Black Shadows, by Simon Swift

People all around Errol Black are dying, and it is clear that his latest PI case is going to get him into a whole heap of trouble.  Before long, it becomes clear that no one is who they seem to be, everyone has dirty connections, and someone is holding on to a very expensive diamond.

First off, let me say I do not read a lot of noir style pulp fiction, so I am sure a lot of the beauty of this book is completely lost on me.  However, I do enjoy books set in the 30s and 40s, so in many ways, this book did appeal to me.  The setting was very thorough, I really felt as though I were watching an old Bogart movie as the story unfolded.

Character development was also done quite skillfully.  No one is who you think they are; however, the characters shed light on their true natures throughout the book.  I love that there are twists and turns all over the plot, it keeps things interesting.  If I more often read this type of novel, I would have been able to keep up with the plot a little better I think.  Lots of complexity that suspense and thriller readers will love.

If I have one critique, it is that the voice of the narrator, Errol Black, seemed to change in tiny ways.  Most of the time, he is a hard hitting American man in New York, but every now and then he uses some British slang that seemed to not mesh with his personality (words like flat instead of apartment, and knickers instead of panties).  And a couple of times, the future was referenced in a way that made me temporarily leave the 1940s setting.  But, again, these are tiny details.  All in all, a book that suspense, thriller, and noir readers will enjoy.



I received a review copy courtesy of the author.

The Canary List, by Sigmund Brouwer

Jamie has the ability to sense evil, and she knows it is coming for her.  So, she turns to the only person available, her teacher Mr. Grey.  Suddenly, he is suspected of molesting her, though she swears he did not, and Jamie is whisked away by her psychiatrist.  Crockett Grey tries to untangle the web around him, and finds it only gets more and more tangled, with the strands leading to the Vatican.  Will he ever learn what is going on, and will he ever get his life back.

This book certainly has potential to be very very good.  It has all kinds of incredible elements, the supernatural, cloak and dagger intrigue, drama.  The heart of the story is actually quite good.  My problem with it is that it seems to be anti Catholic.  Sure, with all the scandal the Catholic Church has had, and the long history and Church hierarchical architecture, I suppose it made sense for the Catholic Church to once again play a partial role of bad guy, but really, it gets tiresome.  If these kinds of stories were written about Judaism, they would be labeled as anti-semitic, and people would be outraged, but because it is instead the Catholic Church, that seems acceptable.

I did like the storyline, otherwise, and thought the character development was pretty decent.  And I liked how the action really picks up at the end.  However, in a last final twist of the book, I am not sure what to think was real or not real, and was left kind of confused.  I am sure that was the point, but it just left me frustrated.  Also, I felt it was never resolved what would happen to Crockett Grey afterwards.  No one just snaps back completely after being accused of molesting children, particularly a teacher.

I think this book probably has pretty wide appeal, fans of Dan Brown style books will certainly enjoy it.  Not an awful book, just perhaps could use some tighter editing, and a slightly different world view.



I received a review copy of the book courtesy of the publisher.

Circle of Friends Cookbook- 25 Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Chocolate chip cookies are a favorite among many.  But why settle for just plain old chocolate chip cookies?  Why not spice things up with some pumpkin, peanut butter, or oatmeal?  Here are 25 recipes for different kinds of chocolate chip cookies that will have your mouth watering.

I love chocolate chip cookies, so when I saw this book was available for free as a kindle download, it only made sense for me to get it.  I am not entirely sure how I feel about using an ebook reader for a cookbook.  I often want my recipes in the kitchen with me, and there is no way I would use my kindle in the kitchen, and run the risk of getting food or liquid on it.  So that means either copying the recipe down, or running to and from another room to read it from my kindle.  Neither method seems efficient, and I think I personally would rather have a cookbook in my hands.  Who cares if it gets some stains on it?

As far as the recipes go, many of them sound good, and are variations of old favorite recipes.  I have yet to try any of them out, so I cannot speak to whether the ingredient measurement proportions or baking times are accurate or in need of fine tuning.  The pumpkin ones sound amazing, and I may try that one out sometime soon.

All in all, not a bad little cookbook, but certainly not my delivery method of choice.



This book is from my personal library.

Empty Chairs, by Stacey Danson

No one realizes that she exists, let alone that she is being abused and prostituted by her own mother.  Who would believe her if she somehow tried to tell.  But children grow up, and one day, she realizes she is big enough to stand up to her mother, and to get out for good.  Will she make it on her own?  Has a lifetime of abuse taught her how to survive on the streets?

This book is the epitome of intensity, and not for the faint of heart.  Which is exactly why every single person who has even come in contact with a child in any capacity should read it. Children suffer this type of abuse every day, though many of us do not want to think about it.

Stacey Danson is incredibly brave, not only for enduring and surviving this abuse, but for choosing to share her story with the world.  We cannot let her story go unheard; we cannot let more children be abused as she has been.

It is always difficult reading about children being harmed, and this book is no exception.  This is an incredibly difficult book to read.  You want to rebel against the wrongness of what Danson endured.  But putting the book down will not make it any less real or true, nor will it make it any less likely to happen to other children.  That is why it is so important for the reader to push through the discomfort, and seek the message at the end, seek the empowerment to spread the story and help other children.

Obviously, the themes we are working with here are tough.  Abuse, child prostitution and rape, children living on the streets, and various other crimes.  A book need not be pleasant to be a great book.  And important books, such as this one, rarely are pleasant.  But I beg of you, do not be deterred by your own comfort zone.  Because this book, well, this book really needs to be read.


This book is from my personal library.

Curse of Kali (Jason Dark Volume X), by Guido Henkel

A man us dead, and the scene is set to make it look like a statue of an ancient Goddess has killed him.  With both Jason Dark and Sherlock Holmes on the scene, it is not long before the mystery appears to be solved.  Or is it?  Holmes concludes it is an open and shut case of murder, but as Jason Dark digs a little more, it is clear this crime has a supernatural element.  So, the question is, who is behind it, and why?

I was so excited to learn that Sherlock Holmes would be making an appearance in this Jason Dark book.  His arrival has long been hinted at, throughout the series, and I am happy to not only see it happen, but to see the interesting twist Henkel put on the interaction of the two investigators.  I personally liked seeing Holmes being trumped by Dark.

The story in this novella, like all of the Jason Dark novellas, is a fresh, unique look at what can be scary.  Henkel skillfully combines the Victorian gothic setting with universal horrors to make for stories that still are frightening to modern readers, but also appeal to those who like classic horror.  I personally found this to be one of the spookier stories, since the idea of a murderous statue would never have occurred to me, thereby making it a new terror.

Now that we are quite a few books into the series, Henkel is able to weave bits of the histories of past tales into the book, while also hinting at what may come in the future.  I find this to be incredibly engaging as a reader (and it makes me want to go re-read all the past novellas), yet it is done in a way that should someone choose this book as their first foray into Jason Dark, they would not be confused.  That is the sign of a skillful writer in my opinion.

So, my question for you is, why are you still reading my review, when you could be reading this fantastic book?



I received a review copy of the book courtesy of the author.

The Taming of the Bastard, by L.A. Dale

Millie is a woman with a plan.  She works two jobs to save her money, so that she can buy and run a bed and breakfast resort in Indonesia.  There is no room in the plan for romance, particularly if that romance involves a boorish rugby playing womanizer.  Yet, one cannot choose who one loves, not even in Millie's case.  So, the question is, what happens to all her plans?

This was such a cute little romance.  I absolutely adored Millie's character, though she had a lot more patience than I would have.  I love the description of the women in the book, and could easily see them featured in their own "Sex in the City" type of movie.  These woman made me chuckle numerous times, and I really felt like another girl in their group.  Brilliant character development all the way around.  As far as Sam goes, he is the man I want to hate, and just cannot, which I suspect is how Millie felt as well.

I liked the little secrets that are woven into the storyline.  Some of them I suspected, while others I had no clue.  But all in all the story flowed nicely, and I loved the resolution at the end.

I have preached on numerous occasions on why I disliked romance novels in the past.  It is books like this one that converted me into a romance reader.  I love when a romance novel hints at sexiness, flirts with naughtiness, but steers away from out and out erotica.  I think that is way more romantic and sexy, and this book fits into that category nicely.  A contemporary romance that simply smolders without the smut.



I received a review copy of the book courtesy of the author.

Burned, by Ellen Hopkins

Pattyn was raised in a highly religious family, full of hidden abuse and dysfunction.  When she begins to act out at school, and rendevouz with a boy, her father puts his foot down.  Unable to control her, he sends Pattyn to spend time with her aunt.  Little did he realize he was handing her the keys to freedom, and her future.  She falls in love, and when it is time to return to her family's home, she carries her secret love home with her.  However, her secret may come out in the open.

Once again, Hopkins delivers a powerful young adult novel in verse form.  This time, themes include religious intolerance, female repression, abuse, and sexuality.  I really loved the character of Pattyn, and my heart ached for her, knowing what her family life was like.  I think many kids grow up in abusing households, thinking they cannot trust or relate to anyone else.  This book helps them see that they are not alone.

While I am not terribly informed about the Mormon church, the book does not exactly paint the church in a positive light.  I can imagine some readers will dislike this aspect of the book, particularly those who are members of the Mormon church.  However, some may see a lot of realism in the way the church reacts to the abuse the family is obviously enduring.  It is no secret that many churches in many denominations react this way.

Moreso than with any of the previous Hopkins books I have read, the verse form did not stand out to me as much.  That is not to say that the verse form was bad, merely that the story overtook the writing style.  I forgot that what I was reading was poetry, simply because it was so powerful.

All in all, another fantastic young adult book, most appropriate for older high school readers.



This book is from my personal library.