Reader Radar #8

Title: Our Blissful Bayou Beginnings (The Duck and The Doe)  

Author: Danielle Peterson

Publisher:     Danielle Peterson (March 7, 2012)

Medium:       Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Duck And The Doe is the tale of two immortal beings whose eternal love has soured a bit in the last two centuries. Written as memoir by the "hero," this novella is a musing on both what love is and how much America has changed since the early 19th century. The first volume deals with both the supernatural and the racism of the old American south. Told with humor and passion (and the occasional rant) the story of these strong characters, including a wealthy young lawyer and a clever courtsean, will change your idea of what "love forever'' really means.

Oh how I loved Our Blissful Bayou Beginnings!

First of all, how can you turn something away that has alliteration in the title?  I mean, that right there should put this toward the top of your reading list.  I love anything set in the South, because, well, even though I was born in Northern New York, I have lived in the South for close to 30 years now, and consider myself a Southerner.  This 70 page novella took me a mere 45 minutes to get through, so what better way to spend your lunch hour or wait for your orthopedic surgeon?  That is another great reason to put this on a to-read list, like toward the top. Just do it!

I actually put off reading this for a few weeks, as I got caught up in some other books and I’ve been forgetting to bring my Kindle to work with me.  I’m not going to let this happen to me again.

Danielle Peterson really brought Remi to life right from the first paragraph, which is a poor choice of words considering his issues.  I loved his bitter and condescending tone.  I loved how he was totally over being undead and quite frankly sick of today’s youth and how easy they have it.  I love how she brought the time period to life and as a reader I really felt like I was in another era.

Our Blissful Bayou Beginnings was full of description, full of wonder, and a full on love story. It tells of truly how much Remi truly loved his Ma Bichette, and what lengths he would go to in order to keep that love “alive”.  Ms. Peterson really put me, the reader, into a position to cheer on what might be considered a not so wholesome of a character.

Danielle Peterson is definitely on my Reader Radar this week!  I can’t wait to find out what happens next to the duck and the doe.  As for Remi, well, he complained about never being invited to dinner parties…I’d totally invite him and Ma Bichette!

Danielle Peterson

Pegasus Falling

Title: Pegasus Falling

Author:            William E. Thomas

Publisher:       Acute Angle Books (March 26, 2012)   

Medium:         Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:

‘Who was she, Sammy?’ 
‘Naomi. Her name was Naomi.’ 
Sammy’s nightmare was over, but his agony was about to begin. 
Arnhem, 1944. Captain Stanley Adam Malcolm Parker - Sammy to his friends - and his platoon have fought bravely, but it was always a losing battle - the bridge was unwinnable. When his men are taken away to spend the rest of the war as POWs, Sammy finds himself incarcerated somewhere all the more terrifying - a concentration camp. Spared an immediate death, he discovers firsthand the full horror of the final solution. 
In a place of utmost fear and desperation, beyond all hope and salvation, Sammy makes another entirely unforeseen discovery - the beautiful and mysterious Naomi. 
Sammy’s battle is now to stay alive, sane and keep hold of the woman he loves.
Following the successful publication of The Cypress Branches in hardback, the epic novel has now been adapted into a series of paperback books for general release, with each book concentrating on a set of characters featured in the original. 
Pegasus Falling is the first part of the Cypress Branches Trilogy to be released in paperback. A truly heartbreaking and courageous work, it follows the emotional story of paratrooper Sammy and his struggle to survive the terrors of World War II and its aftermath. 
With a sharp eye for detail and keen ear for conversation and dialect, William E. Thomas has painted an evocative historical backdrop to the intensely moving and often funny story of an unforgettable group of characters whose lives and loves are challenged by a constantly changing and volatile world.

I think there is a book inside all of us, a story that begs to be told, an idea that needs to be put onto paper, and a dream that needs to be shared.  Sometimes the story playing out in my head is more like a comic strip some days, but there is something begging me to let it out.  Mostly I ignore it.  I don’t think I have the courage.

Some people choose to listen to their inner selves, and William E. Thomas, author of Pegasus Falling was one of those people.  Like many people, Mr. Thomas waited until he retired to put his dream onto paper.  Then the daunting and difficult task of trying to find a publisher who will at least glance at the query letter before tossing the labor of love into the compost pile.  I come from a family of various artists – from painting to the written word – and they can all tell you that rejection of their medium is like being stabbed in the soul.

Through the revolution of technology the availability of being able to self-publish a book has become pretty simple and straightforward.  Unfortunately for Mr. Thomas, time got away from him, and his once sharp mind was thrust into the depths of the unknown as he struggled with Alzheimer’s.  Fortunately for Mr. Thomas, his grandson, Mike, made his dream come true.  Who wouldn’t do that for a beloved grandparent?

I have to be honest, Pegasus Falling was a difficult book for me to read, and it took me much longer than normal to get through it.  I found it very hard to fall in love with any of the main characters, and at times found myself very angry with a couple of them.  Maybe that was the point that Mr. Thomas was striving for, and I missed it.

The setting of the book is at the very end and in the time following World War II in Germany and in Palestine.  It was a bleak time for all of the characters in the book, some more than others, and that may be what lead me as a reader down the path that I took while reading it. Part of the reason for me getting bogged down was all the political turmoil, which is very important to the story, but at times distracting. There were times that I wanted to scream at the main characters, but ended up shaking my head as I normally do when people are clueless and allow themselves to be led down paths that only lead to heartache. 


One thing I really did like in Pegasus Falling was to see the "other side of the story". I saw through an author's eyes what the British really felt about the Americans in the aftermath of World War II. Most of the time it was unfavorable, which could be upsetting to some, but the raw honesty of the opinions, really made me sit back and think. As a general rule, you always carry your country in your heart and love her, but not everyone feels the same way. I actually really liked that.


The best part of Pegasus Falling for me was the last chapter.  I won’t give anything away, but this chapter was the best in the entire book!  While at times throughout the book the actions that took place were subtly hinted at, it was unexpected and made the ending of the book worthwhile, and it makes me wonder what else is going to happen in the rest of the series. Quite precisely the very smart marketing of Mike.


The real story of Pegasus Falling is the true story of the love of a family brought together by making a dream come true for their patriarch. If it wasn't for Mr. Thomas's grandson, Pegasus Falling may have ended up in the same dreadful place that one's mind goes when it is battling Alzheimer's.


While Pegasus Falling was not one of my favorite books that I have read, I am glad that I had the opportunity to spend some time with Naomi, Sammy, and Carrie, because that meant I got to spend some time with Mr. Thomas. Thank you for letting me be a part of his dream.

http://www.acuteanglebooks.co.uk/

Reader Radar #7

Title: The Wedding Dress

Author:          Ellie Keaton

Medium:        Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:  

Meg knew exactly what she wanted: to be the Investment Director of Solomon Bank by the time she turned 30. And nothing would stop her. Not the fact that she’d be the youngest one in the history of the company. Or the fact that she’d be the first female Director. And especially not a man.

Then she met Tyler, and everything changed. It was like they were destined to be together. The attraction was immediate, and the follow-through was more passionate and amazing than she could have ever hoped for.
But Tyler was gone now. She could barely bring herself to think about their brief time together. As she stared at her wedding dress, she reflected on the fact that almost everything would be in place: a perfect gown, a perfect venue, a perfect ceremony. But not her perfect groom. 

There are moments in your life that are simply branded forever into your memory.  Memories that you take with you always, and that you revisit with others with the sentence, “I remember exactly what I was doing when…”  My most recent memory like that is of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.  The sky was a perfect blue and there was a teeny tiny hint of autumn in the Arkansas wind that was gently blowing that morning.  Mark Haines and Joe Kernen were sampling purple ketchup on CNBC’s Squawk Box, and my husband was watching while standing in the middle of the living room dressed in a suit getting ready to leave town for the day, when the segment was interrupted with Haines saying that there were reports of a single engine plane hitting the World Trade Center in NYC.

I had to leave for work and I couldn’t wait to find out what was wrong.  Mark promised to call me and keep me updated.  At the time I was working as a family practice nurse, and my days were always busy from the time I walked in the door.  This day I would prove to myself how strong I could be for others.  The television in our area was in the repair shop.  I relied on telephone updates from my husband while simultaneously taking care of patients and their families.  I held hands with some, I cried with others, all the while, not being fully able to grasp what was truly happening to my country.

When we had time in between patients we would scramble to another area to catch a glimpse of what was happening.  We’d hug each other, while making eye contact that said “remain strong”.  We put our patients first.  I remember one particular phone call from the spouse of a patient who was being seen.  I was asked to give instructions to the spouse to go by the bank on the way home and take out all of the money.  Then another patient was hysterical with grief because she lost loved ones in the Oklahoma City bombing and she was fearful that the whole country was in peril.

I also had a college world history course that night.  I called my professor to see if she was going to cancel class and her answer was something like, “No the terrorists would want the whole country to stop, we’ll be having class and showing them.”  I never really liked her or her class much, but I went.  She let us talk for a little while then got right into her lecture about ancient China or something.

By the time I made it home, I was emotionally and physically exhausted.  My husband postponed his trip, but was still in his shirt and tie when I got home.  I don’t remember eating dinner; I only remember watching the news.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 is a day that I will never forget, so when I received an email from Ellie Keaton asking me to review The Wedding Dress, the first book in her Survivors Club Series, I was honored to do so.

The Wedding Dress is a novella that touches the heart and the mind.  It made me think and made me wonder.  I wondered how a family member can go on after a tragedy of such magnitude.  I wondered how one can get out of bed every day knowing what kind of death their loved one had.  I wondered why these tragedies happen to some people and not others.

The Wedding Dress also reminded me that it’s okay to grieve and be sad, but it’s also okay to move forward, never forgetting. I was reminded also the true meaning of friendship.  Ms. Keaton writes few words, but those few words hold so much meaning.  The story may not be a true account, but I bet that there is a shred of reality in there. It was beautifully written and very touching.

Ms. Keaton is definitely on my Reader Radar!  You should check her out.  She is also generously donating 15% of her proceeds to Tuesday's Children I think you should check them out too!

This Classic Moment #1

Title: The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Publisher: Scribner Paperback Fiction, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Medium: Hardback (Paperback Swap)

The high school I attended wasn’t the best academically, nor was I the brightest student in the bunch.  Looking back, I probably was brighter than many, but I failed to apply myself, and I wasn’t forced to go above and beyond my average and sometimes above average grades.  There are only a handful of books that I remember reading, and only one or two stuck with me.  So, now starting out in my 40’s, I am trying to rectify that misguided youth and start reading some classic literature.

My bookshelves are lined with beautiful, classic books (that mostly belong to my husband, who has a true love of literature) that I pass over for good, old-fashioned escapism.  Shame on me!  There are a plethora of books out there that are timeless and beautifully written, and by goodness, I’m going to get through a few of them, even if it kills me!  Because I have committed to reviewing everything I read, these books will fall under the heading of This Classic Moment.

My book club – Books & Beer – chose a classic for this month’s discussion; F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby.  I was skeptical, but I plunged right in and finished with a day before book club to spare!  That’s record for me!!

I really loved this book, but it made me so sad.  The remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl are raining on our little part of the world today, and the gloomy skies match my feelings about Gatsby and Nick and Tom and Daisy and poor, poor Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.  Someone mentioned to me when I told them what I was reading that the book was a love story.  This I completely agree with, but they never told me what a tragic love story it was!

From the beginning chapters when the Gatsby character was revealed, you could tell how depressed he was.  Nick lived next door and attended the lavish parties, but Gatsby never really participated and mingled amongst his guests.  He watched from the balconies, from the yard, from far away, seeming to be waiting for something wonderful to happen.  And Nick the guy who really wanted a friend, was always there as well, observing, taking notice, also waiting for something to happen.

The readers are also introduced to Tom and Daisy who live not far from Nick and Gatsby.  As a reader, these characters exuded the rich lifestyle that is often portrayed of the 1920’s extravagant lifestyle.  They were lying on couches, having their every need attended to by servants, drinking and eating unrestrained, and from the outsider looking it, everything appeared to be wonderful.

It doesn’t take very long, but Fitzgerald reveals the dark sides of his characters, their flaws, and their downfalls.  Prohibition is gaining traction, but it never seems to affect this crowd, for there is always a party, always a road trip, and always a cocktail.  While reading The Great Gatsby there was always a sense of something impending that was going to occur.  It reminded me of how the leaves turn inside out in the wind and how eerily quiet it gets right before a storm.  Then with a bang, the storm arrives!

And in The Great Gatsby, the storm does indeed arrive!!  And as with any storm, there is always an aftermath and clean-up.  The clean-up is a sad ordeal, but the narrator of the tragedy, Nick, does a good job, and in the end, he earned my respect, because he stood up for his morals and for what he believed to be just, and most of all, he did right by his friend.

If you’ve never taken the opportunity to read The Great Gatsby, take a day and check it out.  It’s a quick little read, and shouldn’t take you too long, though this isn’t a book to rip through, the words are written beautifully, almost poetically, and you will want to savor them, for they linger with you long after you put the book down.

Lost in Italy

Title: Lost in Italy
Author: Stacey Joy Netzel
Publisher: Stacey Joy Netzel, 1st Ed, September 28, 2011
Medium: Kindle


Goodreads Synopsis: The best laid plans...


Halli Sanders spent two years planning the trip of a lifetime to Italy. Her itinerary did not include being stranded by her siblings, kidnapped by a sexy American movie star, dodging bullets, or fleeing criminals in a car chase around Lake Como. And that's just in the first three hours.

...often go awry.

Trent Tomlin put his movie career on hold to investigate his brother's murder-ruled-suicide at his Italian villa. He's closing in on the suspects when an American tourist unwittingly films the murder of the retired cop helping him. The killers will stop at nothing to get the evidence--including holding Halli's family as collateral.

Life's a little different unscripted.

Thrust into the role of real-life hero, Trent finds himself falling for the Plain Jane whose beauty blossoms with every challenge they face. But how can he keep the evidence from the murderers to get justice for his brother and friend without betraying Halli and her family?



Lost in Italy by Stacey Joy Netzel was my first book to review for World Literary Cafe.  I wasn’t really sure what to expect, and I picked a book that I thought would be relatively safe for me to start down this new avenue of networking not only for the author, but for myself as a new book review blogger.  I mean, who wants to start something like this with a whopper of a bad book?  I’m really happy with my choice this month, and am already looking forward to picking something again!!

I really wished that I had read Lost in Italy while hanging out on a beach somewhere, because this is the perfect beach read!  I would have say that this book could be classified as a romantic thriller, because there was a lot of romance and a thrill in every chapter.  There were a lot of bullets, close calls, and some steamy moments.

Netzel did not waste any time getting right into the action, and setting the stage telling the reader about Halli Sanders and Trent Tomlin.  The character development didn’t drag on like many books, but there was once in the beginning that I did go back a chapter to make sure I had all my bad guys straight.  

I loved how the majority of the book spanned only a few days, therefore allowing the story to be jam packed with those little details that sometimes get lost in books that cover a longer periods of time.  Netzel did a great job of keeping me interested and wanting to get to the next chapter and the next and the next, while adding a small amount doubt from time to time, making me wonder if the plot would go another way - because it really could have taken off in an entirely different direction...who knows?

If I could give one criticism about Lost in Italy, it would have to be the overuse of one particular word and all forms of it - growl, and there were no animals in the book!  I checked with Vinnie, the Kindle and he told me that it was used 27 times.  While not overly distracting, it did catch my eye a few times without taking anything away from the great plot of the book.  

If you are heading out to the beach or the lake this summer and want a fun little read, definitely pack your beach bag with Lost in Italy.

Stacey Joy Netzel

Is It Okay To Say No?

When I started down this adventure of book reviewing there were a lot of factors that I took into account before ever putting my name, image, and email address out there for authors and other readers to use as a resource and a reference.  First of all, I wanted to be serious with myself regarding my willingness to even do this at all.  I was committed.  I was always reading something, so why not make good use out of the things I was reading.  I didn’t really want to review the “popular” stuff, because well, they are popular for a reason.  I wanted to find that special something out there in the form of an author who while he or she may not be struggling, they could certainly use a little bit of help on their new adventure.

The next thing I wanted to make sure of was that I put a review policy into place that was specific and easy for authors to find and understand.  I made sure that I added the genres that I especially like, in the hopes to gain those authors trust in the way that I review books and short fiction.  Of course I was also (and still am) hoping to gain fellow readers in the form of followers to my blog so that I can share the books I have enjoyed.

I think I squealed when I had my first request!  I made a point from that request forward to respond on a weekly basis in the same manner.  I referred back to my Review Policy, and if the book was something I was interested in, I accepted.

This venture has not been going on very long for me, and I am getting book review requests in a couple of times a week.  I still get really excited and happy when I see that an author has taken the time to read my previous reviews, comment on my review process, and request me to review their work.

All of this positive came to a screeching halt, that practically stopped me in my tracks and left me speechless this week.  I had a request to review a book that just wasn’t my type.  I felt horrible, I felt bad, and I thought that if I didn’t look at the email it might just disappear out of my inbox.  It didn’t.  I had to suck it up and make a decision, and that decision wasn’t something that I just knee jerked and decided after a short period of time.

Is it okay to say no?  I really believe that it is, and I politely declined to review this author’s book.  I gave my honest reason being that the genre of the book was something that I wasn’t really interested in, and I didn’t feel that I would be able to give this work an honest review.

When an artist spends their time, their energy, and they sacrifice for the sake of their medium I truly believe that it’s important as a consumer and reviewer to be honest.  I was honest with this author out of respect for their work, and I was honest with myself knowing that if I had reviewed this book, I would be kidding myself and not living up to the purpose of my blog.

Authors, how do you feel when someone says no?  Reviewers, how do you say no?




Edited to add: Of course all this goes out the window when the author you politely declined gives you a dozen reasons why you should like their book, genre's aside. Okay, just remember, I'm very honest!!!

Reader Radar #6

Title: One More Winter - A Short Story

Author:      Rebecca K O'Connor

Medium:   Kindle

Grief is something that I come to both in direct and indirect contact with on an almost daily basis.  What?!  I work in administration for a hospice organization, and while I do not care directly for patient’s, I do talk to many family members and loved ones, some while the pain of a recent death is raw.  We offer bereavement counseling for those that are left behind after a death.  Some people take the journey with us; other people take their own journey.

Death has never really bothered me too much.  It’s one of the few things that I can be certain of in a world so full of uncertainty.  I have had family members and friends die – some too soon, some after a full life.  I take each death into my heart, cherish the memories and continue to live.  I don’t dwell on it, because I have seen how it can consume a person, sometimes to the point of debilitation.

One thing I have learned while working for hospice and making friends with the bereavement folks is that grief is a personal journey, there is no time limit, and there is no wrong way.  One quote they always tell us is from Robert Frost “The only way out is through”.  I remember seeing this when I first started working here and it took time to wrap my mind around it, but it makes perfect sense.  

I was reminded of that quote when I read One More Winter by Rebecca K. O’Connor this afternoon.  This was a poignant short story that gave new meaning to the personal journey of grief.  It was sad, it was painful, and it reminded me so much of so many people that I know in my life that have taken that journey through grief.  

I loved how Mary paved her own path and allowed her daughter Teresa hers, all the while worrying and wondering and being afraid to take that journey with her.  I loved how the lake and the road were symbolic of her epic quest for closure and peace.  I felt sorrow for the precious dogs that were drawn to that intrepid road, but felt peace from Mary’s love and compassion.   

Mary and Teresa’s loss was unique, and while due to the circumstances it was heartbreaking, Mary’s journey was beautiful.  When Mary learned of T’s journey, they were able to find that they could walk through the end of their grief together.

One More Winter is most deserving of this week’s Reader Radar, and I hope to read more works by Ms. O’Connor in the future.

“The only way out is through” now sits on my desk as a reminder of all the Mary’s and Teresa’s that pass through my life daily.

Yes, I Can Admit It! I Love Stephanie Plum!!!

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.  I started this series about 3 years ago.  A friend of my mother-in-law raved on and on about them while we were at their pool one day, so I thought I would check them out.  I picked up the first one in the series, One for the Money, at my local library.  I remember reading it over the course of about 3 days.

The book was well written, had a pretty funny storyline, and some twists and turns that made the ending turn out well for me, but honestly, after reading that first one, I just wasn’t feeling like running around and raving about the book like my MIL’s friend.  I mentioned this to a coworker that I knew had read most of the series, and she said she felt the same way about the first book, and encouraged me to give the second one a try.

During this time period I was traveling quite a bit for work, and I was spending more time in my car than normal.  I picked up the next few books on CD in the series at my local library to pass the long hours on the road.  This was when I really fell in love with Stephanie Plum.  The narrator brought the characters into a whole new realm for me, and I finally couldn’t get enough of the books.

I can’t remember exactly which book in the series I was on, but I was heading out of town again, and wanted to put another one behind me – I mean, I really needed more hijinks of Lula and Stephanie, not to mention more descriptions of Joe and Ranger!  I popped in the CD, headed down the road, and immediately let out a very loud groan.  Alone in my car with no one to judge, I spew forth a stream of profanity that would have made even ME blush if I were in a public setting.  THE NARRATOR CHANGED!  There was no way I would like these books any longer!  Nope!  Not going to happen!

But I was wrong!  I still loved the mystery surrounding Stephanie Plum, I still cheered when she and Joe got back at it, but secretly wanted her and Ranger to settle down or at least get jiggy with it.  I loved their family, their crazy life, and the fact that every woman in the Trenton area carried a gun – even the senior citizens, especially the senior citizens!

So, the Stephanie Plum series has been my little secret of reading for the past three years.  I don’t talk about them a lot, and it’s not because they aren’t good, but because I fly through them so fast that I am afraid that I can’t give them the true credit for what they are worth to reading, therefore, the reason for this review.

A month or so ago I had some downtime during a home improvement project.  It was one of those do a small bit of the project, wait for an hour, do another small bit, rinse and repeat.  I was struggling with a book club book and really wasn’t in the mood to deal with that.  I wanted something I could rip through and enjoy all at the same time.

I picked up Eleven On Top and it was like having lunch with an old friend I hadn’t seen in a long time.  I got right back into the groove, the laugh out loud moments, the fun, the twists and turns, Lula’s outfits, Ranger’s rock solid body…  And by 9:00 that night, I had finished the book!  A mere total of maybe 3 hours of reading, but an afternoon that made me smile and remember why I fell in love with Stephanie Plum in the first  place.

Most of Ms. Evanovich’s books are picked up on PaperBack Swap.  On occasion I will grab one from the library, but my To-Be-Read pile is stacking up by the second, and I don’t want to put time restraints on myself.  These books are great little reads and fun little mysteries with a sprinkling of good food, bad fashion, big hair, and sex, along with gun toting grannies and a funeral home that’s packed every night of the week.

If you need something to pass the time while traveling, ANY of the Stephanie Plum books will fit the description!  I do recommend reading them in order – there is a method to the madness, and the characters do evolve.  All of the books are extremely well written and you get to know the characters easily.  You have a sense of accomplishment at the end of each book, but you always want more and more!!!  

I’ve already received Twelve Sharp from PBS, and it is sitting on my nightstand...waiting for that lazy day!  

Readers and writers - what are your go-to books that you love to read when you simply want to pass a lazy afternoon or get through that flight?

A Cozy Reading Spot

Reader Radar #5

Title: It's Okay to Cry

Author:         Janice Daugharty

Publisher:    Amazon Digital Services

Medium:      Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:  Bethann, a struggling college student, decides to take care of Holly, her evil, manipulative younger sister after their grandmother, who raised them, dies. But Holly is a mess. And en route to Miami after the funeral, Bethann lays down the rules to Holly, while mentally trying to understand what makes Holly tick. If Bethann can figure her out she can fix her. So she thinks.

I really struggled this week to find something worthy of Reader Radar.  I read some really mediocre short stories - some were okay, others were good, a couple I couldn’t finish, but out of the dozen or more that I read, only one stood out, and it has stuck with me through the entire week.  I can’t seem to shake this story, which is a good thing when it comes to reading anything. Finally, I found a southern writer that fit exactly what I was looking for!

It’s Okay to Cry by Janice Daugharty was a quick little read, but the lingering effects are still haunting my thoughts days later.  I can’t seem to get Bethann and Holly out of my mind.  This short story gives the reader good sister versus bad sister, moral versus immoral, lively versus sloth, all within a matter of a few hours of time passing.

Bethann is finally making something of herself and in being successful and older, wants the same for her now orphaned little sister.  She decides to take Holly back to South Florida and give her a new lease on life.  Holly has other bad ideas.  Driving through parts of rainy, rural Florida at interstate speed Holly and Bethann clash like the lightning and thunderstorm erupting over them.

Daugharty creates superb symbolism in such a short period of time that you couldn’t help but cheer Bethann’s attempts and wanting as badly as she does to shake some sense into Holly.  You could feel the rain and the speed of the traffic along the highway.  You could almost smell the chicken scent on Holly intertwined with the stench of stale cigarettes and body odor.  You could see Holly’s glowing eyes in the storm.  You could smell the rain and the asphalt and exhaust from the traffic.  

I really enjoyed It’s Okay to Cry, and will definitely keep Janice Daugharty on my Reader Radar!  I wonder what other smashing tales she has to tell…

The Vampire Reclamation Project, Book One, Michael's Blood

Title: The Vampire Reclamation Project, Book One, Michael's Blood

Author: SS Bazinet

Publisher: Renata Press, 1 edition (February 12, 2012)

Medium: Kindle

Amazon Synopsis: Can a vampire be saved? In the first book of “The Vampire Reclamation Project” series, Michael, an incarnate angel, comes to vampire Arel’s aid. He shares his own blood in an effort to purge Arel of his dark curse. But the angelic gift proves to be more than Arel bargains for. A new and powerful force surges through him, trying to clear not only the curse, but also the long buried horrors from his past.

As Michael continues to guide him through the searing flames of purification, Arel hovers between life and death. But the angel isn’t his only ally. By chance, he meets a woman, Carol. She draws him out of his dark, isolated world and into a new one. It includes a small group of her friends who become obsessed with helping him. Will their efforts succeed? Will Michael’s angelic infusion be enough to reclaim him, to drive out the curse? Will Arel find that love and happiness really do exist in the world? 

The Vampire Reclamation Project was a fun book to read for me.  I secretly like books with vampires, but don’t read a lot of them.  I will admit to falling head over heels with True Blood on HBO, and found myself picturing the worst vampires as the protagonist, Arel.  I found myself wondering if Bill or Eric could ever become tame.

The book begins under the cover of darkness, in an alley.  This is where we find Michael trying his best to take Arel under his wing (pun intended) and show him that the life he has led for the past century does not have to continue.  Arel is broken, scared and scarred from a couple of lifetimes of being that thing that goes bump in the night and the cause of many nightmares.  He is reluctantly willing to take a chance with Michael and realizes that he doesn’t have much to lose.

The story ensues with Arel’s struggle and Michael’s never-can-fail attitude.  Through the introduction of new friends and seeing the real issues that they have to grapple with on a daily basis, sometimes it was hard just for Arel to get out of bed each day – life as he now knew it was so overwhelming.  As Arel’s life changes, the feeling I felt while reading the book also changed.  It went from a very dark, very sad place, to a very bright and colorful garden full friendship, triumphs and beautiful flowers.

The Vampire Reclamation Project gave new meaning to the term, Guardian Angel.  SS Bazinet paints a picture that everyone has a Guardian Angel, but only a tiny fraction of humans (or vampires) can have the close relationship that Arel had with Michael.  I really liked how the different Angels of the different characters changed forms while protecting their humans.

The Vampire Reclamation Project was a well-written, well thought out book and oftentimes reminded me of a dream. Bazinet took the time to make a new twist on vampire stories come to life through the written word.  Of course, the suspension of belief is helpful to enjoy this genre, but that’s what made the book so enjoyable.  The time I spent with Arel and Michael was special to me, and I understand that this is the first book in a series - it will be very interesting to see what else is in store for Arel.  

I am glad that I took the chance to read something that’s not my usual type of book.  As for my Guardian Angel, I believe that if there was anyone ever trying to mess around with me in my dreams, they would be met by a crazy Cairn Terrier - with wings and a red hot aura, of course!!!

Renata Press