what was wrong with her and how it ought to be fixed.”

The way she attempts to conduct her relationship with Mourning reveals the depth of her maturity and awareness of the challenges they face: “I’m not a fighter, Mourning. I’ve never wanted to change the world. All I want is to make my own little piece of it as nice as I can. We’ll both have a lot more trouble doing that if all the white folks we meet get it into their heads that we’re way too friendly for their liking. We’re going to need good relations with our neighbors, and if telling them you’re my hired man – and me bossing you like you are – will keep them from getting all rankled, well so what?”

Her assessments of reality are strikingly down to earth for a seventeen-year-old and her slow realization of Mourning’s importance to her life (beyond their business relationship) is candid and revealing, too: “It’s Mourning, she thought. Mourning is the one I care for. Has been for a long time. Not just as a friend. He’s the one it could be wonderful to share a life with. But with Mourning there is nothing to hope for, no “if only he wanted me.” Never. I might as well wish both of us dead as wish for him to express desire for me. Nothing will ever change that. And no other man will ever feel like part of me, the way Mourning does.” 

What to do with this new-found self-awareness? What choices will Olivia make? Will they support her beliefs or compromise everything she purports to value? And what roles will isolation and stubbornness play in both their lives?

Olivia, Mourning is about the changing complexities of human relationships and politics as much as it is about one determined young girl’s desire to make her own place in the world, outside of boundaries and conventions. It’s also a story of trauma and how even the closest-held relationships and secrets change. 

Expect no easy conclusions to Book 1: it’s all about transition points and leaves the door open for further journeys with Olivia. Readers interested in historical fiction with a healthy dose of romance will find Olivia, Mourning a compelling, gripping saga that deliciously wraps what could be predictable elements in a cloak of many choices. It’s all about options and consequences – and is a heartfelt story especially recommended for readers who enjoy headstrong protagonists tasked with making their own way in the world.

– D. Donovan, Senior eBook Reviewer, MBR

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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. 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, 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.

Readers' Favorite Reviews Legal Thriller

False Prophet, a Legal Thrillerby Jeff RasleyAuthor's Web site: http://www.jeffreyrasley.com

Genre: Legal thriller, mystery
ISBN 978-1-4524-1027-2
ASIN for Kindle: B005ECBYAE
Buy link:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ECBYAE

Reviewed by Ray Simmons  originally for Readers' Favorite
5-Star Rating

False Prophet, A Legal Thriller is the story of a defamation lawsuit brought against a big newspaper by a charismatic African-American minister in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is also the story of Jack Ross and his struggle to save his marriage, save his struggling partnership and most of all, save his idealism and belief in justice after working too long in a legal system he doesn't believe in anymore. Jeff Rasley has created a very likable and credible character in Jack Ross, someone who fights for the underdog while actually being something of an underdog himself. Jack's most redeeming qualities are his strength and determination, something nurtured during years of high school athletics, and his loyalty, demonstrated by his walking away from the largest and most prestigious law firm in the state in support of his best friend.

Jeff Rasley's novel is as good as anything written in this particular genre and better than most. He takes his time developing his plot and setting up the situation. There is a compelling sub-plot - Jack's threatened marriage - which is woven alongside the lawsuit and dispersed in timely increments that complement the main thread of the novel. The politics, greed, and ruthlessness of those in the top tiers of society in modern day Indianapolis ring true. The strengths and frailties of the characters are subtly but effectively portrayed and the portrait of our legal system in action is vividly rendered. This is a legal thriller indeed and I eagerly await the next one by Jeff Rasley.

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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. 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, 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.

Bonnie Milani Combines Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Book Title: Home World

Author: Bonnie Milani
Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy
WOW! Blog Tour Dates: 11/18/2013-12/23/2013
Book Hashtag: #HWorld

 

Book Summary: 

 Amid the ruins of a post-apocalyptic Waikiki, Jezekiah Van Buren thinks he’s found a way to restore Earth – Home World to the other worlds of the human Commonwealth – to her lost glory. 

Ingenious even by the standards of the genetically enhanced Great Family Van Buren, Jezekiah has achieved the impossible:  he has arranged a treaty that will convert Earth's ancient enemies, the Lupans, to her most powerful allies.  Not only will the treaty terms make  Earth rich again, it will let him escape the Ring that condemns him to be Earth's next ruler.  Best of all, the treaty leaves him free to marry Keiko Yakamoto, the Samuari-trained woman he loves.  Everything’s set.  All Jezekiah has to do is convince his xenophobic sister to accept the Lupan's alpha warlord in marriage. Before, that is, the assassin she's put on his tail succeeds in killing him.  Or the interstellar crime ring called Ho Tong succeed in raising  another rebellion.  Or before his ruling relatives on competing worlds manage to execute him for treason. 

But Jezekiah was bred for politics and trained to rule.  He’s got it all under control. Until his Lupan warlord-partner reaches Earth.  And suddenly these two most powerful men find themselves in love with the same woman.   A woman who just may be the most deadly assassin of them all.

Author Bio:

I still remember the book that made me decide I could out-write another writer: it was a junior reader's biography of Sir William Harvey, the 17th century English physician credited (in the West) with discovering how blood circulates. After about 30 pages of telling myself "I can write better than that!" So I grabbed a crayon that just happened to be blue and started editing. I was maybe 7 at the time. And unfortunately for my juvenile bottom it was a library book. I followed the dream through college and after grad school, freelancing feature articles for newpapers along the East Coast. Even wrote a cover story for Science Digest! Only life and grown up responsibilities caught up with me by my late twenties and I put writing away with too many of my other dreams while I followed a career track. Wasn't until I lost my whole family that I realized story telling wasn't something i just wanted to do - it's the gift God gave me to do. So here I am: a middle-aged pudge working on getting back into a writer's kind of real life.

Finding the author  online:

Website: www.homeworldthenovel.com 

bonnie.milani@yahoo.com 

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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. 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, 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.

Indie Book Reviewer Likes "The Waters Edge"

Title: The Waters Edge

Author: K.V. McMillan
Author Website: http://www.goodreads.com/KVMcMillan
Reviewer: Zach Tyo
Reviewer website: http://indiebookreviewer.blogspot.com
Reviewer twitter: @ZachTyo

Reviewed by Zach Tyo originally for Indie Book Reviewer

 

 As writers we all look towards family for that initial "You can do it" when it comes to our work. Most of us have at least one person that swears our work is worthy of publication and that we are on the right track. The writer of my next review, K.V. McMillan, had a friend take a story she had written for her 'love' and build a whole new publishing company around her work The Waters Edge.
      We have all read stories by authors that were never intended to be published, and the fact that the author was writing for his/herself sometimes enhances the story since the stresses of worrying about the audience is drastically reduced.

      The story follows Cedwynne McKenzie, a young deputy U.S. Marshall, in the 23rd century. Cedwynne is not a typical 26 year old woman, and it becomes apparent early on as she slowly reveals her ability to see the Aura's of living things in addition to a few physical traits that are considered relatively common mutations, known as G-3 mutations, that give her an enhanced muscle and bone density.

      Soon into the story Cedwynne is called into her bosses office and offered a position with a new branch of law enforcement, Counter Section. Little is known about this secret agency, and its clear early on that, despite her many qualifications, Cedwynne's problem with authority and straightforwardness are not taken lightly with her new supervisors.

      Once the true nature of Counter Section is revealed Ced becomes privy to her predecessor's work; though the realization that the existence of certain nightmarish characters draws a bit of both fear and doubt out of the anti-heroine.

       Things become even hairier once she closes, or at least thinks she closes, her first case and the discovery of a plethora of supernatural beings. Ced finds herself in well over her head when a fellow agent orders a hit on her, and afterwards explains that the order came from way above him.

       Everything comes to a head as Cedwynne must decide who she can trust. The mysterious man who speaks in riddles that cuts her grass, those that 'supervise' her activities, the handsome wheirwolf whose pack she helped save, or even herself as the thrills really begin to come out in this supernatural thriller that is true to both of its roots.

      Its easy to see why McMillan's friend became so vested into this story that he built his publishing company around it. There are so many great things about it, and here are a few of the pros that I feel help set it apart:

• The story, while on paper may seem like yet another supernatural love story, feels fresh and new. McMillan does a wonderful job combining a thriller and an adult supernatural story into something new and entertaining.
• Each one of the characters is his/her own person. Whether its the hard-nosed anti-heroine, or the soft-spoken man with a heart of a poet, even the President of the United States has his own voice and is easily recognizable throughout the story.
• The semi-dystopian United States is something I haven't read about before, at least not in this way. The story of the rise and fall of the country, and the whole world is done differently but in a way that isn't so far fetched that you could truly picture what it has become.

      The cons for this particular piece were a bit harder to pick through. I couldn't find any true con to the story, but I did find one small personal note, though I must stress personal:

• The main character, Cedwynne, is almost a bit to brash. I'm all for an anti-heroine, but on a few, and I have to stress very few, occasions her actions seem a bit to extreme. I do have to note that there is an incident that justifies these later on in the story, I'm just referring to one or two things at the beginning of the story.

      K.V. McMillan's debut novel, The Waters Edge, is a huge must-read from me. The creativity and skill that this story brings, coupled with the true thrills it contains will keep you turning the page throughout.

      Overall I'm going to give The Waters Edge a 9/10 based on:

      9/10 for readability- The way this story flows surprised me, being this authors first published work. Each chapter transitions smoothly from one to the other, and the ideas seem to keep coming throughout adding more layers to the overall story.

      9/10 for story- McMillan brings a creative story that flows well. Each chapter offers a new piece of the overall puzzle that delves deep into political turmoil, interestingly enough there's both turmoil in the human government and the politics of the wheirwolf pack Cedwynne befriends.

      8/10 for characters- As I mentioned earlier, each character truly takes on a life of his/her own. I especially like the way the characters from the wolf pack really feel like, based on the way they speak and act, they are part of a true hierarchy and behave based on their position in the pack.

     9/10 for thrills- I do like the reinvention of the supernatural creatures, but the thriller aspect is what really sets this story apart for me. It has all the aspects of a great thriller with a small degree of mystery thrown in to keep you guessing just how deep Cedwynne's rabbit hole really goes.

      I have to thank K.V. McMillan for allowing me the opportunity to read and review her novel. I really do look forward to reading the next installment in the career of Marshall McKenzie.

      If you would like to check out The Waters Edge click here.

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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. 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, 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.

Nine Fold Heaven: New Historial Fiction on Tour

Title – Nine Fold Heaven       

Author – Mingmei Yip

Author's website link – http://www.mingmeiyip.com  

Genre or category – Suspense, historic fiction

ISBN – 978-0758273543

  

In this mesmerizing new novel, Mingmei Yip draw readers deeper into the exotic world of 1930s Shanghai first explored in Skeleton Women and into the lives of the unforgettable singer-spy Camilla, the magician Shadow, and the gossip columnist Rainbow Chang.


The Nine Fold Heaven is the story of an ex spy and nightclub singer who undertakes an emotional and dangerous journey to reunite with her lost lovers and the baby she was told was stillborn, and to discover the secret of her parents’ murder. 


Click here to read the prologue and first chapter:

About Mingmei Yip

Mingmei Yip has been writing and publishing since she was fourteen years old and now she has twelve books to her credit. Her five novels are published by Kensington Books and her two children’s books are published by Tuttle Publishing.

 
Mingmei’s new novel is The Nine Fold Heaven (2013), the story of an ex spy and nightclub singer who undertakes an emotional and dangerous journey to reunite with her lost lover and the baby she was told was stillborn, and to discover the secret of her parents’ murder.

 
Mingmei’s fourth novel is Skeleton Women (2012), a story about a singer spy, a magician, and a gossip columnist scheming to survive the gang wars in lawless 1930ies Shanghai.


Her other four novels are equally exciting:

 
Song of the Silk Road, (2011) is a romantic adventure on China’s legendary ancient trade route with the lure of a three million dollar reward.


Petals from the Sky, (2010) is a Buddhist love story about a woman who tries to escape her dysfunctional family only to find she’s been running away from her heart.

 
Peach Blossom Pavilion (2008) her first novel, is the story of the last prestitous musician-courtesan of China, received numerous favorable reviews and is now in its fifth printing.

 
Mingmei is also the author and illustrator of Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories (2005) and Grandma Panda’s China Storybook, (2013).

 
Mingmei is also a renowned qin (ancient string instrument) musician, calligrapher and painter. In Hong Kong, she was a columnist for seven major newspapers. She has appeared on over sixty TV and radio programs in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and the US.

Visit Mingmei at: www.mingmeiyip.com

 
Comments about Nine Fold Heaven from Amazon –

 The latest book from author Mingmei Yip takes the reader on an epic journey -- both emotional and geographically. The Nine Fold Heaven is the story of a young Chinese woman, Camilla who is taken from an orphanage at the age of four, and forced to work for one of the worst gangs in Shanghai. Not that she has a bad life with them. In exchange for her various "services" to the gang, from sexual favors to singing entertainment to assassinations, she is well taken care of, as least in material objects. Her emotional life however, has been completely deprived and suffocated.

~*~

The prose and the description of the setting lends an authenticity to the story that made it feel like a real history to me. I was intrigued by the comparisons between Chinese culture and American culture (although this was in the 30s) and there are both positives and negatives to both in my opinion. The clashes between opposing viewpoints in politics and religion gave more dimension to the characters and created a thought-provoking larger conflict than just what Camilla was going through. But the most important thing, especially in historical fiction, is for the setting to feel realistic and I felt like the streets of Thirties Hong Kong and Shanghai were brought to life in this book.

~*~

Camilla is a noir heroine who readers will love to hate or hate to love. The author makes it clear she's a product of her environment and never apologizes for her behavior which she shouldn't. The narrative is colorful and an exotic mix of cultures and traditions and will bring the sounds and flavors of a troubled lawless past society to life. 

 Reviews for Mingmei Yip books -  

 Skeleton Women  “A guilty pleasure....enjoy the exotic location and characters.... This is a large, luscious box of chocolates. Go on. You know you want to." -- RTBook 4 star Review

Song of the Silk Road  “Lively…fascinating…filled with unique companions, unforeseen dangers, unexpected joys, and bitter sorrows…” -- Publisher’s Weekly

Petals from the Sky  “Strong…powerful…emotional…vivid…poignant…” -- Coffee Time Romamce

 
Peach Blossom Pavilion “Engrossing…atmospheric tale…fantastical escape!” – Honolulu Advertiser

 If you like strong women in exotic locations and like to learn about new people, places and times – Nine Fold Heaven is a must read.

 
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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. 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, 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.

Top Review Ranks Chipset "Best Thriller of 2012"

Title:      Chipset

Author: Lior Samson

Genre:   thriller, action-adventure

ISBN:     978-0984377282
Kindle edition 978-0984377299

 

Reviewed by James A. Anderson originally for Amazon.

5 Stars

 

Lior Samson hits another one out of the park with Chipset, the fourth techno-thriller in his Homeland Connection series.

Samson, the pen name of a university professor, delivers another page-turning, multi-dimensional thriller with a solid background in computers and computer chips. Samson certainly knows his stuff and has researched his subject thoroughly, bringing the reader a better understanding of this high-tech world and how it permeates our lives much greater than we realize.

Few thriller writers can match Samson's ability to deliver a gripping story. In previous reviews, I have compared him to John le Carré and Tom Clancy. He doesn't have the same name recognition or sales, but he is equal to or better than both those authors. His work deserves to be on the New York Times Best Seller list

As in his previous novels in the Homeland Connection series, Samson offers international politics and high-level espionage. The plot twists and exotic international settings in this novel make it a highly readable and entertaining thriller. There is also a powerful parallel story set in World War II that aptly explains the experience and background development of the characters.

I highly recommend this book which arguably may be the best thriller of 2012

 

 

About the Author:  

 

~~Larry Constantine, IDSA, ACM Fellow | Lior Samson, novelist

    Active (Professional) Member, SFWA

    Simon Rockower Award (2010), American Jewish Press Association

    Author of The Rosen Singularity (Gesher Press, 2011) and The Homeland Connection novels: Bashert, The Dome, Web Games (Gesher Press, 2010) and Chipset (Gesher Press, 2012)

 

About the Reviewer:

 

James A. Anderson is an Amazon Top Reviewer with a ranking of 4,407.

 

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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. 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, 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.

Jeremy Griffith Seeks to Transform the Human Race

Title: Freedom

Author: Jeremy Griffith
Author’s website: http://www.worldtransformation.com/freedom/
Genre/category: Science/Philosophy
ISBN: 978-1-74129-008-0

A book for our time

The front cover boldly claims, ‘At last, the Liberation and Transformation of the Human Race Through the Finding of Understanding of the Human Condition’ (http://www.worldtransformation.com/freedom/).

Confrontation and compassion, exposed and liberated, discomfort and defensiveness, explained and understood, shock and excitement. These are the range of emotions I encountered reading Australian biologist Jeremy Griffith’s latest work, ‘Freedom’ – a book for our time with deep significance for all humans. It is the zenith of Griffiths 30 years spent studying, unravelling and explaining the human condition.

As early as the fourth paragraph Griffith gives context to and insight into the realm being explored - a realm few have dared penetrate. It reads, ‘To briefly explain what the human condition is, it arises from our species’ capacity for what has been called ‘good and evil’. Humans are capable of great kindness, empathy and love, but we are also capable of horrific atrocities like rape, murder and torture. Our human predicament or ‘condition’ has been that because we have never before been able to explain and thus understand where our species’ capacity for acts of shocking inhumanity comes from we each carry a deep, now almost subconscious, insecurity and sense of guilt about our value and worth as humans. Are we good or are we bad? Even in our everyday behaviour, why are we humans competitive, aggressive and selfish when clearly the ideals are to be the complete opposite, namely cooperative, loving and selfless?’

‘Freedom’ is our story, both as a species and as individuals told in first principle biology, truthfully, compassionately and comprehensively. It may leave you in a state of initial shock and awe; such is the nature of the subject matter and the power of the explanation being presented.

However these works cannot be dismissed. The importance of the claims and the implications for our future warrant full consideration and debate as Professor Harry Prosen, former President of the Canadian Psychiatric Association stated, ‘I have no doubt this biological explanation of Jeremy Griffith’s of the human condition is the holy grail of insight we have sought for the psychological rehabilitation of the human race. I cannot urge you strongly enough to listen to what Jeremy Griffith has to explain’.

Griffith’s vitae is impressive. Raised in rural New South Wales, Australia, Griffith- a biologist began writing about the human condition in 1975. Since then he has written six books, including the 2003 Australasian bestseller, the revealingly titled ‘A Species in Denial’. ‘Freedom’ the subject of this review, is Griffith’s definitive work, his comprehensive and complete treatise on the biological explanation and amelioration of the human condition. It was first published as an e book in 2009 with extensive additions and editing in 2012.

‘Freedoms’’ timeliness and significance cannot be underestimated. As Australian journalist Richard Neville ominously and accurately described the state of the world, ‘The world is hurtling to catastrophe: from nuclear horrors, a wrecked ecosystem, 20 million dead each year from malnutrition, 600 million chronically hungry…All these crises are man-made, their causes are psychological. The cures must come from this same source; which means the planet needs psychological maturity…fast. We are locked in a race between self - destruction and self-discovery’. (Good Weekend Magazine, Sydney Morning Herald, 14 Oct 1986).

We live in a world with levels of anger, desperation and despair not seen before; where greed is endemic and the gap between the have and the have nots has never been wider, a world where religious wars rage, where the left and right wing in politics seem irreconcilably polarised, where the nightly news is too horrific to watch, where children as young as seven are being prescribed ADHD drugs and where new age movements, band aid solutions and ‘causes’ have become rife, proclaiming to save the environment, save your soul or save the world.

For all of our species collective achievements in science, religion, philosophy and psychiatry in their endeavour to understand and explain our world and the polarities of life - good and evil, love and war, science and religion, men and women, left wing and right wing, instinct and intellect, socialism and capitalism our destructive..., the stark reality is we are still ‘locked in a race between self - destruction and self-discovery’.

The world is in desperate need for unifying and real answers and solutions to the underlying cause of these problems we face.

From this seemingly hopeless and despairing path to ‘self-destruction’, ‘Freedom’ presents this long sought after and desperately needed ‘self-discovery’. It presents the complete solution to real ‘peace on earth’ – through full biological explanation and understanding of our human condition that leads to the amelioration of that condition.

‘Freedom’ is broken into a number of sequential and easy to navigate parts taking the reader on a fascinating journey of discovery and enlightenment. Its explanatory power, grounded in first principle biology leads the reader through the psychological maturation of humanity, both collectively and individually. To try and summarise the close to 1000 pages in this short review can in no way do justice to the content but what I will say is that the profound questions such as what is the meaning of life, how we acquired our conscience or ‘moral soul’, the development of consciousness and the origins of the human condition are completely explained. Explained compassionately in a way that will deeply resonate with you about what it is to be human. Equally significant are the transforming implications addressed by Griffith in subsequent sections. The ability to now understand our human condition, in particular the dark side of our nature, liberates us from our underlying insecurity and sense of guilt, relieving and healing our condition, which ends the cycle of destruction plaguing our planet, transforming our world as we know it.

There are a handful of books that have withstood history’s litmus test – literary works that strike a deep chord in our psyche and transcend our day to day lives. They cut a swathe through life’s clutter and become timeless through generations by enlightening us, adding meaning to and explaining the world we live in and who we are. They leave a lasting imprint on the reader. Charles Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection’, the ‘Bible’, Plato’s ‘Republic’ and the ‘Iliad’ attributed to Homer have all contributed to humanity’s knowledge bank.

In time ‘Freedom’ will not only stand alongside these literary monuments, it will have such a profound and transformative effect on humanity that its importance will be unsurpassed. This claim may sound preposterous, however it is only upon reading ‘Freedom’ that you are able to comprehend and experience the depth of truth that Jeremy Griffith has explained about our human condition.

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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. 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, 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.

A Can't-Put-Down Mainstream Novel

TITLE: The Seeds of a Daisy
AUTHOR: +Alison Caiola
AUTHOR'S WEB SITE: www.theseedsofadaisy.com
AVAILABILITY: Amazon US , Amazon UK (Kindle e-book), Barnes & Noble,
  iTunes
Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/4081993
http://www.amazon.com/The-Seeds-Of-A-Daisy/dp/1481159623/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1355941253&sr=8-2&keywords=alison+caiola
Kindle: Amazon http://www.amazon.com/The-Seeds-Of-Daisy-ebook/dp/B00AKR2XVW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355922302&sr=8-1&keywords=alison+caiola
Nook Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-seeds-of-a-daisy-alison-caiola/1113921263?ean=2940015756111
APPROXIMATE LENGTH: 366 pages
GENRE: Mainstream Fiction—Drama/Women’s FictionRecommended for readers seeking character-driven dramas.

Reviewed by Mary Fan, originally for Zigzag Timeline

The Seeds of a Daisy is the story of a young woman dealing with
emotional turmoil following her mother’s devastating car accident.
This novel is full of raw emotion and high drama, set against the
backdrop of Hollywood politics.

PACE

Let’s just say I devoured this one. I started reading during lunch and finished by mid-afternoon. Caiola’s conversational style and flair for drama make this novel a suspenseful and absorbing read.
PERSPECTIVE
First person present. The book opens with Lily Lockwood, a successful TV actress, in the hospital following her mother’s accident. As she comes to grips with the tragedy, she reflects on her past, and much of the book consists of her flashbacks.
CONTENT REVIEW
From a distance, Lily Lockwood has it all. She’s the star of a popular and acclaimed TV series with a handsome boyfriend poised to become a big time Hollywood leading man. But in her own eyes, her life is
unraveling. That boyfriend, Jamie, is cheating on her with his costar
on a film set miles away, and Lily’s mother, Daisy, is comatose
following a devastating car accident

The Seeds of a Daisy opens with Lily by Daisy’s side in the hospital,
begging her to return to the realm of the conscious. As she waits for
news from the doctors, she reflects on her life and relationship with
her mother, who raised Lily alone and guided her through the mad world
of Hollywood. When Lily goes through Daisy’s possessions in search of
a living will, she discovers things about her mother’s past that she
could never have dreamed of, things that reveal the woman behind the
tough-cookie career queen Daisy the bestselling author was known as.

Caiola writes with a natural, conversational style that brings Lily’s
voice to life. The realistic dialogue and easy, fluid prose carry the
story forward in a way that makes the pages turn themselves. The
reader is privy to all of Lily’s thoughts and raw emotions as she
faces the madness her life has become—her grief, her anger, her hope,
and then some. Each moment is a suspenseful one for Lily as she waits for news from the doctors and comes to grips with reality, and that suspense carries over to the audience, making this book an unexpectedly fast-paced page-turner.

Although the story is told from Lily’s point of view, The Seeds of a Daisy, as the title implies, is as much about Daisy—her effect on Lily and the world around her. Lily spends much of the book reflecting on her somewhat codependent
relationship with her mother and learning to stand on her own and take charge of her life.
Behind the mother-daughter drama is a colorful supporting cast and a fascinating glimpse of Hollywood politics. While the reader sees Lily as a vulnerable young woman, the rest of the world views her as a celebrity to be gossiped about. Paparazzi mob her in the hospital lobby, trying to get a snapshot of her distraught face for the tabloids. So when Jamie flies back to be with her, is he actually trying to comfort her, or is this another publicity stunt? Meanwhile, Daisy’s longtime friends flock to Lily’s side out of genuine concern.

Also, I must note that this book seems incredibly well-researched on the hospital drama front. The medical jargon and explanations—dry and impenetrable to both the reader and Lily—add to the story’s realistic atmosphere. Although the book’s set-up, with the Emmy’s and the paparazzi hovering in the background, may seem glamorized, the story itself is very down-to-earth. Lily may not be the most eloquent speaker, but her words ring true even though she sometimes seems to
have trouble expressing her emotional frenzy.
I didn’t mean to read The Seeds of a Daisy in one sitting, but I ended up getting so absorbed in the drama and the characters that I couldn’t put it down. Entertaining, gripping, and sometimes tear-jerking, it’s the kind of book that’s easy to get lost in.
THE NITPICKY STUFF
I received an advance copy of this novel, which has since been edited,
so I can’t comment on typos and the like.
This novel contains a handful of mild sex scenes and some adult language.

AUTHOR INFO
[from the back cover]
Alison Caiola's many years in Hollywood, first as a PR Executive and then as a writer, makes her qualified to write about the entertainment industry and the behind-the-scenes craziness that it often spawns.
  Like Daisy, the mother in The Seeds of a Daisy, her son JD Daniels is
a successful and award-winning actor. Alison recently wrote, directed,
and produced the television series The Tyme Chronicles. She currently
resides on the beautiful North Fork of Long Island with her Malti-Poo
daughter-dog Emma, surrounded by vineyards, farms, and wonderful
friends.  Learn more at  www.theseedsofadaisy.com.

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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. 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, 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Fiction Features Historical Characters' Take on Politics

Title: Founding Fathers Know Best:

Subtitle: Is the President Leading the Country in the Wrong Direction?

Author: Ross Edward Puskar
Website: www.foundingfathersknowbest.com
Genre: Political Fiction
ISBN-10: 1936449226

Selected Blurbs:

Founding Fathers Know Best is an engaging satire that delivers on its mission. Puskar presents an entertaining, educational and stimulating read that offers a creative and fresh way to think about the problems our country faces: how would past Presidents counsel Obama on today's issues? The spirits of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison return to the White House to offer their expertise and insights while supported by other past Presidents and the "Friends Club" (which includes colorful characters from Winston Churchill to Abigail Adams to Ben Franklin.)

FFKB is a sharp presentation of today's political issues through a fascinating historical lens. Great for those who love history - and for those who usually don't, well, you never knew history could be so fascinating! I was captivated and couldn't put it down. Puskar's passion and patriotism are infectious. As the election nears, this is a "must read."

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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. 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, 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Generation X Without the Banalities

Acid Indigestion Eyes

Subtitle: Collected Essays and Musings on Generation X

By Wayne Lockwood
Codorus Press, December 2011
ISBN 9780983978329

Originally reviewed by TJ "Brewser" for Amazon.com

I was really impressed with "Acid Indigestion Eyes." Believe me, that means something.

Wayne Lockwood was a Generation X columnist in the 1990s, and this is a collection of his columns. As a guy in his 40s who was around for the era that Mr. Lockwood chronicles in this book, I remember all too well the substandard work that a lot of "Generation X columnists" produced. For too many news outlets, the definition of "Generation X columnist" seemed to be: Any staffer in his or her 20s whom the middle-aged members of management thought might "get" whatever the hell the kids are into these days.

So for starters, here's what you WON'T find in "Acid Indigestion Eyes":

--- A cavalcade of sorely dated cultural references.

--- Ruminations on cultural and political issues that are no longer relevant.

--- The smug indifference for which Generation X (justifiably, to some degree) was so notorious.

--- Trite observations and bad writing.

Instead, you'll find the thoughts of a literate, intelligent young man just starting out in the world, and getting some sense of who he is and what he wants out of life. Although this is nonfiction and thus somewhat of a different beast, I wouldn't consider it an exaggeration to put it alongside such works as "The Graduate" in its insightful encapsulation of that period we all go through, one way or another.

To his credit, Mr. Lockwood avoids the trap of so many young writers, who often consider every element of their lives to be the most intense drama imaginable. Mr. Lockwood presents his experiences with an admirably low-key tone, which is far more powerful than histrionics would have been.

He works a low-paying job. Scrounges for discarded furniture. Wonders why people treat him differently when he's wearing a tie than when he isn't. Gets drunk occasionally. Eats too much fast food.

In between, he deals with his relationship with his mother, who suffered a nervous breakdown. He works through his thoughts on politics, religion and mortality.

This juxtaposition of mundane details and big issues is ultimately what makes the book so effective, and so universal - no matter what decade we happen to be in.

 

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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. 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, 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Reviewer Lenz Takes on Translation of Marcel Pronovost Work

Title: Hearth and Home:The tumultuous life of Mathieu Rouillard and Jeanne
Guillet
Author: Marcel Pronovost.
Translated from the French by Eileen Reardon.
ISBN 978-1-926945-37-8
Baico Publishing Inc., 2011
Publisher's Web site: www.baico.ca
$25.00, 349 pages.
Genre: historical fiction

Reviewed by lenz, original for lenz.hubpages.com.

When Marcel Pronovost’s ancestor, Mathieu Rouillard, arrived in New
France in 1661 after a three-month Atlantic crossing, he did not see the
gold he had been told would be lying about on the ground, but he knew it
could be made by those with strength, intelligence, a will to work hard
and ambition. Mathieu had all of these qualities in abundance but he was
up against two mighty foes: the unforgiving North American wilderness
and the rapacious French colonial government with its systems of trade
and feudal seigneurial land grants.

Mathieu and his wife Jeanne were two among a large number of Mr.
Pronovost’s Trois Rivières, Quebec ancestors, whose lives and times he
has spent many years researching. Intending at first to write a brief
history to be distributed among his own family members, he found the
huge catalogue of historical data he had collected made that project
untenable and so decided to make it a novel in which he could condense
the subject of his family’s habitant ancestors into a dramatic tale of
one couple whose experience encompassed the best and worst that the new
world had to offer. Hearth and Home: The tumultuous life of Mathieu
Rouillard and Jeanne Guillet is the result and a lively, fact-filled,
fast-paced account it is.

Jeanne is the eldest daughter of a prosperous carpenter who at first
welcomes Mathieu, a strong reliable farmhand at the time, to the family
(Mathieu has left his own back in La Rochelle, France), but regrets it
later when he finds that the young suitor has told a small lie about
having property in France and will not provide the financial support for
his daughter he had hoped for. Indeed, Mathieu will never be rich, but
will be in debt to lenders for the rest of his life, his ambitions being
more than even his strong back can bear. The newlyweds love each other
passionately, but even Jeanne will become sad and embittered as the
years go on and she is left alone for months at times to care for
children and harvest crops, while her husband leaves “hearth and home”
to pursue his true vocation.

After clearing a strip of land on the Batiscan River, near Trois
Rivières, and building a small cabin for Jeanne and planting some wheat,
he turns to the business that has captured his imagination since his
arrival. He will be a coureur de bois or voyageur, traveling by canoe on
the rivers that lead to the north and west to trade with the aboriginal
peoples cheap merchandise for valuable beaver pelts. (Pronovost uses the
term “Savages” for the natives, as the colonists did.)

He loves the hard, adventurous life, but learns that the fur trade is
not always profitable -- rarely, in fact. Still, he keeps going on
longer and longer trips while owing more and more to the merchants who
have lent him the goods with which he trades. The payment he receives
for the furs he brings back never seem enough to cover the cost of those
goods.

Between his trading voyages and brief returns to the ever-affectionate
Jeanne, there are battles with the Iroquois and the English. It is the
Iroquois who, at first, are the principle enemy of the French. They are
a constant menace to both French settlers and other aboriginal nations.
Many forts are built and local men are called up to join militias which
are mostly successful at fighting off the raiders, but many lives are
lost on both sides. The English forces to the south only enter this
narrative late in the story when Mathieu and his friends are forced to
smuggle furs to the English forts, where they can get a higher price.
The politics and religion of the day are portrayed in all their greed
and hypocrisy, although we do see how Jesuit priests did their best to
keep the colonists from moral decay. The growing cynicism of the
colonists is also shown as they realise how powerless they are against
the same social forces that existed in the Old France that they left, in
hope of greater freedom.

When Mathieu is in his fifties and feeling his age, his desire to see
places further west takes him to the Mississippi River and a trip south
to warmer temperatures and fertile land, where he dreams of bringing his
wife and children to live more freely and comfortably. Here he sadly
meets his end.

Mathieu Rouillard, 1638-1702, holds the dubious distinction of (perhaps)
being the first white man to have died and been buried in what is now
the State of Louisiana and what was, in 1702, a swampy outpost of the
far reaches of New France. A tragic end to a truly tumultuous life.

This semi-fiction (most of the names are of persons living in that time)
takes us quickly through the years between 1660 and 1702 with energy,
passion and a lively style that engages one completely but raises, to my
mind, more questions than it answers about the lives and times of the
hardy and adventurous people of New France; the role of women, both
colonist and aboriginal, is distinctly missing in the scheme of things.

Illustrations from the National Archives of Canada, maps and lists of
names of aboriginal nations and historical characters are included.
Eileen Reardon provides a translation from the French that matches the
spirit of the original. I recommend this first novel as a charming and
intriguing introduction to the period.

~The reviewer, lenz, contributes occasionally to Hubpages (www.hubpages.com, World Literature Forum
(http://www.worldliteratureforum.com ) and other sites and is a volunteer proofreader at Distributed Proofreaders (www.pgdp.net ) as
xlenz.

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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. 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, 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. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :

Five-Star Review for Book Set in New York

Title: Fixer
Author: Ed Brodow
Author Website: http://www.fixerbook.com
Genre: Historical Fiction
ISBN: 978-1432717032

Reviewed by Erika Borsos originally for Amazon
Reviewer's Rating: Five Stars

This book provides a great visual representation of life in New York city at the turn-of-the-century. The author uses his words like an artist uses paint on canvas. This book leaves a great visual and colorful impact on the reader. The story is energetic, fast paced and filled with great human interest, overall a fascinating read. This is an historical era novel about a powerful charismatic politically connected figure who wielded a great deal of influence in New York city during the height of his career. It was a time when various people from Europe and Russia were clashing as they fought to create a new and better life for themselves and their families. They escaped the political forces and prejudices which held them back in the "old world" but faced new and different enemies and circumstances instead. Sometimes, the new circumstances were nearly as daunting as the old but as time marched on, the powerful walls which kept people of different cultures from achieving their potential cracked and broke apart. Times created situations where someone with a powerful personality who had major chutzpah and intelligence could work the system and become highly influential. This book is about such a man, his name is Harry Leonoff, a man of Jewish descent who beat the odds and made himself into a success. He become politically connected and indispensable to the politicians who needed major jobs done around the city. He hung around Tammany Hall with the Irish who got Harry hooked on politics. Harry's reputation grew as he strove to maintain his values and integrity while he got jobs done. Unfortunately, his strong need to maintain his integrity prevented him from backing down from a position once he took a strong stand and this became his undoing after clashing with Mayor Fiorello La Guardia who also possessed a similar ego and style of behavior.

Harry Leonoff's rise to power and his fall from grace makes for a fascinating novel. Harry's early life began on the Lower East Side of New York in Jewish tenement houses and apartments. This milieu provided the foundation for Harry's developing a strong character. His character was tested when he developed polio and underwent rigorous stretching exercises, without benefit of analgesics. Fortunately, he eventually received more humane treatment from Andrew Craig a Scotsman who developed a successful home treatment for polio victims. Harry retained a limp due to this childhood illness. Perhaps this is where Harry learned to care so much about the poor and less fortunate. Harry's fearless reputation got him hired by a local group of Jewish leaders who wanted some anti-Semitic thugs taught a lesson. By age 23, Harry realized he needed education and hung out at a local Democratic Club, where he overheard Big Jim Connolly express that lawyers ran the city. This gave Harry the grand idea to become a law clerk. At the time there were several avenues to entering the legal profession, one was attending law school, another was graduating from college and preparing for the bar exam, and a third for those with little formal education, as was Harry's case, was to become a law clerk. Harry was hired to apprentice for Mr. Levine who had won some rather famous cases. This is where Harry's sense of fair play arose as he noticed not everyone was getting justice under the legal system ...in fact, the rich and powerful seemed to receive most of it. He concluded only those with political influence could correct the deficiencies in the system so Harry attempted to do just that. He returned to Tammany Hall to work for Big Jim Connolly. Harry's success continued as he gained experience and grew to have a reputation for getting the job done.

The author does a superb job of describing the rise and fall of Harry's fame. The stories are realistic and believable, most are serious, others are humorous. The author does a particularly excellent job of drawing the reader into the story from the beginning when Harry's grandson visits at the hospital where Harry resides. The description of the harbor, the weather, the landscape and views and then the inside of the mental hospital are very visually realistic and appealing. The author's description of how Harry's frame of mind flips from current reality into the past is highly accurate of how confused elderly people behave and react. The book was inspired by the life of the author's own grandfather. This book is most highly recommended. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

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