Review - Liquid Reflections by B. M. Song

Poet B.M. Song has delivered a book of poems that encompasses many aspects of every day life. Her poems paint vivid pictures and express familiar emotions that can evoke smiles, dreams, fantasies, as well as tears and new concepts to consider.

Liquid Reflections is a collection of personal reflective poems that give the reader something to relate to. The poems are easy to relate to in that they touch on common subjects such as love, passion, grief, anger, and spirit. Each poem has a different rhythm and feeling, similar to a river that ebbs and flows, the poems move along a path that is personal to the author. The reader is along for a fluid ride of an emotional landscape.

B.M. Song writes from a part deep within herself. Each word in each poem is purposely chosen. Song has produced a work of varied poems that will touch each reader in a different way.

B.M. Song resides in Fort Worth, TX. She is the mother of a six-year-old beautiful daughter and lives with her wonderful, handsome man, Eric. She has been writing since the age of twelve when she started as a young lyricist and songwriter. She enjoys singing, dancing, writing, camping, hiking, and fishing. This is her first published work.

Liquid Reflections is a recommended read for anyone who enjoys, or is interested in, poetry that works to evoke a rainbow of emotions.

Title: Liquid Reflections: A Stream of Fluid Prose
Author: B.M. Song
Publisher: Publish America
ISBN: 978-1-60749-445-4
Pages: 82
Price: $14.95

Reviewed for Allbooks Review

Review - Arrival by Christopher Hoare

Arrival
Written by: Christopher Hoare
Science fiction / Fiction / Time travel
Rated: Very Good (****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Gisel Matah is sixteen. She’s on a starship with her father, brother, and a small entourage of explorers no longer able to get back to their home world. Being female and the youngest on board are not complimentary attributes for this spitfire, but she has skills that no other crew member has and her importance becomes apparent to everyone.

Being on board the Iskander with supersmart engineers and scientists, Gisel is challenged to be a ‘typical teenager.’ She was brought on board as personal trainer because her father, the engineering chief, pulled strings and having high-level connections doesn’t win her any friends. She’s headstrong and persistent, and, of course, knows everything.

She finds a way to be a part of the first landing party to the planet passing below the starship, and although most of her adventure doesn’t go smoothly, the crew discovers that she is the only person able to communicate with the natives they have run into.

Iskander technology is years ahead of the planet they must rely on for survival. The crew quickly learns that no matter how advanced you are, when you only have the basics to deal with, you have to adapt or perish. Creating alliances when you don’t know if the people can be an asset to you or not is a tough political position to be in. Gisel finds herself front and center while the General of the Iskander works to create relationships with the people on the planet, and she enjoys it.

She may only be a teenager, but Gisel has an inner strength, the intelligence, and the youthful wit to survive in just about any situation she finds herself in. Sometimes survival turns out to be luck, but in a brand new world, as long as you can keep your wits about you, you have a great chance to succeed.

Arrival is fun to read. It’s interesting to see how Gisel’s start within the Iskander crew relates to the first two novels. Her energy is contagious and comes through the pages. The reader, at times, wants to reach out to protect the young girl from danger, but Gisel quickly figures out a solution so the reader can breathe a sigh of relief and continue reading.

Christopher Hoare’s third novel, Arrival, brings the reader into the past. It fills in the details of the time before Deadly Enterprise, the first book in the series featuring Gisel Matah. The story continues in The Wildcat’s Victory and now the reader can see how Gisel became a young military leader at such a young age.

I recommend reading Arrival to anyone who enjoys exploring old worlds through time travel, politics behind creating alliances, battles, strategy, survival, and a small dash of romance. Arrival is a great story that gives the reader the scoop behind Gisel’s life.

I’ve enjoyed all three novels in this series and look forward to more novels from this writer. I think any of the three novels would be great on the big screen.

Title: Arrival
Author: Christopher Hoare
Publisher: Double Dragon Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-55404-620-1
Pages: 354
Price: $16.99

Review - Second Bloom by Anne Marie Smith & Michelle Gamble-Risley

If you are ready to put in some effort, you can learn how to break through the Big Blank in your life with the help of two women who have been-there-done-that.

Second Bloom is a collaborative effort between a pair of successful women who each reached a point in their lives where they knew they needed to follow their passions, or let their souls whither. They chose action and now share their experiences. You'll aslo read stories of other women who learned how to reinvent, rejuvenate, and realize a new life.

Anne Marie Smith and Michelle Gamble-Risley use straight talk and real life examples to show that any goal, any dream, and any desire that a person has, can be achieved with a little bit of work. They describe each of the ten steps in the process, give examples, and then send you on your way. Workspace is given within the book, and a wall chart is included in the back for a visual display of your tasks once you work them out.

Anne Marie Smith is a professional writer, successful business consultant, and entrepreneur who hit the Big Blank at forty. She devised and executed her plan, sold her business, and started doing what she loves: write. Michelle Gamble-Risley is a professional writer and marketing, and public relations expert. Her passion for life reignited after her Big Blank in her late thirties. One day, she quit her job and started her own business. Second Bloom is the amazing collaboration between these two women.

Second Bloom is a highly recommended read for anyone looking for a creative way to set goals and conquer the Big Blank.

Available through Amazon, other online venues, and www.second-bloom.com/store.html.

Title: Second Bloom
Author: Anne Marie Smith & Michelle Gamble-Risley
Publisher: Kaabrah Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9818322-0-3
Pages: 128
Price: $19.95

Reviewed for Allbooks Review

Review - The Courier by James R. Vance

Detective Inspector Massey and Detective Sergeant Turner are long-time friends and partners. They've seen a lot in their careers and need all of their combined experience to unravel the strange coincidences stemming up from a seemingly simple incident.

What starts off as a case of someone mistakenly grabbing the wrong briefcase quickly becomes the catalyst to a large and entwined web of subterfuge. Time is of the essence when the young owner of the stolen briefcase disappears. Each new piece of evidence the police finds, forces them to call for additional support in order to cover all the unexpected directions they get pulled in. They quickly learn to not interpret everything at face value.

Vance's passion for this genre is apparent with his sharp writing and solida attention to detail. His words brush the city landscape onto the page like a roadmap. By using omniscient point of view, he gives the reader insight into the characters that the protagonists don't have, which allows the reader to play investigator right along with the lead characters. Vance balances dialogue with narrative without wasting a word.

Author James R. Vance lives in southwest France. His first published novel, Killer Butterfly, was inspired from his knowledge of London and northern France. The Courier, his second novel, features the same two detectives. His third novel in the trilogy, Animal Instict, will be completed in 2009.

The Courier is a sold, well-paced, engaging crime thriller. It's a highly recommended read for lovers of the genre.

Available through Amazon.com, and other online outlets such as http://www.theebooksale.com/.

Title: The Courier

Author: James R. Vance

Publisher: RealTime Publishing

ISBN: 978-81906-806965

Pages: 396

Price: $16.95

Reviewed for Allbooks Review

Review - Matters of Faith by Kristy Kiernan

Matters of Faith
Written by: Kristy Kiernan
Fiction
Rated: Excellent (*****)
Review by: Lisa Haselton

Chloe is mom to 18-year-old Marshall and 12-year-old Meghan, and wife to Calvin. Her life is like any other with its daily challenges, but even she doesn’t know what she’ll do when her family’s cohesiveness is put to an extreme test.

The novel opens with Chloe reflecting on how having a sixth sense would be helpful in noting the small things in life that become the catalyst to a major turning point. Hindsight is always educational, isn’t it?

Marshall is coming home during college break and is bringing a girl, the first girl to meet the family. First impressions are not always the best and Chloe and Cal have different reasons for not readily accepting Ada. But Meghan and Ada become instant friends, so there’s hope.

The writing in Matters of Faith works with two distinct points of view that engage the reader in just the right way. Kiernan doesn’t waste any words. She balances narrative with dialogue so the reader feels more like a fly on the wall of a real family instead of someone flipping pages. Kiernan’s characters are unique individuals dealing with the typical daily life routine. And because of their ‘realness’, the author is able to connect with a large audience. Like having a conversation with friends, Kiernan’s writing challenges the reader to figure out what he or she would do given the same circumstances. Where many writers create characters that are black or white in their response, Kiernan’s characters are unpredictable.

Kristy was born in Tennessee and raised on the beaches of southwest Florida, where she still resides with her husband, Richard, and their dog. Her first novel, Catching Genius, was published in March of 2007 and has become a book club favorite. Matters of Faith is her second novel.

From the opening lines in Matters of Faith until the final word, the reader becomes a witness during a small portion of time in one family’s life. This novel doesn’t jump out and grab you by the throat, instead it softly winds its way into your heart so you can’t walk away. I highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in a great story.

Matters of Faith is available through: http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/, other online outlets, and local book stores. Visit http://www.kristykiernan.com/ for more information.

Title: Matters of Faith
Author: Kristy Kiernan
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 978-0-425-22179-2
Pages: 322
Price: $14.00

Review - Personal Notes by Emily-Jane Hills Orford

Margaret "Peggy" Murray Downer lived her life out of the spotlight, but for the family and friends who knew her, she was a grand lady whose story should be shared.

Peggy isn't sure why her granddaughter wants to know about her life, but Peggy isn't about to refuse the request. She struggles with what exactly to talk about, especially since she is in her 90s and admits that her memory isn't what it used to be. She wrote in journals every day of her life and held on to written treasures from loved ones. She loves sharing stories, but knows she'd need at least another 90 years to get all her current stories recorded and organized. She's willing to share her life with whoever is interested.

Orford uses her grandmother's early journals and tape-recorded stories to create a biography of a woman who will forever remain close to her heart. She pulls the reader in immediately with Peggy's voice in the the prologue. The engaging writing feels more like a conversation with friends than a book being read. Peggy's story is told with compassion and love and succeeds in letting a large audience get to know a wonderful human being.

Emily-Jane Hills Orford divides her time between her growing family, her music studio, and her writing. She believes in writing about ordinary people. Manay of her stories include the people who were most important and influential in her life, including her grandmother, the source of Personal Notes.

Personal Notes is a touching glimpse into the past. A great family read filled with real adventures and delicious recipes.

Available through http://www.moosehidebooks.com/. Or visit Emily's Web site.

Title: Personal Notes

Author: Emily-Jane Hills Orford

Publisher: Moose Enterprise Book and Theatre Play Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-894650-70-0

Pages: 252

Price: $17.97

Reviewed for Allbooks Review

Review - Killer Butterfly by James R. Vance

Petra's life is a challenging as any other fifteen-year-old with a dysfunctional family, but the choices she makes as she moves through life cross the lines of acceptable, reasonable, and sane.

Petra Rebovka feels entitled to get whatever she wants whenever she wants it. The rebellious streak she develops in order to gain attention as the middle child of three, increase in intensity as she gets older. She's always seeking something 'more'. Men are a constant disappointment, but she can't live without them. One horrific experience changes her life, and the lives of anyone she encounters, into tabloid headlines.

Vance's obvious passion for the thriller genre is apparent through his succint and descriptive writing that has the readers as involved in the story as the characters. He takes a risk letting the reader in on the antagonist's point of view, but he balances it with logical questions, answers, and assumptions the protagonist uses while working to solve the case. He balances dialogue with narrative without wasting a word.

Author James R. Vance lives in southwest France. He wrote his first crime fiction novel, The Courier, drawing inspiration from his knowledge of London and norther France for the storyline. His second novel, Killer Butterfly, features the same two detectives. His third novel in the series, Animal Instinct, will be completed in 2009.

Killer Butterfly is an engaging thriller told in a unique fashion and a recommended read for lovers of the genre.

Available through online outlets, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and http://www.theebooksale.com/.

Title: Killer Butterfly
Author: James R. Vance

Publisher:RealTime Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-90680-674-3

Pages: 280

Price:$10.95

Reviewed for Allbooks Review