This page is for reviews of other authors' books that I've been asked to do. In very few cases do I just pick up a book and review without the author's permission. The only exception to date is Nadia Brown's Unscrambled Eggs. I read this book of poetry because it came highly recommended. I loved it, told Nadia I loved it, and she asked me to complete a review for her. So, it was requested, just in a slightly different order than I usually go about it.
A lot of people have different criteria for reviewing. I judge a book based on the least amount of errors I find that detract from the story, the plot, character development, and enjoyability. My rating system is fairly simple.
1* Star - Congratulations, you wrote the book in English (maybe not very good English, but English nonetheless). I definitely would not recommend this book. I wonder if I should even give it away.
2** Star - This story had enough grammatical, spelling, cohesion, plot issues that I did not enjoy it and would not recommend it. I try to sell it to the local used book store.
3*** Star - I like this book. It may have had some grammatical issues or cohesion issues to detract from the story abit, but it is a good read and I'd recommend it; I may not re-read it for a few years.
4**** Star - I really enjoyed this book. There were next to no errors to draw me away from the story. I highly recommend this book and may chose to re-read it in the future.
5**** Star - Congratulations, you are King, Rice, Buck, Carey, Weiss, or Hemmingway (there may be a few more authors that meet this criteria, but not many). I will talk about this book to every reader, author, anyone!! I know. It goes on my shelf to be re-read.
Now, in all things, there are half ratings. I'm sure that everyone can figure out that the 1/2* star places the author squarely between one rank and the next.
Now on to the reviews; you know, what you came here for!! :)
Title: Passionate Playmates
Author: Omegia Keeys
Length: 72 pages
Genre: Erotica
“Mama, get up!”
Erika grunted as she rolled over in her king size bed pulling the
cover over her head. She was still in need of sleep after getting home
after
“Mama, get up!”
Reluctantly, Erika got out the bed to fix her 3-year-old son
breakfast. With him sleep was futile and she was back in the real
world.
Erika had to laugh to herself as she fixed her son breakfast. She
thought about what it would be like to be young again with no
concept of the need for sleep. Thinking about her son made her
reflect on her own upbringing. She was the youngest of five kids in
a single parent house hold who was brought up to believe that
everyone had to work to survive whether they liked the job or not.
Her mom coming home exhausted was not any thing new to her.
Having to wait for Mama Johnston to wake up wasn’t some thing she
could understand either. But now Erika was the adult and it was time
for her to be the exhausted one.
Working in a gentleman’s club wasn’t something any one that
really knew Erika could envision her doing. She grew up as a tomboy
and refused to wear dresses until she was almost 18. Participating in
sports in high school she earned herself a full ride scholarship to
college, which she gladly accepted. After graduating from college
she had several job interviews in which they all said the same thing,
“You have a degree but no work experience except fast food, so you
will have to work your way up.” Then, they would offer her ten
dollars an hour or less. She soon realized she could make more
working for numerous temporary agencies doing office work. She
truly believed the hype that a college degree will get you a good
paying job. Those jobs were barely enough to make it from one pay
check to the next. Paying a daycare provider to watch her son was
like paying rent twice.
Passionate Playmates by Omegia Keeys is a novella that disproves the notion that all models or exotic dancers are sleazy. A leading lady who has as much respect for her clients as she does herself, Ecstasy, an exotic dancer by night and a single mother trying the best she can by day, walks you through her life as she very practically realizes that modeling and dancing are only short time livelihoods.
This story is concisely written and could use more in-depth and intimate descriptions and dialogue, but is otherwise well thought out. The actual writing style is rough and could be polished, but the reader is left with believable and even likeable characters. You’re left respecting this woman and her colleagues, well most of them, at the end of the novella.
A fizzled love interest during the story leaves the reader frustrated a little, needing a more familiar intimacy between well liked characters rather than describing the erotic encounters between herself and the clients at her club. An abrupt ending after a summarization of events also left this reader confused and wanting… .
On a whole, the novella was believable, and its characters even admirable, but it lacked something that made it pop for the individual reader. It was pleasant reading, but I can’t say I was ever drawn to turning the page to see how the story ended. I would give this novella 2**, not necessarily for what the story had or didn’t have, but for what I could see the author just might have potential for if she found her nich.
Review by: BB Walter
Author: Robert Watts
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 207 pages
It was a bright and sunny morning as Terl Haddon and his sister Perl walked along the dusty Plantel Road on their way to the village of Pendere located on the northwestern coast of the Kingdom of Haldara. Terl had the lead rope of their pack mule Sala in his right hand and surprisingly the mule was cooperating today. She did not seem as mulish as usual. Slowly plodding along she took her time following behind the pair in front of her.
Terl looked over at his beautiful sixteen-year-old sister at her long, blond hair that cascaded down her back to her waist. Her eyes were a sky-blue in color that twinkled in the sunlight. She was dressed today in a light blue blouse and wore black knee-length trousers and of course, she walked with dusty bare feet. Almost all of the people went barefoot in this area from the time the snow melted in springtime until the farmers harvested their last crop of the season in autumn.
Perl kicked a pebble to the grassy edge of the dusty road and watched the stone disappear into the ditch beyond. She then turned to face Terl, and said to him. “What do you think mother will say and do if Master Trembell does not have the flour and yeast she needs to bake her bread with, Terl?” Perl had an alarming look on her face, but it slowly melted as she eyed the handsome features of her big brother.
The Tantalizing Powers of Magic and War is a story as familiar as that of a nursery tale. A woman is charged by her God, Traxias, to fulfill a daunting task of bringing peace to hers and several neighboring kingdoms currently bent on self-destruction. Calling together a band of individuals whose skills will be needed to aid her, Kelly An’Tanis sets out on her mission.
Political intrigue makes up the basis of this story during the group’s travels to their destination. The only difficulty that this reader had with the political intrigue was the unbelievable dialogue and actions of a king; to this reader, he seemed less of a kingdom’s leader and more of a simpleton throwing a child’s tantrum in some parts. The constant reference to the king’s “grand plan” became both bothersome and annoying, to say the least.
An antagonistic Black Wizard discovers the party and it’s agenda. With the addition of a few dastardly characters, he sets out to destroy Kelly’s mission of peace. A series of mishaps also sets the group back on their adventure, but through team-work and fortune they overcome.
Rating: 3 Stars.
Title: Cursed Blood
Author: Amber Rigby Grosjean
Genre: Horror
Length: 102 pages
“I want you, Jack. Don’t tell me what we can’t do. Take me now,” she said as she pulled her shirt open. Buttons flew in different directions. She pulled Jack into her body and began kissing him again. This time, he kissed back. He did want her but was trying to fight it. He decided to give in to the impulse. He slid her shirt off her arms and tossed it to the floor. He slowly slid his pants off and moved to hers, taking them off slowly. Jack picked her up and carried her to the bed. She took her bra off and let it drop to the floor as he slid his underwear off. He crawled onto the began and began to kiss. He slowly moved down her body. They made long passionate love. It was something she hoped she could experience some day. It was everything she expected and more. The way he made her feel was unreal. She didn’t want any of it to end.
“We need to get you back to your room,” Jack said when they were finished.
Cursed Blood by Amber Rigby Grosjean is marketed as a horror genre novel although this reviewer found it more of a romance than horror. Despite the opening scene indicating a horror direction, the novel then lapses into a helter-skelter conglomeration of sci-fi meets a romance novel. The document on a whole was trite. From character, to storyline, to dialogue, Cursed Blood was a forced read. The reader feels compelled to continue reading for one purpose only…to see if the novel will present itself with redeemable qualities.
This reader did not enjoy this novel and would not actively recommend it as a read.
Rating: 1 ½ Stars
Author: P.M. Russell
Title: The Wormhole Adventures: Time Is Relative
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Length: 57
The Wormhole Adventures: Time is Relative is a fantastic journey of childlike wonder. The introduction of a talking raven in the introductory chapter sweeps the reader with a curiosity that could only be born the desire to believe. A grand adventure ensues between three siblings and the intelligent raven as the quartet travel through time to meeting an amazing man in history.
By the end of the novel, I was left wondering just who the kids would choose to visit next. As an aunt, I can not wait to read this book to my six year old nephew!
I highly recommend this book for those wanting to lose themselves in the wonderment of childhood and curiosity.
This is a 4**** Star book!
Review by B.B. Walter
Title: Justice Is Served
Author: BJ Myers
Genre: Mystery
Length: 74 pages
Justice Is Served by BJ Myers is a modern day detective novel with a twist. Justus Carney, a substitute teacher with talent for thinking like a serial killer, is caught out in her peaceful suburban life one day as an old case from her crime-solving days catches back up with her. When her friend's daughter is kidnaped by a madman she'd long thought dead, Justus is forced back into a world she'd never wanted to revisit. Holding her hand along the way, Detective Durango, a dangerous man with a past of his own, acts as Justus' own personal liasion to the case, not to mention adds a bit of element into her staid romantic life. Justice Is Served was an enjoyble read from start to finish. Attention to detail, dialogue, and character develop, coupled with a strong sense of flow to the story, balanced out a story that could have been overwhelmed by the dark, morose aspect of a child serial killer. Myer's keeps the reader in suspence, doling out just the right amount of information to tantalize, the entire time. Truthfully, this reader's only complaint was that the story was too short; I would have loved to read more about Justus and the people in her world.
I would actively recommend this book.
4**** Stars
Reviewer: BB Walter
2-26-2008
Title: The Adventures of Lily
Author: Darcy J Busch
Genre: Children’s Short Stories
Length: 62 pages
The Adventures of Lily by Darcy J. Busch is a delightful book of children’s short stories. Lily, a young girl with a panache for solving mysteries, is accompanied by her best friend, Nick, in a series of strange mysteries that take place in their hometown. Filled with genuine situations, and a true childlike curiosity, The Adventures of Lily is a delight from beginning to end. I will happen to share these tales with my six year old nephew soon.
This is a four **** star book.
Review by: B.B. Walter
5-29-2008
Eveningshade, A Review
Author: Stephanie Johnson
Genre: Fantasy
Length: approx. 240 pages
Eveningshade, by emerging author Stephanie Johnson, is a classic fantasy tale between good and evil. Three human women – one raised a fairy princess, the other a goblin orphan, and the third a sorceress ruler – find themselves embroiled in an epic quest to stop an evil queen from the Territory of Men from destroying the Five Lands they call home. Johnson immediately sets the pace with this novel, wasting no time sweeping away the reader in the desperation of the situation as she unleashes Queen Aeola’s sinister army of men and orcs on the unsuspecting Five Lands. Her heroines – Morganna, Francesca, and Iceis – learn of a shared heritage from their guide and mentor, a unicorn named Meadowstar, and their possible involvement in the destruction of the evil queen and her forces.
Johnson shows talent for being able to draw her readers into both the militaristic aspects of this story and also relating the personal stories of the characters involved without catapulting from one extreme to another every time she switches track in the story line. Well-paced and well-thought out, Johnson has left a mark with her debut novel that is certain to have readers looking to see what this new author will come up with next.
I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a good old-fashioned fantasy story. This is a 4 ½ **** book.
Review by: B.B. Walter
Date: 6-6-2008
Author: Dino Komborozos
Title: Tempus Fugit
Genre: Science Fiction
Length: approx. 270 pages
What is the perception of time? In Tempus Fugit, by Dino Komborozos, the old saying “There’s no time like the present” takes on a whole new dimension. Theo Praxis awakes to find himself living in a society immersed in the present – so much so that they can no longer recall the past, thanks to their dependence upon technology that has made them faster, stronger, and more resilient. He is observed by a man simply called Mnimus, part of a race of beings called “recorders,” who painstakingly record every event of Praxis’ life – including his birth and death.
Mnimus is given a distinct opportunity once he has fulfilled his task in life to record the events of Theo Praxis’ life. He is given the chance to “revisit” that same life, to experience time as a human being would do so, and it is within that opportunity that he is given the keys to realizing his own future, that his own future lies in the past of another. A past that Theo is beginning to remember bit-by-bit while the world continues to change around him and the people in his world blankly continue on.
Stepping back into Theo’s life, experiencing it as only Theo can remember it through a machine called the “Nexus”, Mnimus encounters Theo as his life is recreated through his fractured memories. Together the two travel forward, or is it backward, through time and memory in search of truth.
Who or what is the architect of time? Komborozos tackles this mind-bending question in his debut novel. An excellent analytical work of supposition and hypothesis, Tempus Fugit explores the dizzying task of trying to define the undefinable. And proceeds to ask the age-old question: At what cost is progress too much? And can one man remember enough to change the inevitable?
I enjoyed this novel immensely. The difficult subject matter may be hard for some to tackle, but the story is well paced and character driven enough to satisfy any reader looking for a truly unique tale.
This is a Four **** novel.
Review by: B.B. Walter
6-22-08
Author: Nadia Brown
Title: Unscrambled Eggs
Genre: Poetry
Nadia Brown has written an exceptional book of poetry that presents itself with a true honesty that is sometimes lost in today's world. The emotion filling the pages thrums with a raw intensity - a glittering feast of life and thought. Brown has taken real life and put it before the reader without the pretense of typical poetry. No fancy rythmes or pretty phrases. Just an honest dish served up - grease and all. Rarely does one read a writer with such honest talent for drawing on the emotion, the pulse, of life.
I highly recommend this book. This is a Five ***** Star Book!
Review by: B.B. Walter
6-27-2008
Author: Patricia Perry
Title: The Fortress of Darkness
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 180 pages
The Fortress of Darkness by Patricia Perry is a visually stunning fantasy. Perry’s attention to detail with a thoughtful ease sets an easy current for this sweeping story line.
Evil is spreading throughout the fragmented lands, and the Races are too lost within their own suspicion of one another to heed the signs all around them. A woman in internal conflict with herself, Sara, has set herself on the path to defeating this evil, the Vox. Requiring the aid of others, she finds herself traveling with two men, one nomad and the other an elf, along the long and dangerous road that may lead to the land’s salvation. The question remains: Can they find unity in peoples who have taken comfort in solidarity, or are the lands intended to fall one by one like dominoes set in motion several hundred years in the past?
This tale washes over the reader in tidal waves of sensory pleasure. One is simultaneously drawn from desolate lands to lush forestry, a richness of description and plot that nearly leads to imagination overload. I was thrilled with every word upon the page and engrossed with the plot until the very last point of punctuation.
This is a Four 1/2 **** Star Book.
Review by: B.B. Walter
6-30-2008
Author: J.R. Dillon
Genre: Young Adult
Title: The Laoc Woods,
Length: 100 pages
Laoc Woods, Hampton Road immediately immerses the reader in the stark reality of small town
At 16, Leigh experiences an event that changes her life. From that event, the reader is thrust into the shadows of
The Laoc Woods, Hampton Road is a character-driven mystery that draws the reader forward by the mysteries of the
Well-crafted for a debut novel, Dillon’s The Laoc Woods,
This is a 3 ½ *** Star book.
Review by: B.B. Walter
Date: 8-14-2008