This was definitly one of those book that I could not put down. I have no complaints of this book, only that it ended. I was drawn in from page one and never lost interest. This shows that Allyson Roy has a gift! I look forward to hopefully reading more books in the future.
Below is my review. check out www.frontstreetreviews.com for more great reviews
Saylor and Benita’s friend, Gwen Applebee, has committed suicide; or so the police think. Saylor, otherwise known as Dr. Oz, Sex Therapist, thinks Gwen was murdered. Reading Gwen’s supposed ‘suicide note’ leaves Saylor convinced that the letter is really a secret message intended for her and Benita to figure out and hopefully lead them to uncover her secret; a secret worth being murdered over.
Gwen was an extremely intelligent woman. She was working on deciphering an ancient tablet to get the exact ingredients to create a perfume that acts as an aphrodisiac to men. Realizing the power of this, Gwen kept the ingredients of her findings a secret. The same people who are claiming to have killed Gwen are now coming after Saylor, giving her seven days to find the ancient tablet. The pressure is on for her to give them what they want or she and her family will be in grave danger.
Saylor and Benita go on a wild goose chase to try and understand what it is that Gwen was trying to tell them in her note. When they find themselves threatened by her killers to not go to the cops they realize just how alone in all of this they really are. They both find themselves leaning on family and current crushes for help and support. They soon realize just how dangerous this perfume really is if given to the wrong
This story was amazingly entertaining. On top of this hair raising search for the truth, Allyson Roy also throws in a sizzling romance between Saylor and a boxer that she meets. Instead of focusing on just the murder/mystery plot, she allows her readers to enter into Saylor and Benita’s everyday lives. We experience the seminars and therapy sessions Saylor and her aunt hold, Benita’s ex-husband fighting to win her back, their flirtatious attitudes, and some romantic scenes with her newest romantic crush that will leave you breathless.
What I particularly liked about the way Allyson Roy wrote this story was the way she was able to gauge her detail. I felt that she gave just enough to keep us following along and visualizing all of the events, but did not go over board to cause the reader any boredom. I think this is a vital piece in a book that can make or break the story. Allyson Roy has really perfected this!
Allyson Roy has done a wonderful job at allowing her readers to connect to her characters. She makes them extremely likeable and relatable. I would recommend this to any hip, modern adult who likes thrilling rides, hot men, and women who know how to hold their own!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
WITCH'S PAWN-TONI LOTEMPIO
I read this book and another book by Toni LoTempio and loved both of them. The other one I read was a romance called "Nom de Plume". I think that she does a consistently wonderful job and is a very talented woman.
Charity Jordan is a woman with quite the past. She is the head writer for a soap opera and going about her life in a normal fashion. When her soap opera takes a gothic twist, she finds herself back in her home town of Bender’s Crook to film. Trying hard to forget her past, Charity is forced to remember the day that her sister died, falling off of a cliff, while Charity lay unconscious.
Using the old Manor House as the place to film their soap opera, Charity and her cast explore the house only to find a big portrait of a woman named Estelle dela Bordeaux, a witch who was burned at the stake 300 years ago. Freaked out that she looks exactly like her, Charity starts to have odd flash backs and to hear voices. She starts to have visions of the night that Estelle was burned alive and the promise for vengeance on all who helped kill her.
As the days wear on, strange things start to happen to Charity and her cast. She feels as though Estelle is trying to take over her soul to complete her vengeance on the descendants of those involved in her death 300 years ago. Slowly but steadily cast members start to disappear and some even show up dead. Who is it that is killing them? Has Estelle really come back after all this time to seek her revenge?
I found this story to be both wonderful and frustrating. I really liked the plot line. I enjoyed the depth of the story and the twists and turns that were involved. I think that Toni LoTempio did a marvelous job at using her creativity to create a wonderful story unlike no other.
What I found a bit frustrating was the fact that I felt unable to get close to any of the characters. At first I would get close to one, thinking they were intended to be one of the main characters, and then they would die. So I would then proceed to get close to another character, thinking maybe they were the underdog and would last throughout the story; then they would die. I kept doing this until I realized there was almost no one left. I think that the story would have had greater impact on its readers if one of the characters could have stuck around so that we could really get to know them; instead new characters kept being introduced. The only character I can think of that stayed the same throughout was the police chief, but he was not a likable character because he doubted everything going on the entire time, so I felt he was not very important.
Other than that one small glitch I got caught up on, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the story and really liking the ending. I think that Toni LoTempio has set it up so that she can continue with this plot line and create at least one other book with it. I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys a good super natural thriller. I would not recommend this to horror story lovers who like the blood and gore because although characters died in very creepy, creative ways, the details of the blood and gore were amiss.
check out more reviews at www.frontstreetreviews.com
Charity Jordan is a woman with quite the past. She is the head writer for a soap opera and going about her life in a normal fashion. When her soap opera takes a gothic twist, she finds herself back in her home town of Bender’s Crook to film. Trying hard to forget her past, Charity is forced to remember the day that her sister died, falling off of a cliff, while Charity lay unconscious.
Using the old Manor House as the place to film their soap opera, Charity and her cast explore the house only to find a big portrait of a woman named Estelle dela Bordeaux, a witch who was burned at the stake 300 years ago. Freaked out that she looks exactly like her, Charity starts to have odd flash backs and to hear voices. She starts to have visions of the night that Estelle was burned alive and the promise for vengeance on all who helped kill her.
As the days wear on, strange things start to happen to Charity and her cast. She feels as though Estelle is trying to take over her soul to complete her vengeance on the descendants of those involved in her death 300 years ago. Slowly but steadily cast members start to disappear and some even show up dead. Who is it that is killing them? Has Estelle really come back after all this time to seek her revenge?
I found this story to be both wonderful and frustrating. I really liked the plot line. I enjoyed the depth of the story and the twists and turns that were involved. I think that Toni LoTempio did a marvelous job at using her creativity to create a wonderful story unlike no other.
What I found a bit frustrating was the fact that I felt unable to get close to any of the characters. At first I would get close to one, thinking they were intended to be one of the main characters, and then they would die. So I would then proceed to get close to another character, thinking maybe they were the underdog and would last throughout the story; then they would die. I kept doing this until I realized there was almost no one left. I think that the story would have had greater impact on its readers if one of the characters could have stuck around so that we could really get to know them; instead new characters kept being introduced. The only character I can think of that stayed the same throughout was the police chief, but he was not a likable character because he doubted everything going on the entire time, so I felt he was not very important.
Other than that one small glitch I got caught up on, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the story and really liking the ending. I think that Toni LoTempio has set it up so that she can continue with this plot line and create at least one other book with it. I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys a good super natural thriller. I would not recommend this to horror story lovers who like the blood and gore because although characters died in very creepy, creative ways, the details of the blood and gore were amiss.
check out more reviews at www.frontstreetreviews.com
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
THE ODYSSEY AND THE IDIOT-KEITH J. PRICE
Hmmm how to describe this book. Well, I will say that the content of this book snuck up on me. I was totally expecting one thing, and got quite another. I honestly thought I wouldn't get much out of this book, but I was wrong. This book was deep man. Really freakin' deep. It totally made me re-think my life, and what I'm living for. It helped open my eyes to the positive things around me. It made me laugh. It made me want to be a better person. All of that in such a short story about a dad and a random road trip with his two kids. I am impressed. Keith J. Price, if you are reading this...you rock man. Mad props to you! :-)
Below is my review. Check out more great reviews at www.frontstreetreviews.com
Before deciding if I wanted to even read this story, I thought to myself a bit skeptically ‘okay, this guy wrote about a road trip with his two kids…cute…but honestly, who cares?! ‘ This story wasn’t going to be a wild fictional tale that kept me on the edge of my seat, but rather a road trip about a family I don’t even know. Hmm….
I decided to take the plunge, (after all, the story is only 120 pages, so it won’t take much time out of my life if I end up not liking it), and boy am I glad I did! This story was not meant for you to become close to his kids or follow along where they went specifically. This was something bigger! Keith J. Price shares with his readers his life; his flaws, his experiences, his reason for living. He teaches us that there is so much good in life and that you can get all that good without even leaving your home. He allows us to experience a road trip that he takes with his two young children while he sorts out parts of his life. This trip helps him to process a bad incident at work, and to remind himself how much he is loved by his family and how lucky he is. He also allows us to take a trip down memory lane and experience certain events taking place in his life that were landmarks for him.
What really kept me turning the pages was Keith J. Prices’ humor and utter honesty. He tells it like it is. He talks about his kids bugging the crap out of him, snobby waiters, his views on god, his hatred of Nazis; all of which was done in a way that kept the reader grinning and letting out an occasional snort of laughter.
I came out of reading this book not feeling like this guy was better than me, or that he is luckier than me. I came out feeling reminded of just how lucky I am and how wonderful my life really is. Keith J. Price has written a terrific book that I would recommend to everyone. There are so many different things to take away with you that you will find in these 120+ pages. This is a book I will refer to again and again!
Below is my review. Check out more great reviews at www.frontstreetreviews.com
Before deciding if I wanted to even read this story, I thought to myself a bit skeptically ‘okay, this guy wrote about a road trip with his two kids…cute…but honestly, who cares?! ‘ This story wasn’t going to be a wild fictional tale that kept me on the edge of my seat, but rather a road trip about a family I don’t even know. Hmm….
I decided to take the plunge, (after all, the story is only 120 pages, so it won’t take much time out of my life if I end up not liking it), and boy am I glad I did! This story was not meant for you to become close to his kids or follow along where they went specifically. This was something bigger! Keith J. Price shares with his readers his life; his flaws, his experiences, his reason for living. He teaches us that there is so much good in life and that you can get all that good without even leaving your home. He allows us to experience a road trip that he takes with his two young children while he sorts out parts of his life. This trip helps him to process a bad incident at work, and to remind himself how much he is loved by his family and how lucky he is. He also allows us to take a trip down memory lane and experience certain events taking place in his life that were landmarks for him.
What really kept me turning the pages was Keith J. Prices’ humor and utter honesty. He tells it like it is. He talks about his kids bugging the crap out of him, snobby waiters, his views on god, his hatred of Nazis; all of which was done in a way that kept the reader grinning and letting out an occasional snort of laughter.
I came out of reading this book not feeling like this guy was better than me, or that he is luckier than me. I came out feeling reminded of just how lucky I am and how wonderful my life really is. Keith J. Price has written a terrific book that I would recommend to everyone. There are so many different things to take away with you that you will find in these 120+ pages. This is a book I will refer to again and again!
Monday, February 2, 2009
THE SCENT OF ORANGES-JOAN ZAWATZKY
Below is my review for this amazing book. I won't say more because I would just be repeating what I already wrote below....but I think after reading my review that you will believe me when I say that this is a must read, and a must own! I am proud to have it on my book shelf!!!! :-)
As I turned the last few pages of this story I felt as though I was coming out of a sort of trance. I would wake up in the morning and immediately open the book and continue reading as well as read late into the night. This story was so amazing that I never wanted to put it down; hence the trance-like feeling I got.
Linda, the youngest of three siblings, has made the trip back to her family farm in South Africa all the way from Australia. Her father recently passed away so she makes her way back home to attend his funeral and to reconnect with her brothers. Reading a letter that her father wrote to her a few months before he died, she is asked to look into her very difficult past and right a wrong.
When her brother, Hannes, was fourteen years old he was brutally murdered. Wanting to place the blame on someone as soon as possible, three dunk black men are convicted and sent to jail. The letter states that they were forced to sign their names, admitting that they were guilty. Linda dives head first into this self investigation. She interviews people who worked for her father back at the time of the murder and also old law enforcement. Linda starts to uncover some ugly truths, one of which points her eldest brother, Connie, as her prime suspect. As she delves deeper into this, she finds her memory of the time around the murder slowly coming back to her in bits and pieces.
Linda finds herself threatened and even attacked by unknown people, trying to throw her off course and warn her to let sleeping dogs lie. With the help of some family and friends, and her acute ability to connect with the dead spirits, Linda uncovers the mystery so that her father and brother can rest in peace.
I was absolutely awestruck by the description of the farm. I felt as though I could smell the flowers and oranges and feel the cool breeze on the back of my neck as I read this. Joan Zawatzky has created characters that amaze, inspire, infuriate, and disgust her readers. I could feel the strong determination in Linda, even when she kept hitting dead ends and had her life threatened.
The elegance of Joan Zawatzky’s writing is a big part of what made this story so memorable and delightful. Her words flowed right though me and led me into a story so full of life, nature, and relationships, I never wanted it to end. This is a book I will proudly display on my shelf and read again and again. Anyone who has an appreciation for a good, solid read will enjoy this. Simply amazing!
As I turned the last few pages of this story I felt as though I was coming out of a sort of trance. I would wake up in the morning and immediately open the book and continue reading as well as read late into the night. This story was so amazing that I never wanted to put it down; hence the trance-like feeling I got.
Linda, the youngest of three siblings, has made the trip back to her family farm in South Africa all the way from Australia. Her father recently passed away so she makes her way back home to attend his funeral and to reconnect with her brothers. Reading a letter that her father wrote to her a few months before he died, she is asked to look into her very difficult past and right a wrong.
When her brother, Hannes, was fourteen years old he was brutally murdered. Wanting to place the blame on someone as soon as possible, three dunk black men are convicted and sent to jail. The letter states that they were forced to sign their names, admitting that they were guilty. Linda dives head first into this self investigation. She interviews people who worked for her father back at the time of the murder and also old law enforcement. Linda starts to uncover some ugly truths, one of which points her eldest brother, Connie, as her prime suspect. As she delves deeper into this, she finds her memory of the time around the murder slowly coming back to her in bits and pieces.
Linda finds herself threatened and even attacked by unknown people, trying to throw her off course and warn her to let sleeping dogs lie. With the help of some family and friends, and her acute ability to connect with the dead spirits, Linda uncovers the mystery so that her father and brother can rest in peace.
I was absolutely awestruck by the description of the farm. I felt as though I could smell the flowers and oranges and feel the cool breeze on the back of my neck as I read this. Joan Zawatzky has created characters that amaze, inspire, infuriate, and disgust her readers. I could feel the strong determination in Linda, even when she kept hitting dead ends and had her life threatened.
The elegance of Joan Zawatzky’s writing is a big part of what made this story so memorable and delightful. Her words flowed right though me and led me into a story so full of life, nature, and relationships, I never wanted it to end. This is a book I will proudly display on my shelf and read again and again. Anyone who has an appreciation for a good, solid read will enjoy this. Simply amazing!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
