The New Book Review

Monday, August 13, 2018

Dr. Wesley Britton Reviews the Clinton/Patterson Book

The President is Missing

Authors: Bill Clinton and James Patterson

Audible Audiobook

Version: Unabridged

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Audible.com Release Date: June 4, 2018

Reviewed by: Dr. Wesley Britton originally for BookPleasures.com

On so many levels, the powerhouse collaboration between best-selling novelist James Patterson and former President William Jefferson Clinton has ignited nearly every kind of possible critical response. Some readers nearly gush with effusive praise; other reviewers are far less kind, and not always for political reasons.

Some reader games would seem unavoidable. Guessing who wrote what is more than problematic, although I’m certain Clinton wrote both the first and last chapters. The first as it seems so much like Clinton’s own experiences during his impeachment hearings, the last as it reads like one of Clinton’s famously long speeches. To the chagrin of some readers,it’s a speech that touches on many issues not dealt with in the novel at all.

Another game is trying to decide how much of Clinton is captured in the character of President Jonathan Lincoln Duncan. Other reviewers have pointed out a handful of biographical similarities as well as major differences. Me, I read the book noticing the absence of any sex or romantic relationships. Was this a means of avoiding the smirks and/or guessing games of readers who’d want to connect Clinton’s erotic life with his fiction?

The fingerprints of James Patterson are evident throughout the bulk of the thriller. For one thing, the pace of the book is partly driven by his very short chapters that jump from scene to scene, from character to character in a rapid-fire delivery. Throughout, there are many very familiar tropes of the political thriller genre that are reminiscent of numerous authors, not just Patterson. For example, the rudder of the plot is a terrorist named Suliman Cindoruk who wants to activate a computer virus that will cripple the U.S. by erasing all internet data of the military, government, business, medical facilities, and infrastructure. In an often convoluted storyline, President Duncan believes he’s the only man who can meet with Abkhazian separatists to avert the catastrophe. That’s why the President is missing, although political opponents think he’s pulling a fast one to avoid impeachment hearings.

Typical of such novels, one fly in the ointment is a traitor at the very top echelons of the government. But who is the traitor? And why is the female sniper code-named Bach not assassinating world leaders when she has them in her sites, but instead shoots defectors from the terrorist ranks? And who is paying for all this carnage?

Part of the story focuses on discussions between Duncan and his advisors, part is action-oriented with shootouts, car crashes, Viper helicopters, and deadly infiltrations into secret government facilities. It’s either a pleasure or an annoyance to read so many red herrings in the book that lead to a number of very surprising reveals and conclusions in the final chapters.

I recommend reading the Hachette Audio edition of the book to hear the passages narrated by Dennis Quaid, January LaVoy, Peter Ganim, Jeremy Davidson, and Mozhan Marnó . It’s also interesting to hear the chapters focused on Bach read by a female reader and often spiced with musical backgrounds by the classical composers Bach is listening to while setting up her kill shots.

For my money, The President is Missing is a fun read occasionally laced with political observations no doubt offered by Clinton. Maybe some of these lectures will resonate with readers who don’t often listen to voices not coming from their political bent.

You can download the book for free and hear samples at various sites on the net, such as

https://www.audible.com/ep/title/

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Dr. Wesley Britton is the author of The Beta Earth Chronicles and regular reviewer for BookPleasures.com and this blog. Learn more about him:

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. Of particular interest to readers of this blog is her most recent How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically (http://bit.ly/GreatBkReviews ) that covers 325 jam-packed pages covering everithing from Amazon vine to writing reviews for profit and promotion. Reviewers will have a special interest in the chapter on how to make reviewing pay, either as way to market their own books or as a career path--ethically!

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Sunday, August 12, 2018

Readers' Favorite Reviewer Gives Wilma Fleming's Middle Grade Novel Five Stars

TITLE OF YOUR BOOK: The Curse at Lilac Waters

AUTHOR OF BOOK): Wilma Fleming

GENRE OR CATEGORY: Middle Grades Fantasy

ISBN: -13 9781540607720

ISBN:-10 1540607720

Library of Congress number: 2016919809

Purchase at Amazon

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite- *****Five Stars*****

The Curse at Lilac Waters is a fantasy novel for children and preteens written by Wilma Fleming. Troelina was used to having things her own way. She was the prettiest purple troll and the others treated her with a bit of deference when she wanted her pick of the berries or other wild goodies the trolls fed upon. That feeling of privilege quickly got her into quite a bit of bother, however, when she ran up against the goat called Krug. Krug didn’t like trolls trespassing on goat territory, not one bit, and he was not at all impressed by either Troelina’s fair features or her attitude. All it took was a few magical words uttered by the truculent old goat, and Troelina found herself in the body of a Gopher tortoise. All her dreams about marrying Fole were instantly shattered. A mockingbird came by and laughed at poor Troelina, but even so she knew in her heart that the tribe and Fole would find her. The mockingbird told her that there was one cure to Krug’s curse; a magic pearl that could only be found in a lily pad in the middle of the lake -- but Gopher tortoises can’t swim. Will Troelina find a way to end the curse and be reunited with Fole?

Wilma Fleming’s fantasy novel for children and preteens, The Curse at Lilac Waters, is an enchanting environmental fantasy that blends the story of Troelina with that of Eric, a young New Jersey transplant to the Florida wilderness that his botanist father calls home. I enjoyed seeing how Eric's and Troelina’s stories came together so well. Fleming’s story also introduced me to the Gopher tortoise and other endangered species living in the Florida wetlands, and her descriptions of the environment Eric finds himself in are first-rate. While the woods are not for everybody, that Florida wilderness Eric’s father found seemed like paradise to me. This well-written and exciting tale succeeds on so many levels, not least of which is as an enthralling fantasy. The Curse at Lilac Waters is most highly recommended.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wilma Fleming has written columns, articles, and musical reviews for various newspapers as a freelancer, and former lifestyles reporter. Her stories have appeared in several anthologies, and she has published credits from small press, and nationally distributed magazines. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, (SCBWI), a former member of the Creative Writers of Southern Tier, (CWST), and the Florida Children’s Author Team, (CAT). She is married, a mother of five, and currently writes from home. Learn more at

www.WilmaWrites.com

www.Scwbi.org

www.Carlaquarius.com

Reach her at )wilma2flem@yahoo.comR

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Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Author Jendi Reiter Reviews The Poet Spiel's "Pictures and Words"

Author: Tom Taylor a/k/a The Poet Spiel

Title: Revealing Self in Pictures and Words

Genre: Poetry, Memoir, Art Book

ISBN-13: 978-1979893695

Purchasing Link: https://www.amazon.com/REVEALING-SELF-Pictures-Words-Taylor/dp/1979893691/

Reviewer: Jendi Reiter

Publication: Reiter's Block

Reviewed by Jendi Reiter originally for her blog at JendiReiter.com

Visual artist Tom Taylor, a/k/a The Poet Spiel, is a creator of varied personae, with a 66-year career spanning genres from graphic design to mixed-media collage and installation art, poetry, and now memoir. His new book, Revealing Self in Pictures and Words, is an impressionistic retrospective of his personal journey and the dramatic shifts in his style and materials over the decades.

Boldly colored reproductions of his artwork are interspersed with vignettes, aphorisms, dreamlike or nightmarish memories, and previously published poems reformatted as prose paragraphs. These written sections are set off in quotation marks, like tantalizing snippets of an overheard conversation, and formatted in a multi-hued script that creates the impression of an artist’s journal. (This font was admittedly a challenge to read in large amounts, but the necessity of slowing down may have helped me absorb more of the meaning.) Instead of traditional narrative transitions, third-person summaries of the action, in a more businesslike sans-serif font, serve as occasional signposts to situate the samples of his creative work within the chronology of his life and travels.

And what a life: Born in 1941, Spiel was a maverick from the start. He grew up on a Colorado farm on the Great Plains, a repressive environment for a gay artistic boy with migraines and manic-depressive tendencies. The early pages of his book speak candidly, in intense and hallucinatory flashbacks seared with humor, about the burden of his mother’s mental illness and her violation of his intimate boundaries. His bond with animals and nature kept his soul alive, a connection he would later channel into successful commercial posters and landscape paintings of wildlife, inspired by his travels in Zambia.

In the 1990s his work took a surreal and expressionist turn, protesting social conformity and war. His life as a gay man in America has given him an outsider perspective on the hypocrisy of conventional mores, and a rage against the stifling of his authentic life force. These themes show up in his raw, satirical, unpretentious poems. Revealing Self invites the reader to experience Rimbaud’s maxim that “A Poet makes himself a visionary through a long, boundless, and systematized disorganization of all the senses.”

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Jendi Reiter is the author of the novel Two Natures (Saddle Road Press), a

Rainbow Award winner, Book Excellence Award, and National Indie Excellence Award finalist.

See the book trailer at http://bit.ly/twonaturestrailer. The Midwest Book Review says, "Intense revelations about what it means to be both Christian and gay...a powerful saga." She is Editor of WinningWriters.com , a Writer's Digest "101 Best Websites for Writers."

"Things are not what they appear to be: nor are they otherwise." ~Surangama Sutra

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Saturday, August 4, 2018

Title Bob Hope on TV Subtitle Thanks for the Memories

Title: Bob Hope On TV

Subtitle: Thanks For the Video Memories

Author: Wesley Hyatt

Publisher: BearManor Media (December 15, 2017)

ISBN-10: 1629332178

ISBN-13: 978-1629332178

Purchase at Amazon

Reviewed by Dr. Wesley Britton originally for Book Pleasures.com

No other modern entertainer can claim the longevity or scope of what Bob Hope accomplished between 1919 to 1997, nearly 80 years in show business. Before his death at the age of 100 in 2003, Hope was a vaudevillian, actor on stage, radio, film, and television. He helped define just what a “stand-up comic” is. He was also a singer, dancer, sometime athlete, and author. He starred in 54 feature films, appeared in many more, and hosted the Academy Awards show 19 times, more than any other host.

Those Academy Award Shows are among the seemingly countless Bob Hope TV appearances chronicled by Wesley Hyatt in his Bob Hope on TV. The heart of his book, not surprisingly, are the numerous specials Hope hosted for NBC television starting in 1950 which continued until 1997. Among those specials were a number of shows performed live before military audiences for the USO (United Services Organization), including the 1970 and 1971 Christmas specials taped in Vietnam, now listed in the Top 46 U.S. network prime-time telecasts. Both were seen by more than 60 percent of the U.S. households watching television.

Add in all the specials hosted by others and TV shows Hope guested on, it’s obvious Hyatt had a daunting task simply cataloguing but one part of the Bob Hope legacy. Gratefully, Hyatt gives us much more than capsule descriptions of each Hope TV outing. Decade by decade, Hyatt gives us useful introductions that describe what Hope’s career was like during each of these periods of his small screen life.

I must admit, Hyatt’s critical analysis of each special, in particular, make it surprising Hope’s tenure with NBC ran for as long as it did. After the 1950s, Hyatt uses few compliments to describe these programs. Hyatt claims that Hope got further and further out of touch with contemporary tastes and mores, especially regarding equal rights for women. During the Vietnam war, Hope was a conspicuous supporter of that unpopular conflict and was a known backer of beleaguered President Richard Nixon. Hyatt goes beyond these already well-known aspects of Hope’s public life and knocks most of the skits and monologues for much of Hope’s TV career. As Hyatt made every effort to screen as many of the Hope appearances as he could, one wonders if boredom crept into his critical eye or if Hyatt is using contemporary standards—as in his distaste for Hope’s targeting of gays—to measure broadcasts that might not have always earn high ratings, but remained popular for many reasons. Audiences kept coming back again and again even as the generations changed. Advertisers usually supported Hope for long periods of time, especially Chrysler (1963–73) and Texaco (1975–85).

Whether or not readers agree with Hyatt’s often unhappy critical analyses or not, without question, you got to be a major fan of Bob Hope to want this lengthy tome. There’s a whole lot of old-timers in that number. And we must all applaud Hyatt for his incredible task of doing the research for this volume. From hunting down rare and obscure copies of the old broadcasts to screening nearly everything he could find to interviewing surviving participants, notably joke writers like Bob Mills, Wesley Hyatt has compiled an impressive work of research most libraries should want to shelve, especially those with good collections of books dealing with entertainment. Bob Hope fans of whatever generation you belong to may well want to skim through these pages—Bob Hope on TV isn’t a cover to cover read unless, like Hyatt, all this television minutia is your cup of tea.

MORE ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Dr. Wesley Britton is the author of The Beta Earth Chronicles and a regular reviewer for BookPleasures.com. Learn more about him at:

Explore the Beta Earth Chronicles website:

Follow Wes Britton’s Goodreads blog:

Check out Wes Britton’s Beta Earth Chronicles Facebook page:

Enjoy the videos at Wes Britton’s YouTube Channel:

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Sunday, July 29, 2018

Reviews for Tales2inspire ~ The Garnet Collection

TITLE OF YOUR BOOK: Tales2Inspire ~ The Garnet Collection

(Stories in Feathers and Fur)

NAME (AUTHOR OF BOOK): Anthology of short stories written both by Lois W. Stern (Publisher) and winning authors of her "Authors Helping Authors" contest)

GENRE OR CATEGORY: Anthology of Non-fiction, inspiring short stories

ISBN-10: 1530811198

ISBN-13: 9781530811198

FORMATS: Paperback, Kindle, PDF

PAGE COUNT: 126

AMAZON LINKhttp s://www.amazon.com/Tales2Inspire-Diamond-Collection-III-Feathers/dp

TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE EMERALD COLLECTION
Beyond Coincidence Stories

Title: Tales2Inspire ~The Emerald Collection

Subtitle: Beyond Coincidence stories

Series: Tales2Inspire®

Authors: Lois W. Stern, Stan Cupery, M.D., Cami Ann Hofstadter, Ph.D, Erica Kosal, Ph.D., Tina Chippas (a.k.a. Matina Nicholas), Anne Knorr, James Osborne, Heidi DuPree, Fran Gustman, T. H. Everingham, Donna Surface, Tom Eliopolus, Cheryl Gerber

Genre: Inspirational Anthology

Publisher: Tales2Inspire

Contact: tales2inspire2@gmail.com

ISBN-10: 1492321397

ISBN-13: 978-1492321392

ASIN: B00FW9PFUY

PAGE COUNT: 129

Price: $11.25, PB, $4.99 Kindle

Format: Paperback, Ebook, PDF

________________________________________

REVIEWS

Dr. Bernie Siegel, Noted physician, healer, author and humanist, (A Book of Miracles, the Art of Healing, 365 Prescriptions for the Soul)

Read and Learn the Lessons of Life

These are books with a heart - filled with stories which reveal what happens when we choose to live in a way that is life enhancing for all God's creatures. Our potential is miraculous when we choose to inspire the vapor of love. The people in these stories have always been my teachers. Read and learn the lessons of life.”

Grady Harp

Amazon HALL OF FAME TOP 100 REVIEWER

“Oh, by the way, I don't have any legs.”

Lois W Stern has collected a group of tales written by a fascinating group of authors that convey a sense of purpose, destiny, and reason for being. In the original edition of this book, the author offered the following: ‘Is there really such a thing as coincidence, or could there be an unknown force, a higher power, taking charge? This is a question you are likely to ponder as you read the collection of heartwarming stories contained within the pages of this book. Although all are true, don’t be surprised if you find yourself saying “unbelievable” as you finish reading some, or simply getting a feel-good rush from others. Tales 2 Inspire ~ Beyond Coincidence: A collection of inspiring stories written by talented authors from across the globe. Each motivational, uplifting story is enhanced by the inclusion of original, full color photos and/or drawings, making this a treasured gift book at a most reasonable price.’

That states the joy and satisfaction every reader will feel after spending time with this book. Interestingly enough there is a story by Lois that is one of the highlights - the story of an adoption of a handicapped child and the reflections of that child as a young woman: ‘Luck shone down on this infant from the moment she entered the Bricker household. She felt the unconditional love of her parents and three older brothers, all with solid values that helped her grow into the remarkable person she is today. As a young woman reflecting back on her childhood, Jen says with admiration:“ They are amazing and they don’t even realize it. They are just good people. I don’t know how, but they always managed to handle each situation exactly the right way.” From early on the Brickers told Jen that there was no such word as can't. Instead they taught her how to go after the things she really wanted. With their guidance, Jen’s indomitable spirit and confidence soared. She vigorously dove into sports, meeting each challenge head on with confidence and the expectation of success. More often than not, she realized her dreams. Jen led a happy, rewarding life, playing softball, basketball and volleyball. But her passion was gymnastics. When she was ten, she won fourth place in the Amateur Athletic Union's Junior Olympics in Hampton, Va., and was Illinois state power tumbling champion in her division…etc.’

Just a sample - but an indication of the quality of stories collected here. They restore belief, hops, and admiration for humanity.

Susan Haley

Award winning author, Rainy Day People

I would hazard to guess that everyone has had an inspiring dream, cherishes a heart-felt memory, or perhaps a life changing accomplishment that determined the direction their lives would take from there. Also, I would bet that many wish they could put that experience into words to help or inspire others. As a one-time struggling author myself, I am fully aware of the power of words and the joy of knowing they touched someone. The missing elements here are the vision and energy of another inspired person to put it all together and offer up the stage from which to share these hopes, dreams and successes. This is what Lois W. Stern has accomplished with her "Tales2Inspire" Collections; she's offered up the stage.

I met Lois, a new author in her own right then, several years ago when we both became involved with an "Authors Helping Authors" group at a Publisher's Conference. Even then with her own new book recently published, Lois was looking for ways to help all authors. And, help authors she has done. The energy she has put into these series is a "Tale2Inspire" in itself. The heart-warming stories in the Collections showcase that spark of human spirit present in all of us. I strongly recommend them to anyone who has those days when they simply need a lift.

Susan Haley, Author

The amazing coincidences of life, chance meetings of family or loved ones, after sometimes decades apart feature strongly, in both chapters four and five. Again (with an underlying message that anything is possible if you have faith and never give up.)

Chapter six outlines courage in the face of your darkest foe and reminds us that character is something that you earn. There is much joy in chapter seven this is more about unconditional love and the joy it will bring. The story in chapter eight is more reflective, dealing with the more complex emotions of love and loss. Chapters nine and ten are animal stories but are both uplifting. The reader will be cheering for both characters and amazed at the dedication and loyalty bonds between animal families. The final chapters are about love and family. Again there are amazing coincidences that return people together. Maybe this is fate, maybe it is faith but the message again is “Never give up on your hopes”

Overall a good impression and I would look forward to others in the series.

Glenn Poveromo

Motivational Speaker, Author of The Power of Visualization, The Spirit's Self-Help Book,

Change Your Thinking / Change Your Life: Learn to Live Your Best Life Possible

Beautifully crafted gems - yours to read over and over again

Is it true that there are no coincidences in life? If you believe as I do that there exists an energy that is beyond our five senses then Tales2Inspire is a MUST read for you. Each story will lead you to consider that we are a collective part of something much larger than our individual selves and that divine interventions are available to us at any moment in time. Beginning with the internal voice heard by Dr. Dan Lloyd that moved him to perform his "one-of-a-kind" life saving surgery in The Voice and concluding with the amazing story of Pat Surface in The Gift of Family, Lois W. Stern has achieved her objective in bringing to the reader stories that touch the mind, heart, and soul. The Emerald Collections is the perfect subtitle for the beautifully crafted gems that are yours to read over and over again. I highly recommend this book for anyone who might ever ask the question: "Why not?"

Rod DiGruttolo: author

Group Leader Sarasota Writers Group

The Emerald Collection of inspiring stories brings us remarkable messages of faith, courage and peace. All these tales depict strength we can only hope to possess in a time of crisis or despair. Each story is unique and gives us an insight into the lives of those who experienced these wondrous moments.

Authors share life experiences that carry us beyond the realm of our everyday existence. We are allowed a brief glimpse into lives of strangers filled with love, hope, despair and longing. Each of these stories brings a new promise of peace to the reader.

Unlike many books that you read just once and put aside, if you are like me, you will want to return to these stories again and again. I felt uplifted by their energy, examples of courage, selfless behaviors, devotion and everyday miracles, and the powerful messages that they held. I will forever be thankful to have shared such special moments in their lives. I can identify with those who triumphed over hardship, helped their fellow man and empathized with the helpless.

Michael Monjion, Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer

I was blown away about the Little White Church story that you must read first. I now know what a miracle really is. These stories are very short but to the point, and you will truly enjoy each and every one of them. The stories will bring tears to your eyes.

Dr. Karen Hutchins Pirnot

Clinical psychologist, Author of fourteen published books including: As I Am, Just a Common Lady, Nothing Left to Burn, Making Love on Scrabble

Truly Tales to Inspire the Heart and Soul

Do you believe there’s a reason for everything? That people come into our lives, and leave, for aa reason? Well, if so, this book is an inspiration for you all with its messages of hope and inspiration.

Steve Brock

Stevo’s Book Reviews on the internet

Stories to Warm Your Heart, Uplift Your Spirits, and Sometimes Leave You Gasping the Single Word, "Unbelievable."

Did you ever experience something that you felt couldn't have happened simply by coincidence - that perhaps an unknown force entered your life to take charge? These are the true 'Beyond Coincidence' inspiring stories (you will read in this book), written by everyday people just like you.

___________________________________________________

Pages

Monday, August 13, 2018

Dr. Wesley Britton Reviews the Clinton/Patterson Book

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Readers' Favorite Reviewer Gives Wilma Fleming's Middle Grade Novel Five Stars

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Author Jendi Reiter Reviews The Poet Spiel's "Pictures and Words"

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Title Bob Hope on TV Subtitle Thanks for the Memories

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Reviews for Tales2inspire ~ The Garnet Collection

TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE EMERALD COLLECTION - Beyond Coincidence Stories

TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE EMERALD COLLECTION
Beyond Coincidence Stories

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Sign for My #SharingwithWriters Newsletter: It's a Community. Learn from Others. Share with Others.

Pages

Monday, August 13, 2018

Dr. Wesley Britton Reviews the Clinton/Patterson Book

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Readers' Favorite Reviewer Gives Wilma Fleming's Middle Grade Novel Five Stars

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Author Jendi Reiter Reviews The Poet Spiel's "Pictures and Words"

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Title Bob Hope on TV Subtitle Thanks for the Memories

Sunday, July 29, 2018

Reviews for Tales2inspire ~ The Garnet Collection

TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE EMERALD COLLECTION - Beyond Coincidence Stories

TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE EMERALD COLLECTIONBeyond Coincidence Stories

POPULAR LINKS

Sign for My #SharingwithWriters Newsletter: It's a Community. Learn from Others. Share with Others.

TALES2INSPIRE ~ THE EMERALD COLLECTION
Beyond Coincidence Stories