Reader Views

The Island of the Seven Kings: Book I

Article first published as Book Review: The Island of the Seven Kings: Book I by Ken Stephenson on Blogcritics.

“The Island of the Seven Kings” takes us to a beautiful land.  A high god and seven servant gods beneath him are worshipped by the people.  This island also has a main ruler known as the Great Father and seven kings below him who are in charge of the cities located here.  The people of this place are relatively peaceful, and follow the rules of the city in which they reside.  Especially unique to this land are the dragons.  While they are still young and unable to produce fire, specially selected individuals are trained to ride them.  They develop a special bond with them until they have to release them when they start producing fire. This is to protect the rider.

When visitors come to the island by ship, the peace is disturbed. Even though they initially pretend to be friendly, they are really interested in gathering information so that they can invade the cities.  At the arrival of the strangers, several of the best dragon riders team up to demonstrate their abilities with the dragons. They form a group called the “Sky Raiders.”  Pretending to be a military unit that has been in existence for a while, they practice incredible maneuvers over the arriving ships.  This definitely captures the attention and concern of the invaders.

One of the team members secretly has a plan in which he thinks he can work with the dragons so that they can stay with their riders past their period of maturation.  It is heartbreaking to have to leave these wonderful creatures after having years of being bonded with them.  While all this is happening, several of the main characters are also dealing with affairs of the heart and coming into their own as couples.  As usual, complications arise that affect their progress.  This adds a great deal of depth to the unfolding drama.

“The Island of the Seven Kings” tells a wonderful story.  I felt that it was the perfect mixture of fantasy, romance and suspense.  The author does an excellent job bringing both the human and the dragon characters to life.  Everything is described in vivid detail. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of errors with grammar and punctuation that could easily be resolved with proper editing.  Fixing these issues would really make it a perfect story.  I am happy to see that this is the first book in a series and think that readers will find themselves waiting for more books to be released so that they can revisit this incredible place.


The Island of the Seven Kings: Book I
Ken Stephenson
AuthorHouse (2012)
ISBN 9781468543704
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/12)

With Every Good-bye

“With Every Good-bye” by Terri Watrous Berry is a story of a young woman, Marti, who is trying to finally grow up. She is married and has two children, but her husband has recently left her and she is having an extremely hard time dealing with the situation. She grew up well loved and protected, and her early married life seemed to be equally as safe. When it came crashing down, Marti was not well prepared for the harsh reality, retreating behind the walls of her home in the vain hope of staying invisible and thus protected. A well-meant invitation for a night out with her friend, Paula, made her realize that there were other things and other people out there, and she started to explore her newly found freedom and independence. That was quickly threatened by her mother and her soon to be ex-husband, and she was forced to make some really hard decisions, culminating in shocking consequences.

Terri Watrous Berry wrote a book that really made me think about the family dynamics, importance of standing up for oneself and need of finding one’s path in life. Reading about the run-ins that Marti had with her mother, Beatrice, and of all of her attempts to please her mother, was a bittersweet experience. I feel certain that mothers and daughters everywhere will find a lot to relate to in this segment of the story, and they will hopefully learn how important it is to let grown children make their own choices and live their own lives the way they want to. Although very often attempts to block such independence are made with the best intent in mind, the results tend to be disastrous for everybody involved.

I found the characters in the book very well developed, believable and easy to relate to, and although I did not find them likeable I did care about what happened to them. The flow of the narrative was smooth and appropriately paced, the storyline engaging and relevant, and overall I truly enjoyed reading “With Every Good-bye.” The choices Marti made were certainly not those I would have made, but somehow that made the story even more irresistible. I do wish the book had a different ending, but then, I am an incurable optimist and a closet romantic, but I am well aware that life rarely plays out that way. This is a book that should be well received by a wide circle of readers, since it is so realistic and so heartbreakingly down-to-earth. It should be required reading for all mothers and all daughters, who could learn so much from the mistakes Marti and Beatrice made in their relationship.

To purchase book please contact author at: tgwberry@yahoo.com


With Every Good-bye
Terri Watrous Berry
Morris Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9780615544298
Reviewed by Olivera Baumgartner-Jackson for Reader Views (2/12)

A Pocket Full of Voices

Article first published as Book Review: A Pocket Full of Voices by Alfred M. Albers on Blogcritics.

In author Alfred M. Albers’ newest novel, “A Pocket Full of Voices,” his appealing and adventurous main character, John Michaels, is at it again. For those not familiar with Albers’ series, Michaels is a semi-retired, world-renowned, American magician with a penchant for playing an off-the-record “private investigator” when friends are in need. This time, the tale is about a very old, dear friend from the entertainment business, veteran ventriloquist Gary Eagan.  The book begins with the seemingly implausible arrest of Eagan for his alleged involvement in a scam that has resulted in numerous thefts of money and valuable items from the rooms of visiting celebrities to the East coast gambling mecca of Mount Hope City. All of the thefts occurred while the celebrities and their entourages were attending Eagan’s popular, long standing show at the high profile Placid Hotel and Casino. When Eagan’s attorney asks him who he can contact as a character witness, the call goes out to John Michaels. And with that, the story explodes.

A constant sense of urgency propels the story forward at breakneck speed. Gary Eagan is released on bail and permitted to perform his daily shows, but all the while, he’s preoccupied by the possibility that his innocence might not be provable. “Little to go on,” an initial absence of seemingly any logical explanation, and a rapidly looming trial date, establish the need for speed. And the faster the story moves, the more unexpected and surprising become the plot’s changes in direction, detours and dead ends. But methodically and meticulously, Michaels begins to fit together the pieces of this intriguing mystery. His effectiveness as an under-the-radar sleuth can be directly traced to his magician’s mind – nothing’s impossible if you think it through and plan it properly.

Albers has a passion for magic. He has studied the art of the craft for over thirty-five years. He has been a part-time professional magician since 1981. He has taught, mentored and shared his knowledge with others. The result is a close, intimate relationship with his character, John Michaels. At times, Michaels is more than Albers’ alter-ego; they often seem one and the same. Albers builds similar bonds with the rest of his core cast of characters. As a result, the reader accepts them as real people with whom they too have a relationship. But this sense that the reader is given that they are not separate from the story, they are participating in it, starts with the character John Michaels. Given Michaels’ persona and presence, one easily can understand his appeal to readers.

The pace of the story never wanes. Even near the end, which I initially regarded as anti-climactic, I ultimately realized that Albers was performing one more writer’s slight-of-hand. He had convinced me that I dare not fail to read every last word lest I miss one more significant detail. In many ways, “A Pocket Full of Voices” by Alfred M. Albers is the quintessential mystery novel. You can put it down for a bit if you must, but you won’t be a happy reader if you do so. This book was conceived to be read non-stop, just like the story happens. If you can keep up with them, Albers and Michaels will become your favorite PI/ magicians.


A Pocket Full of Voices
Alfred M. Albers
Infinity Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9780741469205
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (3/12)

The Dog that Managed Hedge Funds

Article first published as Book Review: The Dog that Managed Hedge Funds by Nancy Parsons on Blogcritics.

Sheila Thibedeau has a most unusual career. In addition to being a professional dog walker, she is also an animal communicator.  The latter part of her duties earns her a great deal of derision and not much respect from acquaintances, friends or family. However, in general, her clients find her to be extremely helpful in dealing with their pets.  Sheila works for both sides. She is contacted by pet owners to telepathically communicate with their pets so that they can find out what is going on, and learn how to help them.  Her clients include horses, cats, rabbits, pigs and dogs.

Imagine her surprise when she discovers that one of the dogs she is contacted to help was formerly a human being who died in prison after bilking his clients out of their money while being a hedge fund manager.  Harrison is a gruff, irascible character.  Dying in prison, he is surprised to wake up in the body of an arthritic old dog.  When Sheila contacts him, at the request of his adopter, he is extremely rude and uncooperative.  As time passes, they begin to develop a friendship of sorts, and Harrison begins offering Sheila financial advice.  Being a dog walker/animal communicator is not a lucrative career choice.  Using Sheila as a mental escape from the doldrums of living in a boring household, Harrison tries to convince Sheila to take his financial advice in areas of both investments and gambling.  Sheila slowly begins to adapt to the idea of taking his financial advice but is reluctant to get involved with gambling, even when she is encouraged to use some of the insider information that she gains from her animal clients, especially in the areas of shows and races.

Time will tell if Harrison was sent back to right some wrongs by helping Sheila with his knowledge, or if he is still a shyster.  Meanwhile, Sheila continues to work on making her business grow, and developing a special non-professional relationship with a handsome young banker.

“The Dog that Managed Hedge Funds” takes a humorous look at the special human/animal connection that many of us believe that we share with our four-legged friends.  The author, Nancy Parsons, has created some wonderful, eccentric human and non-human characters that really make this story shine.  Catching myself laughing out loud, many times, I found this novel to be the perfect escape to treat myself to at the end of a very stressful day.


The Dog that Managed Hedge Funds
Nancy Parsons
Foursquare Books (2012)
ISBN 9780978539535
ASIN B007EV0LSE
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/12)

The Second Tour, 2nd Edition

Article first published as Book Review: The Second Tour, 2nd Edition by Terry P. Rizzuti on Blogcritics.

Some readers will find “The Second Tour,” by author Terry P. Rizzuti, to be a grim and grueling read. It is a mirror image of what was one of the most gruesome wars ever fought. For me, this book is also one of the most moving and meticulously crafted novels about that war, or any war, that I’ve read. The central character, and the story’s narrator, is an intelligent, entry-level Marine named Rootie. The name and his intimate knowledge of the Vietnam experience strongly suggest that the book is as much a memoir as a novel. It is perhaps this blurring of reality and fiction that accounted for much of the book’s powerful hold on me.

“The Second Tour” tells two tales. The first is that of what is brought and lost to Vietnam. The other is a story of reconnecting to one’s former life – or any kind of life – after returning to what was your home. The author uses a style to tell his story that creates a patchwork quilt of short chapters and vignettes that are not in chronological order, and which include numerous tangents and diversions. At times this approach can make the reader feel as if they are attempting to follow disjointed ramblings that are leading them nowhere.

In fact, what Rizzuti does in “The Second Tour” is lead us on a brilliantly conceived path to understanding the complex and traumatic impact that the war had on ordinary combat troops who had no way out of the brutalizing experience that was Vietnam. It is a path that guides the reader through the despair of living without hope, dissociation, and the beginnings of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. All along the way, Rootie, the narrator, provides matter-of-fact descriptions of disturbing, yet mesmerizing, acts of violence and immoralities: “…The next morning there were sixteen dead gooks and one wounded. Raven made it seventeen dead gooks. Did him a favor really…Corporal Beardly got his third purple heart that night. Not because he was wounded but because he had purposefully jabbed his left arm several times with a C-ration can opener. Nobody said anything ‘cause we were all too happy to see him get to go home.”

“The Second Tour” foretells in many ways the problems that would continue to plague our soldiers in the “new” kind of wars that would come after Vietnam. And if the reader makes a commitment to stick with it, Terry Rizzuti’s powerful book will unlock their comprehension of the plight of our soldiers, not only in combat, but also in completing their “second tour” upon coming home. That second tour is long, in many ways far more daunting than the first, and it is one that is having an alarming impact on our soldiers and our society as a whole. “The Second Tour” is a difficult read, but a read we owe to our soldiers and ourselves to undertake. It is truly a remarkable debut novel.


The Second Tour, 2nd Edition
Terry P. Rizzuti
Spinetinglers (2011)
ISBN 9781906755218
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (4/12)

Twice Upon a Prequel…& Three Shorts

Article first published as eBook Review: Twice Upon a Prequel And Three Shorts by Derald W. Hamilton on Blogcritics.

“Twice Upon a Prequel…& Three Shorts” by Derald W. Hamilton opens with two prequels: The Astonishing Elmo Piggins and The Rebirth of Reginald Dexter.  Readers of “The Call” will remember Elmo Piggins, the preacher’s son who completed his undergraduate work in three years and Reginald Dexter, the older Unitarian Seminarian. The three shorts are: Taken Up Before the General, The War Comes Home and A Litter Bit of Wisdom.

Elmo’s story details his childhood and adolescence growing up as a pastor’s son. Pastor Elwood Piggins is obsessed by a discipline standard determined by the expectations of the church members and the men on the deacon board. Elmo fits this model outwardly as he observes the wild rebellious antics of his older sister and the resultant punishment which triggered her decision to leave home. After his graduations from high school, Elmo joins the Navy.

While at sea, Elmo experiences a spiritual awakening similar to the Apostle Paul’s on the Road to Damascus; a new beginning for Elmo, which led to his enrollment at Parkins Theological Seminary.

Reginald Dexter’s story is of a tenured psychology professor forced to retire, advised by his friend, a pastor, to take risks, begin a new life, and find fulfillment.

Derald W. Hamilton skillfully crafts the art of satire to draw attention to the inconsistencies of obsession for dogma in the church, rigidness in academia, and pomp and parade in the military. His pointed humor clearly gets the attention of the reader, identifies the problem, and plants a seed for change. His characterizations are flawless as he contrasts the graduate degreed pastor with the fiery charismatic preacher with power of delivery but no formal training.

Although I frequently got glimpses of myself and my unique and “miniscule” flaws, I felt on occasion that the author sacrificed his mission to the point of losing the segment of a potential audience that he may be hoping to change. Anyone offended by an unwarranted repletion of profanity may look at Hamilton’s approach as irreverent or to be a personal vendetta resulting from his own personal disillusionment.


Twice Upon a Prequel…& Three Shorts
Derald W. Hamilton
D Hamilton Books (2011)
ISBN 9780984619214
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (3/12)

Wicked Allure (eBook)

Article first published as eBook Review: Wicked Allure by Leslie C. Ferdinand on Blogcritics.

Tall, dark and sexy, Zachary Steele has a reputation for being a “faithless womanizer.” His history has proven this to be true.  When his exotically beautiful ex-girlfriend Madigan is coerced back into his life, by her mother, things get very complicated.  Zachary once pushed Madigan away because he was afraid of the depth of his feelings for her. Now that she is back in town and in business with him, he is very confused.  Incredibly drawn to her, he fears he did too much damage to be able to salvage their relationship.  Still, they find themselves unable to avoid the physical attraction that they still have for each other.

Sharing her exotic beauty with her two other sisters, Madigan has suffered a great deal throughout her whole life because of the damage caused by her two selfish manipulative parents.  Her sisters have also been affected by their obvious need to control them, and their lack of loving parenting skills.  Madigan’s mother uses the guise of reuniting with her daughter to get her to come back into their lives.  Having the majority of shares in Zachary’s business, her mom can pretty much do what she wants, or so she thinks. Hoping to gain some peace in her relationship with her mother, Madigan agrees to return. She is a bit surprised to learn that her mother wants her to be involved with “Wicked Allure.” Advertised to be a spa, “Wicked Allure” also offers special SPA services. SPA stands for Sensual Pleasure Anonymously.  The SPA services are offered to wealthy patrons with a taste for the exotic.

Working in a sexually charged environment makes things even more difficult for Madigan and Zachary.  It makes it impossible for them to avoid the needs that they have for each other.  It also brings some people into the picture who desire to create havoc for the both of them.  On the other hand, Madigan’s return to town gives her the opportunity to get closer to her sisters and hopefully right some of the wrongs from their pasts.  As she is working on this, there are some surprises that could directly affect her reunion with Zachary.  Now it is his turn to prove himself.

“Wicked Allure” offers the perfect blend of erotic romance and drama.  The sensual scenes that are played throughout the story are very well written and will definitely draw the reader into an incredible escape from their mundane world. The characters are both complex and sexy, and some of the bad ones are truly bad to the bone, which allows for an incredible amount of turmoil in the story.

I really enjoyed reading “Wicked Allure” by Leslie C. Ferdinand and feel that because it offers the perfect blend of sensuality and drama it has a lot more to offer than some of the typical erotic romances.


Wicked Allure (eBook)
Leslie C. Ferdinand
Smashwords (2012)
ISBN 9781475010800
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (3/12)

The Longest Walk

Article first published as Book Review: The Longest Walk by Kirk Marty on Blogcritics.

Author Kirk Marty’s first novel, “The Longest Walk,” is an independently published book, but it reads like the work of a seasoned veteran. Marty’s highly creative and compelling tale offers a rich tapestry of the history, legend and lore that made baseball a beloved sporting pastime and an American icon. The author has a passion for the institution and he has clearly done his research. But it’s not the book’s meticulously told history, behind the scenes insights into minor league life and intriguing trivia that make this book stand out. Rather, it’s Marty’s ability to capture baseball’s mercurial magic and almost spiritual quality that makes “The Longest Walk” a special story. And the magic that Marty conjures is powerful stuff!

Kirk Marty’s writing acumen, knack for storytelling, and active imagination make wonderful creative collaborators. In some respects the storyline of “The Longest Walk” seems familiar. It is. But unexpected twists and deviations from the familiar very quickly begin to pique the reader’s interest and draw them into the uncharted waters of the author’s tale. The finely drawn characters populating the book make the reader eager to follow them throughout the story.

Without giving too much away, the book’s central character, Don Olgilvie, an alcoholic minor league coach with an intellectual bent, makes a deal with the devil to trade his life for the life of his unlikely best friend, the terminally ill seven-year-old son of one of his own players. Once the deal is done, the action on the book’s pages and on the field at the mysterious Limbotown ball park begins. To close the deal Olgilvie has to put together a team of dead Hall of Famers and beat an opposing team fielded by the colorful and charismatic Death Personified. An appealing side story is that of the coach’s new, dead love interest.

An intellectual attribute of the book on a higher level is the commentary it offers on the impact of the integration of the sport. Marty uses the assemblage of dead Hall of Famers, who are both multi-racial and multi-generational, to frame the issue. Collectively the team provides a microcosmical perspective on the perpetuation of race inequities in our society throughout the twentieth century.

Kirk Marty is the pen name for Kirk Grossman, an attorney and dedicated Dodger fan. “The Longest Walk” will lead many readers to wonder why we haven’t heard from Marty before now. Clever, fun and seriously relevant, “The Longest Walk” is an out-of-the-park, out of this world first novel.


The Longest Walk
Kirk Marty
Strategic Book Group (2011)
ISBN 9781609116613
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (2/12)

The Parsifal Pursuit: A Winston Churchill Thriller

Article first published as Book Review:The Parsifal Pursuit: A Winston Churchill Thriller by Michael McMenamin & Patrick McMenamin on Blogcritics.

Father and son writing team, Michael and Patrick McMenamin collaborate in “The Parsifal Pursuit,” a new approach to the genre of historical fiction. This is the second in their series of Winston Churchill Thrillers. Mattie McGary, photo journalist, with the Hearst newspaper empire, and Bourke Cockran Jr., a New York law school professor and former counter intelligence agent, protagonists from the “DeValera Deception,” are found deeply involved on separate assignments in a Grail quest commissioned by Winston Churchill.

The year is 1931. A conspiracy is underway to assassinate Germany’s President Hindenburg. Their assignment is to find and recover a stolen ancient Christian artifact, the Spear of Destiny, which was used to pierce the side of Christ on the cross. Time is of the essence as Hitler and the Kaiser are in a race to recover the Spear for their own personal purposes.

Cochran’s specific assignment is to represent an heiress, victim of Nazi tactics in an extortion and protection racket. Germany is in a state of political struggle. Reactionary industrialists are backing Kaiser Wilhelm II, and racist radicals are promoting the Nazis and Adolf Hitler.

In the background another conflict is taking place in the search for the Spear in the Austrian Alps. Mattie’s life is endangered, as well as her romance with Cockran, when an unscrupulous, handsome guide recuses Mattie and determines to seduce her.

I appreciate the personal insight I gained into science of Eugenics, the dangers of injustice to individuals when government attempts to legislate the practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of its citizens. I gained a new perspective on the political feelings in Europe in the years leading up to World War II.

Michael McMenamin’s careful attention to historical accuracy while interjecting fictional segments into factual circumstances gives credibility to the background for the story. Patrick McMenamin’s creative imagination adds a flavor of excitement, adventure and romance to an important era in world history.

“The Parsifal Pursuit” is informative and entertaining – a new approach to the genre of historical fiction. The story is packed with suspense, adrenaline-producing drama, and fast-moving action right up to an unexpected, over the top, climatic conclusion.


The Parsifal Pursuit: A Winston Churchill Thriller
Michael McMenamin & Patrick McMenamin
Enigma Books (2011)
ISBN 9781936274239
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (2/12)

Glorify Each Day

Article first published as Book Review: Glorify Each Day by John Banks on Blogcritics.

John Banks’ new book, “Glorify Each Day,” is seldom what it seems to be. The stories and the characters that populate the pages are perfectly enigmatic. Even the book’s title is a calculated contradiction. Says Banks, “’Glorify’ really isn’t about religion at all. It pokes fun at fundamentalism and the basic religiosity of our society.”

The jacket notes describe the book as the story of Tommy “Teach” Morrison, a teacher, raconteur, and alleged devil worshiper. Teach can’t let go of his secret past, and can’t cope with the loss of the love of his life and the events of his here and now, due in no small measure to a violent nature. The reader soon discovers that there is much more to the book than the synopsis suggests. Banks, a native of Ashville, North Carolina, typifies the tradition of southern writers through his use of engaging storytelling, meticulously drawn characters, and a penchant for finding humor in most anything. Simultaneously, he also demonstrates an ability to create moving imagery of the tragic side of people and situations.

For me, “Glorify Each Day” is not a story in the traditional sense. It feels more like a written “scrapbook” made up of intimate diary entries, journal observations, essays from his students, and striking word pictures of Teach’s life up to this moment. While Banks’ written rambles produce content that lead us on and on but seemingly arrive nowhere, there are passages and accounts which, while not ends in themselves, offer promising suggestions.

The mercurial quality of the book’s core story is offset in good measure by the secondary stories which are capable on their own of engaging the reader. Many of the fictional student essays are insightful, such as one written by a lesbian student about her coming out. The portrait of events resulting from Teach’s violent nature, are powerful and relevant to the violent profile of our society as a whole. And the sensitive portrayal of the blossoming of Teach’s relationship with his college girlfriend, the deterioration of that relationship, and the pain and trauma of their break-up is compelling. Individually and collectively, these stories bind together Banks’ “scrapbook.”

My take on John Banks’ “Glorify Each Day” is that it is an intelligent, free-form, stream of consciousness exploration of the complexities of the human mind and human foibles. While the way in which Banks’ designs and constructs his story may seem unsettling to some, I consider the book’s structure to be just another part of the perfect enigma that is “Glorify Each Day.” It provided me with some valuable insights that I believe will make my life better.


Glorify Each Day
John Banks
819 Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9780983333401
Reviewed by Joseph Yurt for Reader Views (2/12)