Archive for the ‘book reviews’ Category

Book Review – “Daughter of Hauk” by KateMarie Collins – 5 Stars and a “Magical Read” Shout Out!

Posted: March 6, 2013 in book reviews, Recommended Reading
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As a debut novel, Ms. Collins has definitely showcased her talents as you try to guess ahead what will happen next in each epic scene only to be surprised and then by the end, you just daughter-of-haukcan’t wait to find the next installment of this series!  The characters were very well defined, her use of flashbacks to develop the past while moving through the present was exceptional and as I read I was able to visualize everything as she did such an excellent job of weaving intricate details into fanciful imagery.

Arwenna is the elven main character of this epic fantasy and she is so well defined that she was easily endeared to my heart as I wanted to pick her up and help her along the way in her war against the Corse.  Alas, just as I felt like reaching into the page, she would surprise me with even more strength as she continued on her quest and I was mesmerized again and again by the writer’s talent for portraying the terror and the struggles all the characters faced or caused.

Filled with legends, secrets, epic battles, magic and the age old battle of good versus evil, this author has done an exceptional job with her magical writing talents.  This is a must read for any lover of good books, no matter your genre preference.  If you are a Dungeon’s and Dragons, World of Warcraft, Hobbit/Lord of the Rings fan as I am, you won’t want to miss this great novel!

– reviewed by Debra L Hartmann, Published Author of Fate Series and Professional Editor (www.theprobookeditor.com)

Stay tuned for an exclusive Author Interview scheduled for March 11th!

Buy now at http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Of-Hauk-KateMarie-Collins/dp/1475230338/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362587920&sr=8-1&keywords=daughter+of+hauk available in Paperback or eBook editions as well as audible book version

Learn more about the author at http://www.amazon.com/KateMarie-Collins/e/B008I67BBE/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 and visit her blog site at http://www.katemariecollins.wordpress.com

 

Book Review – “The Ambassador’s Wife” by Jake Needham 4.5 Stars and a “Superb and Enjoyable Read!” Shout Out

Posted: March 5, 2013 in book reviews, Recommended Reading
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This is a superbly written novel and a great read. If you are looking for a good healthy dose of crime with no grisly details withheld, look no further.AmbassadorsWifebkcvr

If you are familiar with Jo Nesbø or Michael Connelly, you will find the same expert craftsmanship and complex plot twists here.

Living as he does in Singapore, Jake Needham is well suited to provide a good location for the story which takes place in Singapore and Bangkok. You can feel the heat and humidity of Asia rising from the pages as he describes the architecture, people and culture of Singapore and Thailand. The story starts off with the discovery of a woman’s body on a bed in an empty suite in the Marriott Hotel. The second body is discovered in Bangkok, in a seedy apartment close to the American embassy. Both are American women and both have been beaten viciously and shot in the head, their bodies stripped naked and crudely displayed. Yet no one is really sure who or what is behind the killings whether it is international terrorism or the work of a serial killer. Inspector Samuel Tay of Singapore CID is the person assigned to the case because he is the best but Tay soon finds himself in a case that nobody seems to want him to solve , not even his superiors!

This novel is fast paced, engaging and an enjoyable read. I did find the main character a bit on the dull side sometimes. He seems to be such an intensely split character, so apparently cheerless and drab on one side and yet a woman magnet, wealthy and loved by everyone on the other. But enjoyable is the key word here and this book delivers loads of it.

4 and a half stars out of 5

Reviewed by Roger Gerald Scott, award winning published author, also published on http://rogerrgeraldscott.blogspot.no/

Drop a line to mrsdlhartmann@gmail.com to get your book on the review list and be sure to ask about the Author Interviews on my Radio Talk Show with NO Radio…you have to read an Author Interview on my blog to understand!

Sales links to the Kindle editions of all of Jake’s books:
THE UMBRELLA MAN
THE AMBASSADOR’S WIFE
A WORLD OF TROUBLE
KILLING PLATO
LAUNDRY MAN
THE BIG MANGO

Book Review – “Down a Tuscan Alley” by Laura Graham 5 Stars and a “Must Read” Shout Out!

Posted: February 28, 2013 in book reviews, Recommended Reading
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Down_a_Tuscan_Alley_cover_laura grahamI actually chose this book to read based on the reviews that are already on Amazon.  This is a pleasant and enjoyable read even if its not your normal genre or style, which for me it isn’t.  At first I was worried that I wouldn’t enjoy it because I don’t even  know where Tuscany is and I have never been out of the United States so I was unsure if I could follow along.  I am pleased to say that none of that mattered because this author very skillfully painted such wonderful images with her writing style and descriptive efforts; I fee like I have visited Italy and walked up and down that alley many times now and without the expensive airfare!

I can’t help but use many of the same words already used to describe this book, creative, humorous, engaging, thought provoking, all very much true of this beautiful creation.  I truly felt like I was watching these wonderful characters and laughing with them, Laura has a great sense of humour!  I was sad to reach the end only because I could not continue to be part of their lives any longer.  I hope Ms. Graham intends a sequel to this book as it would certainly be well received and readers could reunite with the beloved cast of this story.  It was like taking a vacation to Italy but not seeing the tourist side of things and instead experiencing the reality of every day life there which is by far much more interesting!

I had the opportunity to interview Laura Graham a couple of days ago and learned that this book is actually a memoire and these characters and adventures are part of her own personal history.  It was very exciting to learn more about her after reading the book and seeing how truly amazing she is in person!  The way she portrayed her main character, Lorri and allowed us to follow her as she put heartbreak, financial loss and the resulting language difference from the move to Italy behind her was inspiring and truly demonstrated courage on her part.  Through the tale she weaves in her exceptional prose, we watch her grow and become stronger and happier while she adapts and adjusts and makes new friends, ultimately becoming a completely different person for all of the experiences.  Thank you for sharing this personal journey with all of us!

5 stars out of 5

Reviewed by Debra L Hartmann, Published Author, Professional Editor and Daily Blogger

Link to Laura’s Amazon sales page: http://www.amazon.com/Down-Tuscan-Alley-Laura-Graham/dp/1463698526/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361985348&sr=1-1&keywords=down+a+tuscan+alley

About the Author on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Laura-Graham/e/B007A0CQ6O/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Laura’s website: http://www.lauragraham.co.uk/

My favorite because it has pictures of Tuscany, this is Laura’s blog site: http://www.lauragraham.co.uk/blog/   and here is a link to that interview I mentioned: Author Interview – Laura Graham

Drop a line to mrsdlhartmann@gmail.com to get your book on the review list and be sure to ask about the Author Interviews on my Radio Talk Show with NO Radio…you have to read an Author Interview on my blog to understand!PENTAX Image

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