The Letter - Review

As a writer, I think The Letter must have been a very interesting challenge for author Roxanna Russell. This work of fiction is actually a collection of 14 short stories – each revolving around some kind of letter; the Suicide Note, the Closure Letter, Love Letter, Fan Letter and so on. Yet the book is also a novel, in that each chapter is centered on a particular family and each chapter ties into the next.

The three main characters are Mark, his wife, Carol and his son Jack. Mark and Carol meet in dire circumstances, fall in love and raise children who grow into adults with lives of their own. Each major life altering moment is accentuated with an accompanying letter written by someone in the family.

The author’s humor, love and appreciation of people in her live are apparent within the first few pages of The Letter. She brings up issues so subtly that you hardly know they are there. For instance, is it wrong for Jan to sell herself to save her father? I think not. The Letter reinforces that intent is what weighing the rights and wrongs of life decisions really boils down to.

It was both a pleasure and an honor to read The Letter.

ISBN#: 1-4137-9311-8
Author: Roxanna Russell
Publisher: Publish America

The Island off Stony Point - Book Review

Keith Sinteris and his wife Malena (the brains of the operation) hire three skilled accomplices (Stony, Bartolo and Duane) to kidnap three hostages from a monastery along with the holy tabernacle containing consecrated "bread". For all her planning, Malena had no way of knowing just how awry the hostage taking could go.

Detective Jessica Harding and FBI Agent Rob Dexter are on the case. Strong willed and quick witted, Jessica puts the FBI agent in his place from the moment the two were introduced. Intrigued, Rob cannot get her out of his mind. With so few clues, the odds are stacked against the two "good guys", yet they struggle on while the immense ransom demands continue to haunt the Catholic Church.

This is a well-told story line involving a mysterious home on an island that has a distinctive secret.  The author uses scenes such as the fantastic cave hideout, the lung-busting chore of stashing loot and a magnificent storm to heighten interest.

There are several unique aspects to this suspense-filled novel over others in the adventure crime thriller genre. For one thing, the two women are the strongest characters - both leaders and quick thinkers, but on opposite sides. The Island off Stony Point certainly conveys the inherent goodness of people but also shows the great lengths that desperate and driven people will pursue. I also thought it was interesting that this is actually the second novel involving the leading hostage character, a Father Martin – who was in Regis’s first novel, The Oculi Incident.

Kudos to author Regis Schilken for this excellent novel!

Author: Regis Schilken
Publisher: Bridgeway Books
ISBN#: 1-933538-13-9
Pages: 220

The Estrogen Underground - Book Review

Cheryl O’Donovan and Tom Wolferman have collaborated their efforts to create a book for women of the Baby Boomer Generation with their recently released book, The Estrogen Underground. Cheryl brings her cartoonist and writer skills while Tom’s satire balances out the varied topics for today’s women that are talked about in a frank and downright funny manor.

The Estrogen Underground consistently uses light humor along with comic strip like characterizations on every page of the book. The font is a nice, readable size that occasionally mixes with the images, but not so much so that it is difficult to read.

Seven entertaining chapters banter on issues from bad wardrobe choices, changed perceptions of aging women, crazy fads, wild diets, exercise, make-up and hair escapades and plastic surgery, to more serious issues like careers verses hobbies.
Yet throughout the book the main focus seems to be of living in the moment with love and acceptance of one’s self.

Topped off with amusing and amazing quotes from famous people along with intimate, personal stories makes The Estrogen Underground a perfect gift for working or family women aged between 40 and 60.

ISBN#: 0-9767732-7-9
Author: Cheryl O’Donovan and Tom Wolferman
Publisher: A Better Be Write Publisher

The Elf Prince - Book Review

Author Todd McClimans is a 5th grade teacher and young father, who lives in Nevada with his family. Todd has been writing short stories for his students for more than 10 years and The Elf Prince is his first novel. Currently, Todd is working on a sequel to this book and has two other book projects ahead in his future.

All the elements for a wonderfully mystical tale for youth, and for those with youthful minds are here in this novel. Haunting dreams, caring creatures of the forest, magical swords, a quest to defeat wickedness and free its captives along with humorous moments and unique characters - truly, it is all here. Each of Todd’s characters is pressed to find their individual strengths, to accept the uniqueness of their abilities and learn respect for things they once held reservations about.

There are three main characters in The Elf Prince. "Tenii" is a half-breed Man-Dwarf and just might be the most interesting wizard readers will have met in a long time. "Petra", a gorgeous young fawn, has a persistent and doggedly determined nature that saves them all more than once. Finally there is "Dantin", the 11 year-old half-breed Elf-Man Prince - who along with his two courageous friends endeavor to break the dominance of Dantin’s cold-hearted, ruthless uncle. They cannot do this alone and are aided more than once by their friends: Tierra, the she-elf Princess and Byron, the leader of a tribe of Dwarf warriors.

I have to say this was an excellent novel. Scene transition moved smoothly from one to the next in a realistic and engaging style. I completely enjoyed each stage of the tale and did not want it to end. The gorgeous book cover is certainly an asset to The Elf Prince, which pictures one of the two intricately carved magical medallions that play a part in the tale.

ISBN#: 1-4137-8553-0
Author: Todd McClimans
Publisher: Publish America

The Chaos Cycle - Book Review

The Chaos Cycle by John Kerchack is destined for the best sellers list! I couldn’t put it down and was quite frustrated when my life kept interrupting my reading sessions during the review process of this book. Honestly, my husband would talk to me and I wouldn’t even know it. He even made and served supper and I was scarcely aware of what had happened. I heard some banging of a pot lid being taken out of a drawer and then all of a sudden there was this steaming plate of food in front of me and the amused face of my husband beaming back at me.

The author uses excellent writer skills that provide a steady flow of suspense. His characters are full, realistic – you really feel like you are right there. Not like watching a movie, but rather, right THERE. This is a rare talent indeed, and as a writer myself I can only envy it. John has incredible insight into the thought process of his characters - from those of the small abused children to the brutal killer.

Here we are taken on a chaotic ride while Harris and his team of talented detectives track down those responsible for a relentless murder spree in the state of Maryland, USA. I would classify The Chaos Cycle as a murder-thriller fiction novel with moments of brutal violence.

The cover is absolutely a work of art. The first thing my husband said when he saw it on my desk was "Wow! Check out this cover!" I’ve reviewed nearly 100 books to date and this is the first time anyone in my family reacted this way to a book cover.
The book itself is of very good quality and is a nice size – at 288 pages.

Time will slip away for the reader who opens THIS book!


ISBN#: 1-4137-8536-0
Author: John Kerchack
Publisher: Publish America

The Captain Has Her Heart - Book Review

Mrs. Salinas has written a very nice romance novel that readers can disappear in for a few days. The Captain Has Her Heart was just recently released, but is already stealing hearts!

The main character, April, is a nurse who really loves her job and often takes on extra shifts. Her husband is away completing his internship to become a Doctor. April is awoken by a man that comes in with an unusual fever – in fact they are both awaken by each other. She returns to her empty home only to receive a "dear John" letter from her husband who wants a hurried and clean divorce so that he can pursue his new interest.

Shocked and staggered by the loss of the plans that she had for her life, April’s strong spirit soon has her taking on the job of a traveling nurse – and ends up not only finding herself but a whole lot more.

Commercial pilot careers are notorious for short-term relationships, but Trig Power was more than willing to take the chance when fate kept placing April near him. He adores her deeply but must also face a shattering experience before he can do anything else. In the end, he learns that what makes a man cannot be seen in a mirror.

Author, A.G. Salinas is a wife and mother of three. She shares a similar career with her main character, which really helps her bring the experience of nursing to her readers.


ISBN#: 1-4241-1111-0
Author: A. G. Salinas
Publisher: Publish America
Published: 2006

The Adventures of Willowby Went: Book Review

This is definitely a fantasy novel. Being a Tolkien fan, I found many days of enjoyable reading here in J.S. Harrison’s world. This is a place that is crowded with Fairies, Leprechauns, friendly Trolls and Ogres, Wizards, Knights, Dragons, Vampire assassins, large evil black rabbits and ghouls along with Men, Dwarves, Elves and Trofkins.

With an anti-racist sentimism, the author places many different races together to embark on a journey that may bring hope to the people of Werdanbabadood and to save their world from the Evil Wizard, Sardego. This strange mixture of people go through many trials and adventures to find the Knights, only to arrive at a time when so few were able to come to their aide. Regardless of the odds, they carry on and work together in a desperate effort to break the magic staff of Sardego and end his war mongering.

Though everyone plays a very important part in the interwoven web of events, it is the Trofkins, a tree-dwelling people of writers and lovers of food and mischief, who are the heroes of the world. This race was thought unlikely to produce heroes, being a people of many social constraints and clear definitions of what is proper or not. Yet with war on their doorstep, they had little choice but place their only hope in their young chieftain-to-be, the one Trofkin who seemed the least likely to be responsible enough to accomplish this dangerous task. Young Willowby goes far beyond any expectation the Trofkin could have had for even the greatest of their kind. He proves his worth to himself and his people and gains the necessary confidence to rule with a fair, yet just hand.

I very much enjoyed J.S. Harrison’s writing style. It was like being drawn into a big sitting room with a large fireplace, where a deep grandfatherly voice tells the story of Willowby Went. Then without realizing it, I felt sucked into the scenery and it was if I had become the cameraperson at a real, live historical event. It was an effort to put aside the book to carry on with my own tasks!

Keep an eye out for future work by J.S. Harrison folks! I have a feeling he’s going to be one of the ‘great’ writers of our era."

Ten Times Guilty - Book Review

Brenda Hill’s passion for the world of writing and her experiences as an editor, proofreader and educator have definitely worked exceptionally well together to develop her book - Ten Times Guilty. This suspense thriller is truly an outstanding novel. I do not mean to sound cliché when I say that I had difficulty setting aside this review project. In fact, for two days I had forgotten about lunch entirely!

Sergeant Reese and his partner, Captain Cooper, are on the case of a serial rapist and stalker. Tracy Micheals, a young single mother from a neglected childhood, is struggling to make a better life when she is brutally assaulted and terrorized by a stalker. Sergeant Reese suspects Tracy’s attacker is the same man he is hunting for – but so far, none of the surviving victims are willing to break through their terror and help the police bring the mad-man in. Tracy knows in her heart that Reese is the only one who can save her life and lovable Suzy Banning is the one person who can save her mind. But does she dare to let them help her?

The author displays her skill right from the first few sentences, which really grabbed hold of me, dragged me into the story and would not let me go. The novel has incredible insight to the daily troubles that rape victims endure. From medical procedures and healing – both physically and mentally – all were well done without being too technical. Historical and present-day societal views of rape are discussed with clarity and understanding. I loved how she portrayed the support systems and enjoyed following along with the police who chased clues along the trail. The level of suspense was consistent throughout the book and each character’s inner battles were clearly portrayed. Brenda Hill certainly deserves to sit among the ranks of best-selling writers like Nora Roberts (Carolina Moon), William Diehl (Thai Horse) and Trevanian (Shibumi)!

ISBN#: 142410089
Author: Brenda Hill
Publisher: Publish America

Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy - Book Review

Dorinne Davis has written many books that concentrate on the subjects of hearing and sound. In the well-researched textbook, Sound Bodies through Sound Therapy, she looks at the concept of sound being a nutrient for our bodies.

There are 11 detailed and well-planned chapters, each of which opens with a quote and closes with a useful chapter synopsis. This book is not so technical that an individual or patient would find it daunting, yet it is quite thorough and incorporates both the independent and scientific findings that a therapist would need to know.

The historical use of music in healing was quite interesting. Because of our drum business, it was particularly interesting to read that regular steady rhythms can restore a normal, healthy pulse, sedating the left brain and allowing the right brain to be more creative. I was also amazed that the US Army used music therapy to accelerate healing in their wounded and ailing during WWII.

Dorinne explains that each living molecule has a vibration that causes frequency and this is the driving theory behind using sound as a healing therapy. The author describes the physics of how sound affects various mediums and why sound could be used to eradicate cancer and tumors. According to Dorinne, sound therapy could also be applied to many medical situations - stroke, autism, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, learning and listening difficulties and even physical injuries.

It was very surprising to learn that ‘everyday’ environmental toxins can have such a dramatic effect on brain functions and hearing. The ear affects so much more than we may realize, including balance and emotions.

ISBN#: 096223637
Author: Dorinne S. Davis
Publisher: Kalco Publishing, LLC

Song Of Cy: Understanding Grief – Review

Are you a step-parent, parent, sibling, grandparent or friend of a deceased person? Then this book is for you!

A delicately written and moving piece of work that is electrically charged with Katlyn Stewart’s love and grief for her daughter. Join in the celebration of life through Katlyn’s tale recounting her daughter’s life and learn about the grieving process.

Katlyn discusses the loss, grief, comfort and understanding that one encounters in their journey through grief. She shows how even the smallest of moments in daily living is greatly altered. The author tenderly reveals the loss of identity one experiences and the necessity of finding support and re-evaluating what is important. Very difficult times in the grieving process are heightened during a variety of holidays and Katlyn walks the reader through paths that help to ease the pain.

Startling facts are also discussed. For instance, did you know that 80% of grieving couples divorce after the loss of a child? Or that employers typically allow only three days for an employee to grieve? Have we ever stopped to consider the differences between how children, teens, men and women grieve? Are you feeling at a loss for what to do for a grieving family? All these issues, and more, are within the pages of this book.

I shed huge crocodile tears as I experienced my own loss during the reading of Song of Cy. I know I will draw strength from its content when dealing with the loss of my ailing parents in the near future. The author has developed an excellent book that deserves very high ratings.

ISBN#: 1-5937-4349-1
Author: Katlyn Stewart
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press

Some Schools May Be Health Hazards

School boards and parents are discovering that schools they labored hard to raise money to build in the last 10 years or so are subjecting their children to mold and indoor air quality problems.

Many of these problems can be attributed to choices made in building materials. Some materials provide a ready food source for mold. Roof leaks, wall leaks, window leaks or plumbing failures have even led to the destruction of materials installed to protect the buildings.

These observations are at the heart of a new book called "Are You Building a School or a Liability?" written by Chris Huckabee and Kyle Montgomery and published by the Brick Industry Association, the Masonry Contractors Association of America and the National Concrete Masonry Association. The book calls attention to a serious problem with school buildings.

"The use of porous and paper-based products as the substrate of an exterior wall system has given rise to many, if not most, of the mold-related issues that building owners face today. These products are destroyed by mold. In fact, the mold actually consumes this material as a food source," said the authors.

Huckabee is a well-known Texas architect who has built more than 1,000 schools. Montgomery is the executive director of the Texas Masonry Council. Together, they recommend the use of materials that are "forgiving."

A forgiving material, according to Huckabee and Montgomery, is a material that is not destroyed by moisture. They also argue in favor of redundant construction in which wall systems are designed and constructed to direct moisture from inside the building to outside.

"Are You Building a School or a Liability?" presents several case studies where masonry was the solution to serious mold problems in schools. Huckabee and Montgomery note that concrete masonry block is a material that can be cleaned and dried easily and will not be destroyed by mold.

Huckabee and Montgomery cite case studies where gypsum-based interior walls of schools were replaced with concrete block in areas of high moisture probability. In one case, all exterior walls were demolished and replaced with a masonry wall system that included a masonry wall backup. They call this approach "total masonry construction."

School boards, parent groups and architectural firms specializing in school building construction can obtain free copies of "Are You Building a School or a Liability?"

Some Enchanted Autumn

Some Enchanted Autumn by Linda Andrews is an excellent gift idea for the Halloween season. Vampires, skeletons, spiders, witches… they are all here – but this is definitely not a children’s book.

One town, founded by the same wagon train during the pioneering days of the North American continent, holds a secret that could destroy them all.
Divided by a bitter and ancient rift, it becomes two rival towns – Pumpkin and Holly. These folks take their holidays seriously, but none more so than Pumpkin’s residents do.

Lonnie, who is running both from herself and from facing her pompous and boring boyfriend, returns to Pumpkin - her hometown. There she meets Nicholas who is both more wonderful than her wildest dreams and as frightening as her childhood nightmares. Together they are assigned the difficult task of discovering the "Prankster’s" identity and the reason’s why that person is set on keeping the ancient rift between the towns alive.

Nicholas and Lonnie harbor a steamy and slightly erotic passion for one another, which they do their best to keep in check. Their family ancestors, after all, were the main players in the rift that continues to tear the towns apart.

I would classify Some Enchanted Autumn as a fantasy-fiction, paranormal-romance novel with comedic elements. Although it begins with a bit of confusion, the story rises in pace until I felt unwilling to put the book aside. This 238-page book is not the author’s first endeavor. In fact, Linda has written two other books, The Christmas Village and Ghost of a Chance.

ISBN#: 1-55410-287-1
Author: Linda Andrews
Publisher: Zumaya Publication