Lucille's Thought's

BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:08:03 GMT

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Title: Better Than Chocolate
Author: Bruce Golden
Genre: Science Fiction/Action
Buy Now URL/Link: http://www.zumayapublications.com/otherworlds, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble Online, Fictionwise

As the story opens, SF Police Inspector Noah Dane and his partner are sitting in their pod (cruiser) watching the street. The scene could have been lifted from Back to the Future Part III. The young on hoverboards racing and weaving in and out of pedestrians while holographs; on signs, briefcases, and even on the hoverboards; offer various products for sale or advertise churches and other businesses. Mutants, androids, and Troloxians mingle with humans as they go about their day’s business. In the midst of this seemingly chaotic scene ride three Scorpions, bikeroos, looking for trouble and Noah and his partner are more than willing to oblige. However, Noah’s partner is killed with a laser which is not a common on-the-street weapon. Noah kills a couple of the bikeroos, but the one who killed his partner gets away. From here on, Noah battles dead ends and false clues trying to track down his partner’s killer. In true Sci-Fi fashion, the story revolves around a conspiracy designed to take over the world.

Reaching a level where all mystery/crime/suspense stories and novels were beginning to sound alike, I began to wonder if ever a ‘new’ story would land on the market. A new way to tell about the crimes we, as a nation, face each day. Murder and mayhem may have many different aspects from one victim to another or one crime to another, but surely some new voice would come along and tell it all in a fresh way, I reasoned. Along came Bruce Golden and his novel Better Than Chocolate. True, this is not rated as crime or police procedural, but Mr. Golden gives us both. Beautifully written and plotted, with toned down violence, profanity and sex, and with lots of humor, Better Than Chocolate satisfies my desire for a new approach to telling an old crime story. Perhaps it’s because of the Science Fiction elements of aliens and the danger they imply or maybe it has something to do with the creative chapter titles, but the Sci-Fi elements and human elements are well balanced and blended. For those of you who want to peek into the future to see how the world fares on today’s issues and be entertained while reading about it, Better Than Chocolate is the book I highly recommend. I recommend it to the mystery/crime/suspense lover as well.

BLOODY HAM Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:42:12 GMT

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Title: Bloody Ham
Author: Brian Kavanagh
Buy Now URL/Link: http://beekayvic.tripod.com/

Brian Kavanagh has done it again. In this third book of the Belinda Lawrence Cozy Mystery series, Brian brings Helen Whitby to center stage where she assumes the position as leader in the investigative team.

Helen Whitby, an antiques dealer, hires antique silver to a film company for use in a dinner scene in the proposed film Playing Boys. Belinda Lawrence, as Helen’s business partner, is allowed to be on the set with Helen to watch over her silver during filming. As a result Belinda is present when one of the stars suddenly drops dead at the end of the dinner scene.

As a result, Belinda is asked to play stand-in to the American actress taking the place of the murdered star. She feels this position provides an opportunity for her to investigate the murder and obtain some evidence. When a second murder takes place, her new role as stand-in tests her ability to act when she faces off with the murderer. Belinda will never forget her brief acting career.

Bloody Ham is a sequel to Capable of Murder and The Embroidered Corpse. Read them all and follow Belinda Lawrence as she plays detective in each of them. Brian Kavanagh’s superb job of juggling the clues and keeping the mystery a mystery until the very end has produced another great story.
Brian Kavanagh has many years' experience in the Australian Film Industry in areas of production, direction, editing and writing. He is presently planning a fourth book in the Belinda Lawrence mystery series in which Belinda travels to Melbourne, her hometown in Australia. Her emotional conflict continues torn between two loves, but at the same time she and Hazel Whitby get involved in a case of murder concerning the discovery of a missing historical item that has political ramifications. Mr. Kavanagh is also working on a film script and has an idea for a stand alone mystery that has comic elements. He is truly an author to watch. More information can be found at http://www.bewrite.net/authors/brian_kavanagh.htm

HEART OF THE WINTER WOLF

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:09:09 GMT

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Title: Heart of the Winter Wolf
Author: Dani Harper
Website of Author: http://www.romancingthewolf.com
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Jillian's dreams of a great white wolf have helped her overcome trauma... but what happens when she discovers that her lupine friend is every bit as real as the annoyingly sexy stranger she's just met? Both Jillian and James, the sexy stranger, must come to terms with their pasts before there will be any hope for a future. The unraveling of the mysteries of each other’s lives makes this story captivate the reader from the first word and holds his/her interest to the end.

The story is superbly plotted and written. Suspense, romance and action pleasingly balanced. I recommend this book strongly. The story involves what experts of paranormal incidents call ‘Changlings’: humans that change from their human form to another form. Ms. Harper’s writing caused such suspension of my belief system that I immediately wanted to travel to Canada where this story takes place in order to meet a Changling. Her writing is very satisfying.

DANI HARPER is a newspaper editor turned romance writer. Her childhood love of Ray Bradbury’s stories inspired her to “stop the presses” and turn her hand to fiction. As a long-time fan of all things paranormal, it was only natural that changelings and werewolves, ghosts and pookas, would turn up to populate her books. Dani lives on an island in southeast Alaska with her fisherman husband. Her books are written on land or at sea, with the help of her Official Muse, Scooby the Pug.

Dani Harper's website is www.romancingthewolf.com, and you can e-mail her at dani@romancingthewolf.com. She loves mail and tries to answer every reader letter.
Feel free to "friend" Dani at http://www.myspace.com/romancingthewolf
You'll also find her on Bebo at http://romancingthewolf.bebo.com and http://HeartoftheWinterWolf.bebo.com

I'M OK, YOU'RE A FAKE Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:10:19 GMT

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Title: I’m OK, You’re A Fake
Author: Cheryl Dragon
Genre: Paranormal Suspense
Buy Now URL/Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-3767-im-okay-youre-a-fake.aspx?skinid=14

Deanna Oscar inherited her grandmother’s mansion in New Orleans, Louisiana and it comes complete with an attic full of bad ghosts and other rooms inhabited by good ghosts. Another plus is that Deanna has visits from her grandmother’s ghost from time to time.

Being a psychologist as well as a psychic has its advantages and disadvantages, but Deanna refuses to take advantage of her talent for seeing the future and doing psychic readings, choosing rather to use her gifts to help the police keep New Orleans’ innocent people safe.

Deanna successfully closes her last case only to be faced with the murder of one of her close friends. Not only does she have to suffer the grief of losing her friend, but she must face off with Muriel Jennings who claims to be a psychic as well and who tries to work this murder case in Deanna’s stead. However, Deanna knows beyond any doubt that Muriel is a fake. She just can’t figure out what Muriel’s game is until it’s almost too late.

Deanna turns to The Lotus Circle friends for support and learns she is able to increase her skills to a point where she can solve the murder. That is, if she lives to do so.

About the Author:
Cheryl Dragon enjoys writing suspenseful stories involving psychics, spirits and ghosts. While she possesses no exceptional metaphysical skills thus far, Cheryl is fascinated by psychic powers and The Other Side. Both topics are part of her continual research.

Cheryl lives in the Chicagoland area with her deaf albino cat that always sees what no one else does. By day Cheryl analyzes numbers as an Assistant Controller for a division of a large international conglomerate, which leaves the creative juices free for her writing.

Cheryl Dragon writes with humor and I like that. Humor offsets the murder in a story without harming the story at all. A touch of psychic phenomena is fast becoming one of my favorite elements of fiction. Combine psychic touches with humor and a good mystery and the story becomes a great ‘out-of-body’ experience for me. This is a good read. After reading this book, I learned Cheryl has another out about Deanna Oscar. It’s named I’m OK, You’re Dead. I’m about to start that one. Enjoy.

IN THE MOOD Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:11:29 GMT

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Title: In The Mood
Author: Paul Hupton
Genre: Crime/Mystery/Thriller
Buy Now URL/Link: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk and http://www.authorhouse.com , www.amazon.co.uk , www.barnsandnoble.com , Borders Bookstores. Also available electronically in PDF at http://www.paulhupton.com and http://www.Mobipocket.com

Phillip Graves, a detective at the New Scotland Yard, is losing it over his partner’s death that happened months earlier. As a result, his boss has made arrangements for him to take a long break from NSY by going home for a few weeks vacation after which he’ll take on a job in his home town police department. Just before Graves’ boss orders him to take the leave, Phillip hears his father has been attacked and is now in hospital. Phillip returns home to support his mother and try to find his father’s attacker.

Before the first day of his leave is over, Phillip is drawn into a mystery much deeper than just who attacked his father. Graves and Morgan, who is assigned as Graves’ partner, hits the road looking up people and facts concerning those people who seem to be involved. Soon, a body is found and Graves begins his search for the victim’s identity; thus revealing that the mystery goes all the way back to 1943 during WWII.

The two detectives follow many clues, many red herrings, to eventually arrive at the truth, not only for the deceased victim, but also for Graves and his father with a surprise ending you’ll never forget.

The story begins with two chapters about a young couple about to become separated because of the war followed by a chapter about an huge truck carrier carrying a heavy load that hits the bridge. These two chapters lay the ground work for the mystery that follows. Some writers argue that information such as contained in these first chapters should be given as flashbacks, but I prefer for short quick chapters that lay down the foundation for the story to come first. In this fashion I have the details in my head and can follow the mystery’s unfolding more efficiently. Mr. Hupton has written a good story, which obviously required many hours of research, and brought it to a satisfying end. An author well worth watching.

About the Author:
Like most people with an interest in crime and thriller stories I am a life-long admirer of traditional authors like Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, as well as more contemporary authors like PD James, Ruth Rendell and James Patterson. It is the influence of these authors and the encouragement of my family that has led to my first novel. I live in Manchester, England. I have been a civil servant for the last 20 years, a Chartered Civil Engineer. I decided to write my first book, IN THE MOOD, a couple of years ago and I am glad to say it is now available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble and publisher, Authorhouse's own website. I have recently converted my book into an Ebook for sale with Mobipocket for Amazon and directly from my website at www.paulhupton.com I am currently putting together a P.R. briefing with my publisher to launch IN THE MOOD. I have my second novel in outline and the basic idea behind a third. Each contain the same lead character. I hope to launch some P.R. about my book shortly.

JUDGMENT FIRE Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 00:48:35 GMT

Judgment Fire ~ Marilyn Meredith ~ Mundania Press ~ Mystery
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Title: Judgment Fire
Author: Marilyn Meredith
Buy Now URL/Link: http://www.mundaniapress.com/books-judgmentfire.html ; http://www.amazon.com

Deputy Tempe Crabtree, wife of a minister, patrols the small town of Bear Creek. In this 7th book in the series, Tempe is warned by Doretha, a Yanduchi shaman, that she is in danger even before Tempe is sucked into the murder of Jackie Cannata, a woman whom Tempe knew from school days.

When two other school acquaintances appear on scene, Tempe’s buried memories come alive to haunt her. The investigating detectives and her superior bring on more difficulties when they warn her to stay out of the investigation. Between run-ins with Tom Cannata and difficulties in locating Ronnie, Jackie’s son, staying out of the investigation is impossible. One of them has to be the murderer, Tempe reasoned, because who else in Bear Creek would want Jackie dead?

About the Author:
Marilyn Meredith is the author of award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree
mystery series as well as other novels. The latest is, Judgment Fire, from
Mundania Press. Under the name of F. M. Meredith she writes the Rocky Bluff
P.D. series. She is a member of four chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery
Writers of America, EPIC, WOW, California Writers Club and on the board of
the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer's
Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer's
Retreat and many other writer's conferences. She makes her home in
Springville, much like Bear Creek where Deputy Tempe Crabtree lives. Visit
her at http://fictionforyou.com

LEAVES IN THE WIND Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:10:13 GMT

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Title: Leaves in the Wind
Author: Gail DeYoung
Genre: Romance/Psychic
Buy Now URL/Link: http://www.jasminejade.com/p-3524-leaves-in-the-wind.aspx?skinid=14 ; http://www.thelotuscircle.com/

Tara Singer, an empathic telepath and social worker, has been assigned Dan Turner as a patient. Dan Turner’s little girl, injured inside and out during a train wreck, is in a coma and the doctor felt Dan needed someone who could assist him to accept that his little girl may not live.

Tara’s special skills allow her to experience Dan’s memories of his wife and child. It also allows Tara to become one with the comatose child and see her acting out her memories of her mother while surrounded by the fog of coma. It’s going to be difficult to get the little girl to turn loose memories of her mother to wake up and join her father in reality. As a result of this empathic activity with the child, Tara feels certain she’ll be able to help Dan get his daughter and his life back on track.

Although Tara has been taught not to become involved with her patients, she finds herself slipping into a relationship with Dan Turner and knows he’s not yet ready for another one. But what is a woman to do? Can she really sit back and let Dan walk away from her now that she believes he’s the man of her dreams and the answer to her prayers?

Having a comatose daughter myself, I can sympathize with Dan Turner’s grief and Tara’s desire to do everything she can to help Dan’s daughter return to reality. Love coupled with realistic expectations, positive actions, and a healthy faith in God really do make a difference in caring for an invalid, even one who seems to be unconscious all of the time.

Author Gail DeYoung has been involved with many aspects of the romance industry for nearly twenty years. Although "Leaves in the Wind" is her first published novel, she has been writing a variety of stories for years. She currently lives in Florida with her two children and her cat.

LOOKING GLASS PORTAL Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:09:24 GMT

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Title: Looking Glass Portal
Author: Larraine WillsBuy Now URL/Link: http://www.swimmingkangaroo.com

Garrett Maniam is fixing fence in the time-honored cowboy way with his horse Boss standing beside him when a weird and stinky creature appears. It stinks so bad the horse runs into the barbed wire fence and started screaming from the pain. ‘It’ points something at Garrett and a beam takes much of one arm away plus puts a huge hole in the right chest. That’s when Garrett meets Midradina, Emissary of the Thornns, as he begins to lose consciousness. When he comes to, he is in a strange space craft. Cowboy in space.

Aliens, danger, even drugs, have their place in this story. Garrett must learn many skills and rules in a ship where days merge with nights and time passes at a pace Garrett cannot follow accurately. As time goes by, Garrett faces death more than once and welcomes it; but each time he escapes the final end. Will he ever develop a desire to live? To welcome others to develop friendships and maybe a new love from a woman he’s never met?

Looking Glass Portal explores a very human condition in an alien world. Ms. Wills explores what can happen to a man who’s lost all desire to live because he faces a future in which his whole body is paralyzed from a back injury. There is also a humorous touch such as the liquor, what Garrett calls moonshine, puts a whole new look on drunkenness. Then there are the Glemms: a fur-ball that resembles a six-legged spider and turn out to be pets. It’s a story that will delight readers of many genres including, but not limited to, mystery, romance, war, and science fiction. I recommend Looking Glass Portal as a fast and fun-loving read.

Larriane loves to write, even more than she loves to read although she still does both in many, many genres. To help her readers keep those genres straight and know what to expect when a new work comes out, she’s broken them into two pen names, Larriane Wills for fantasy and science fiction and Larion Wills for romance. Don’t let the spellings fool you, they’re pronounced the same, just like Marion. When not reading or writing Larriane spends her time with her family living in the high desert of the Arizona mountains, studying American Sign Language and always watching for that beginning of a new story. Larion has three coming publications: Mourning Meadow (Oct), Thirteen Souls (Nov) and Mark of the Sire (Dec), with a forth scheduled for release in Nov of 2008, tentatively titled Little Sam’s Angel. She invites you all to visit her site; http://www.larriane.com for updates, blurbs, excerpts, contest and various other things.

NO GLASS HOUSE Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:11:48 GMT

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Title: No Glass House
Author: Lydia Phillips
Genre: Drama Adult Fiction
Buy Now URL/Link: http://www.trafford.com/06-0317 also at http://www.amazon.com

This is the story of ten men and women whose lives intertwine, the day to day struggle of women trying to make good homes and families for their men, men who have difficulty being true to their special women and the consequences of free-will choices—good and bad. It’s a story of struggle: sex, money and careers. The book is filled with graphic sex, hate, love and power. Realism with a capital R.

The part that moved me most dealt mainly with the minority role of the black people. Sadness and horror at some of the events partaken in by black and white ancestors of today’s American people. The writing, characterizations, and descriptions were good. There is a lot of graphic sex, but otherwise the story is moving.

Lydia Phillips is an author and actor. She lives in the Atlanta area and is at work on her next novel. Lydia loves reading, dancing, horseback riding and a good movie.

THE SCYTHIAN STONE Review

Lucille — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:12:55 GMT

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Author: Jon F. Baxley
Website of Author: http://www.jonbaxley.com

Kruzurk Makshare, a magician and once upon a time, an apprentice to the great magician, Merlin, has a visit from Merlin’s spirit who gives Kruzurk a black scroll. Seed, an evil magician, was also an apprentice of Merlin’s and had been instrumental in causing Merlin’s death. Now Merlin wants to be avenged and Kruzurk makes the vow to destroy Seed.

The story shifts viewpoint to a young man named Daynin, who’s family had been destroyed in Scotia, is now living with his grandfather in Hafdeway. The grandfather plows a field, uncovering a huge stone. The next day Daynin meets Kruzurk, and together with the stone, they go in search of someone to verify that it’s the Scythian Stone of legend. With this beginning, a story of magic, might, and honor unravels bringing with each incident suspense, excitement and a strong urge to keep reading to the finish.

My reading interests lay mostly within the mystery, crime and police procedural genre so when I was sent the ebook “The Scythian Stone” I hesitated to begin reading it, feeling it would be boring and childish. From the first chapter Mr. Baxley grasped my interest and caused me to remember the wonderful fairy tales of knights in shining armor and damsels in distress that I grew up reading and which Walt Disney has turned into movies. Yet, “The Scythian Stone” is not just for children, but for adults as well. I’ve enjoyed reading it and surfing Mr. Baxley’s website, I’ve learned he has a hard cover edition of “The Blackgloom Bounty” published by Five Star Publishing. Ebook version from Check it out.

Mr. Jon F. Baxley is an award winning author, historian, editor, and Internet entrepreneur. He has been a professional golfer, soldier and a member of the United States Information Agency in the former Soviet Union. He loves medieval events, people and places and has done much research on these topics.