Here’s a little taste of what I’ve been consuming…
Book Review: Heart of Africa by Loren Lockner
Heart of Africa by Loren Lockner
A Light Romance Novel published by Loren Lockner (10/10/14)
Summary:
Mandy Philips planned her honeymoon in Africa, but when her doctor fiancé replaces her with a younger blonder floozy before they have a chance to get married, she decides to leave her life behind for a safari in the more wild part of South Africa. And now she is by herself. Or is she? Her hired guide Peter shows her the most beautiful sights and wild animals, but their budding romance is rudely sidetracked when Mandy is kidnapped by poachers. Almost no roads. Almost no food. Predators everywhere. Mandy must reunite first with her guide and then make it back to civilization before something else threatens her much-needed and very different kind of vacation.
Keywords:
South Africa, Romance, Strong Female, Relationships, Poachers, Kidnapping, Survival, Animal Wildlife, Safari
My Review:
I absolutely loved Mandy. She is a go getter and no nonsense type of woman who still wants her bit of luxury in the wilds of Africa. She is the realistic character that any woman can relate to because she’s afraid of snakes. Well, I think most people would be frightened of 8 foot baby snakes! A few snapping crocodiles, stampeding buffalo, and nasty poachers would also make anyone sit down, cry and give up, but not Mandy. She still cries (wouldn’t you?) but she doesn’t give up. She gets burned and wet and bedraggled, but continues on, even though she knows her sense of direction is hopeless.
I also loved Peter. He was calm and collected, but was still nervous for their survival out in the bush. He was the Crocodile Dundee of Africa, knowing every leaf, tree, bird, and animal that they walked by. He had his own story and his own life prior to meeting Mandy. He wasn’t just thrown into her path for her sake. He was his own person and that’s what makes for the best types of romance. Both characters were their own person before they met each other and didn’t just exist during the time they knew each other. They didn’t just fall in love or commit themselves to each other, though extreme circumstances are known to make people fall in love harder and faster.
Heart of Africa was as much its setting as it was its lovers and story. Lockner gave the setting a life of its own. Through her eyes I saw this small part of South Africa and it was made beautiful. I can’t say I will remember the hordes of animals Lockner describes or that I would myself want to visit, but I came away with a deeper understanding of the areas Mandy goes to during her Safari. I think, after reading this book, that I definitely would never go because I am for sure afraid of snakes longer than a foot, angry wild poachers, wild unpredictable animals, and scorpions finding their way into my shoes.
This novel was published by Loren Lockner October 10th, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75
Links for more information:
Book Review: A Woman Lost by T.B. Markinson
A Woman Lost by T.B. Markinson
A Romantic Fiction Novel published by T. B. Markinson (01/02/14)
Summary:
She is predictable as pie, always ordering a chai tea when out at the local Starbucks with her best friend Ethan, and avoiding talking about her relationship like they are the plague. She doesn’t like to open up and swoons – inside her own head- at any pretty woman. She feels like she gets cornered into doing what she doesn’t want to do and can’t figure a way out of it, even if all it would take is one conversation. She is a relationship wuss.
Keywords:
Romance, Relationships, Unsupportive Family, Friendships, Lesbians, Tension, Holding in Feelings, Coffee, Chai
My Review:
Lizzie isn’t just a relationship wuss, she tries very hard. Her personality holds her back. Don’t we all do this? We’re worried about what our partner will do or say so we don’t bring up those difficult questions at all. Push them to the back of the closet where they can’t affect us, but they always do eventually. Markinson has a way with building her characters. Lizzie, Sarah, Ethan, and Maddie are all realistic layered characters with personality quirks and humors all their own. I really enjoy Markinson’s characters in everything that she writes and A Woman Lost is no exception.
A Woman Lost was built on tension. It was apparent in every word and every scene and I was just waiting for it all to fall apart or blow up. I wasn’t disappointed. Markinson herself describes Lizzie: “You’re so wound up all of the time that sometimes you crack.” (Page 35). Lizzie keeps her feelings bottled up inside, but not just because it adds tension to the story. She has a reason for doing this. Markinson has built her up and given her complication and motivation and backstory to explain who she is and why she does the less applaudable things that she does. If she has such a great girlfriend, why would she pursue the new hot chick? If any of us would succumb, so would a character like Lizzie. The story is realistic and the characters are realistic in this way and that is why Lizzie is so very relatable even while you want to kick her in the pants and tell her to stop being such a ninny. It’s difficult to do that when you’re as stubborn as Lizzie, “I should always go the exact opposite of my gut feeling; however, I was too stubborn to ignore my intuition.” (Page 228).
This novel was published by T. B. Markinson January 2nd, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.
TLDR Star Rating: 5.0
Links for more information:
Indie Author Page Release
You can now view the Indie Stars page on my blog. It has the best of the best Indie authors. There are so many books and authors out there that it’s hard to find the hidden gems, but I’ve done -some- of the work for you! I’m reading and reviewing as many Indie authors as I can and I’ve pulled out my favorites just for you.
Book Review: Unseen (The Unseen Trilogy Book 1) by Stephanie Erickson
Unseen (The Unseen Trilogy Book 1) by Stephanie Erickson
A Young Adult Fantasy Novel published by Pickles Press (11/19/14)
Summary:
Mackenzie “Mac” Day must choose between a career in music therapy and finding out a secret about herself she’s wanted to know all her life. She discovered music when she was five and, ever since, it has helped her cope with the inundation of voices in her head. She doesn’t have Sensory Processing Disorder like she was diagnosed with at such a young age, but the power to read minds, or at least to be overwhelmed by everyone else’s thoughts. That is, until she meets members from the Unseen, a secret organization full of people just like her who can read minds. Will she choose to be a therapist, continuing her own dependence on coping mechanisms she learned as a child or break free from the curse she has known all her life if she chooses to join the Unseen?
“How can I choose between something I’ve been reaching for my whole life and something so unlikely I never even dared to hope for it?” (Page 69).
Keywords:
Mind Readers, Secret Organization, Graduate School, Musical Therapy, iLS Device, Sensory Processing Disorder, Music, Young Adult Issues, Friends, Terrorists, Making Adult Decisions
My Review:
Mac was a main character I could get behind. She’s confident and somewhat confrontational and can stand up for herself. She’s logical and to the point, but is also creative and intelligent. I really liked her. Maddie was also a character I took an instant liking to. She was funny and quirky in her own way. The interactions between Mac and Maddie were super fun. Their banter was humorous and cleverly written, with a sense of reality that kept my attention throughout the dialogue.
I was a little disappointed at the predictability until the end when the author introduce one whammy right after the other. What a climax!
As this is a fantasy novel, of COURSE the main character was special, but I got bogged down in this predictability. She is special. She is more special than the other special people. However, even within this predictability I thought the context of mind reading was interesting and well written.
To note as well, the thoughts of the men in the beginning were exaggerated as if they were a female’s take on what a man would be thinking, but who knows, I’m not a guy, maybe a guy’s thoughts really are like she describes. I also noticed there were quite a number of characters that were blonde haired and blue eyed. Coincidence?
This novel was published by Pickles Press November 19th, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.
TL;DR Star Rating: 4.50
Links for more information:
Book Review: Scattered links by M. Weidenbenner
Scattered links by M. Weidenbenner
A Drama/Inspirational/YA Novel published by Random (01/04/2014)
Summary:
“America is a place where there’s lots of color and people who don’t worry about running water or food.” (Page 145).
Scattered Links takes place in downtrodden Russia where Oksana is a thirteen-year old trying desperately to take care of her pregnant mama. In a place where many are homeless and hungry, it’s difficult for the young teen to take care of the burgeoning family and make a place for herself in the world. Oksana must make adult decisions and take any chance she can get to help herself, her mama, and her new sister but it isn’t enough. Oksana’s aunt leaves both her and her sister at the local orphanage, but the story isn’t over for the resilient Russian girl. An American couple wants to adopt Oksana’s infant sister and end up with both girls in the process. Adopting an older girl comes with its own complications and it’s difficult for Oksana to leave her mama behind and make a new life for herself in the abundant America.
Keywords:
Russia, Orphans, Adoption, Hardships, Therapy Horses, Family Separation, Leukemia, Emotional
My Review:
M. Weidenbenner can tell a story that pulls at the heartstrings and brings out emotions in the reader. You are anxious for Oksana to live and prosper and desperately afraid something bad will happen to her. When she teeters on the edge of the precipice of disaster you will shakily turn the pages and wonder how she doesn’t step up and fight for herself or her sister or her mama. But that’s the thing. If you grew up in an environment like Oksana, you wouldn’t always act like a super hero, beating off attempted rapists successfully on your own or finding food where there is none. There is reality to the scenarios in Scattered Links. Everything doesn’t always happen the way we want it and for Oksana a lot can and does go wrong. Where in America would a thirteen-year old be left to deliver her own mama’s child with nothing more than boiled water, cloth, and scissors? Where in America is a woman’s only job opportunity as a prostitute? Oksana lives in a much different world and yet, she is still resilient. She still wants to live. And finally, and most importantly, she has this undeniably beautiful love and hope for her family.
Oksana’s blind eye toward her mama and family situation is endearing because Oksana still has the hope that blood is thicker than anything: poverty, destitution, and more mouths to feed. Oksana loves her baby sister more than anything and will stop at nothing to make sure she is safe and wants for nothing. This love is so compelling. I don’t know if there’s anything I’ve loved as much as Oksana loves her sister. Weidenbenner has created these larger than life characters with stories that will make you want to cry for them and their hardships. The author doesn’t stop there though, she creates conflicted characters as well, the adoption mother is overly hard on Oksana, but she just doesn’t understand the girl. Maybe if she had read Scattered Links she’d have a better understanding of what it’s like to grow up in a less than suitable environment for a child and then be separated from one’s mother and taken to a different country and asked to be the daughter of someone who doesn’t understand you.
Weidenbenner’s ability to show relationships and the interaction of people is phenomenal. Each character has personality and motivation. Each character shows development and growth. Wow. If I could give a book 6/5 stars, I would do it for this book, and for anything Michelle Weidenbenner writes.
This novel was published by Random 01/04/2014 and is available on Amazon here.
TLDR Star Rating: 5.0
Links for more information:
Miscellaneous Mondays: My Favorite Indie Authors 5/5 – M. Weidenbenner
I found Michelle Weidenbenner when I was researching for my original nano novel the Geacache Killer, which utilizes the premise of Geocaching. I tried to find all the books that featured geocaching and was rewarded with a lot of duds, some boring reads, and a few gems. Cache a Predator was one of those treasures. I was very sad to see that Michelle Weidnebenner had only published one other book that was not a children’s book (she currently has two of those as well). I read Scattered Links and fell further in love with Weidenbener.
M. Weidenbenner is on my list of Indie stars to watch out for because she has written two out of this world engaging novels that are so professional and readable and wonderfully heart wrenching that I wonder why they are not on more national reading lists. Scattered Links has won some of its own accalim, topping Kindle Book Promos as a first place winner, a Gold Metal Winner int he 2014 Reader’s Favorite International Awards and Bronze Medal winner in Dan Poytner’s Global eBook Awards. Cache a Predator won Gold Medal in the 2014 Reader’s Favorite International Awards. Both these books were so engaging and thought provoking that they should be on every book clubs’ to read lists. Weidenbenner writes characters that are compelling and complex. Each character is given true motivation and backstory to match. Weidenbenner writes in a sophisticated manner that pulls you in and keeps you captive until the last word drops on the last page. Weidenbenner has created these larger than life characters with stories that will make you want to cry for them and their hardships. The author doesn’t stop there though, she creates conflicted characters as well. Weidenbenner’s ability to show relationships and the interaction of people is phenomenal. Each character has personality and motivation. Each character shows development and growth. Wow. If I could give a book 6/5 stars, I would do it for both these books, and for anything Michelle Weidenbenner writes.
Check back next Monday for the addition to my blog of my rising Indie author page! Also stay tuned for my reviews of any new books by these wonderful authors.
Book Reviews: Time for Books 2015 Review Team
It’s a new year and a new me. I’ve been reading more and more Indie books. Why? Why would I risk my lovely reading time with books that might not be my cup of tea? Ah, that’s where you’re wrong. They ARE my cup of tea. I’ve found some fabulous writers through my Indie readings – just look at my Indie Stars page. I want to support my fellow Indie authors by reading and reviewing their works, to find the gems and support and promote them any way I can. The first step is to read them and then tell everyone about how much I liked their book and why it’s so fabulous(i.e. review). You can see my review policy here. I think Jo Michaels is a great and successful supporter of Indie authors and I want to be a part of her 2015 review team. If you’re interested, have a look at Jo Michaels’ review team page on her blog.
My commitment to the cause is a Hungry 21-40 books for 2015 but I really want to reach 50 (half my reading goal list of 100 books this year).
Foodie Fridays – January Food Challenge: Daily Food Journal
Check out Rachel Barnard’s new Food Challenge! Daily blog posts will be hosted on rachelbarnardfooddiary.blogspot.com and updates will be posted here on Fridays.
Book Review: Claudia Must Die by T.B. Markinson
Claudia Must Die by T.B. Markinson
A Comedic Thriller Novel published by T. B. Markinson (07/13/14)
Summary:
What if you could evade your imminent murder by setting up your doppelganger to die in your place, would you do it? For Claudia, it’s a given that Parker must die. Claudia doesn’t have room for guilt or remorse because Parker seems like she doesn’t enjoy life or have any friends or loved ones. On the forty ninth day of Claudia’s stakeout of Parker Mapes, the hired assassins show up to do the deed and Claudia’s plan seems to be going flawlessly. That is, until Parker’s lover shows up.
Keywords:
Assassins, Violent Men, Guns, Killing, Comedy, Set-Up, Look-Alikes,
My Review:
T.B. Markinson delivers again with her fourth novel, Claudia Must Die, in a fast-paced comedic story of kill or be killed. Markinson has a way with descriptions and setting a scene to get the reader really involved with the story. The scenes are vivid and authentic. Each page invokes intrigue and keeps your attention. The author catches your attention with the vivid yet simple cover and keeps it from the very first sentence to the very last sentence.
This story was a very funny take on an assassination attempt with a side of attempted identity theft. But it wasn’t all fun and games. Markinson fueled the characters’ actions with real emotions and motivations. She didn’t put in anything extra while giving the story everything it needed. The backstory was written concisely and integrated seamlessly into the plotline.
The characters were larger than life, but believable and relatable. The dialogue was realistic and fun. One of my favorite lines was, “Too many people talk, yet I haven’t met anyone worth listening to.” (Location 565). This story was just too fun and I enjoyed every minute/page of it. It unfolded just like a comedic heist would in a movie. And hey, not everyone has to die.
This novel was published by T. B. Markinson July 13th, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.
TLDR Star Rating: 5.0
Links for more information:
Rachel Author Barnard 