Tizzie

tizzieI could provide you lists upon lists of novels, both traditionally published and author published, that I would NOT recommend you read, but that’s not my job here. Instead, I get to share the worthy…which are tough to find–tough as finding those proverbial hen’s teeth of barnyard fame.

Happily, today, I bring you a legitimate 4.5 star novel, written by a professional who’s long taught writing to others, even as she neglected her own talent. Retired, now, from both editing and from teaching, she’s turned back to her first love, penning extraordinary novels and short stories.

Her name?

P.D.R. Lindsay.

Today’s novel that I am very proud to present?

Tizzie.

I warn you. You will desperately want to run in and rescue. You will feel hope rise, only to be shattered, then rise, again.

I warn you. You are looking at a real portrayal of life as it was in the Victorian era in the Yorkshire Dales.

I warn you. This is not a pretty tale throughout, though it does have its beautiful moments. What this tale is, is richly heart-felt. It will stay with you long after you’ve turned (or swiped) to the last page.

Tizzie is a significant novel, full of historical accuracy in both the details of the life and times, and of the human slavery practiced in England during the reign of Queen Victoria (and before and after)–white slavery, familial slavery, and, especially the enslaving of women. Don’t quibble about reading words identifying things commonplace at the time, names of things long since lost to antiquity–words like ‘lanthorn’ and ‘shippon’–strange words, perhaps, but presented neatly in context, so you can easily guess at meaning. Don’t quibble about the Queen’s English, because, after all, this is a historical novel, not something dressed up in pretense, delivered in 21st Century Manglish. (And, yes, P.D.R. Lindsay does write this story in all but that age’s Queen’s English–not quite–but enough so you get a good feel and tenor.) Don’t quibble because, in its delivery lies a magic, a magic that will bring you to live and breathe Tizzie’s days.

Tizzie is a heroine that you will never, ever forget. More, you will never forget her story. The book is that powerful. In fact, you won’t forget any of people portrayed, not the sister-in-law, not the brother, not the nephews, and certainly never little Agnes.

Mostly, though, you’ll come away loving poor, loving, gentle, plain-minded Tizzie. You’ll love her very dearly. You’ll cheer for her to succeed, despite her lot, despite all odds, and, yes, the odds are and have been stacked against her and her precious Agnes from birth. You’ll see why and how.

In her own way, Tizzie does succeed in achieving freedom, though not the way you might have hoped. But this isn’t Jane Eyre. This isn’t a fairy tale. This is reality, based in historical accuracy and upon the memories of people who lived the times. And you’ll be glad you read it. You’ll be glad you understand.

So, if I think this highly of the story, why only four-and-a-half stars?

Well, there are some oddities in punctuation that I just can’t ignore, despite knowing that Brits do spell and punctuate quite differently. That’s not the most of it, though. This is a frame story, and, while I understand why it was thusly written, I would have preferred the ending handled a little more deftly, matching the extreme mastery of craft exhibited throughout the rest of the book.

…Oh, and do read the author’s historical afterward upon reaching the end of the novel. Just turn the page. And read. The first few lines are especially significant.

About The Reviewer:

DLKeur_1_400x600D. L. Keur is an artist, a musician, and an author in her own right. Her titles span multiple genres and include science fiction (Aeros), paranormal mainstream and psychological suspense (E. J. Ruek), and Western Romance/Family Saga (C. J. “Country” James).

You can find her and her novels online at DLKeur.com.

Crossing In Time

crossing_in_timeThis story of star-crossed—nay, universe-crossed—lovers flung across space and time gallops, carrying readers on a witty adventure.

DL Orton has a keen eye for details and a sure hand with words. Her deft dialogue guarantees that each character is believable and all serve a real purpose. A reader can see, feel and smell the ocean, the snow, the suffocation of being underground despite knowing the cave is enormous. As many answers as there are, more questions remain, begging for not just a sequel but also spin-offs in which secondary characters take the leading roles.

It was a pleasure to read this nicely edited book. My mental red pencil lay largely inactive, gaining Crossing in Time a rating of Excellent in proofreading column. It is a dimension-hopping tale, and the author handled those details well, although it could still feel confusing to those of us stuck in one place and time.

Oh, and the romance? It’s hot.

About The Reviewer:

Deanne_charltonDeanne Charlton is a well-traveled writer whose first book was a construction paper tome of 16 pages at age 8. She tortured her parents with homemade stage plays, using a sliding glass door to introduce characters. Eventually, she segued into real life, fulfilling a college degree and practicing several professions, and then she retreated to her make-believe world and the friends it now presents. While comfortable with poetry, she ventures into prose upon occasion, including short stories, essays, and book reviews. She curates a writer-dense Facebook group at DCharltonEdits, provides editing services, and tweets as @dcwrites. She is tender, fierce, and loyal.

Eviction Notice

Eviction_NoticeEviction Notice is a thoroughly enjoyable book with non-stop action and more than its fair share of laughs. The author takes on what I consider some of the most difficult writing: humor. But where other more established writers have stumbled, Mr. Wyrick succeeds with flying colors. While I do see a bit of Joseph Heller with a side of Terry Pratchert in his work, he still has his own unique and satisfying voice.

The story starts with the Ogden, Iowa, senior class prank, a school tradition where each graduating class tries to outdo the previous one. When the pranksters decide to create a crop circle in a corn field, they never realize that they have put into motion a misplaced delivery of a Glen Fairy, a being in tune with nature and with the ability to heal the abuses heaped up on it by the various beings in the universe. The Glen Fairy was sold to the pig-like Zorgon as part of the deal to end a war, and Aloon Zigilbraxis was given the task of abducting and delivering her. Unfortunately for Aloon, the Iowa crop circle was a mirror for the actual crop circle he was using as a beacon to have the Glen Fairy brought to him, and the delivery pod brought the fairy to Ogden. Without the Fairy, he is told by Galactic Councilwoman Fry that in the subsection of his contract (which he never read), the penalty for non-delivery is death. Luckily for him, there is a clause that allows a grace period to recover the Glen Fairy. Unluckily for the people of earth, he has to put down collateral for this grace period, and out of options, he claims the earth itself and puts that up as the collateral. The fact that there are some 6 billion people and untold other lifeforms already inhabiting the earth doesn’t seem to give anyone pause. All life on earth will just be “evicted” to the vacuum of space.

To ensure the legality of all of this, Councilwoman Fry sends two investigators, Clayton, a sympathetic human-looking man, and Tyler, an eight-foot tall, four-armed, heavily-fanged Wolzon Strangle Beast who is partial to well-tailored suits. They approach Alice Able, a woman who is about to commit suicide, because she is from Iowa, where the presidential campaigns begin, and as she was first on a list of registered voters, they assumed she had to be the leader of the world. Without “paperwork” that shows that humans own the world, there isn’t much the investigators can do. Time is running out, and with Aloon and a squadron of Zorgon running rampant over Iowa trying to find the Glen Fairy, and with Councilwoman Fry just itching to begin the eviction, there doesn’t seem like there is much that Alice, Deputy Johnny Crebs, a handful of students, and Aria, the Glen Fairy in question, can do to save the the people of earth.

If none of that makes much sense, it doesn’t matter. This is one of those stories that grabs a reader and yanks him or her into the story, never letting go. The wordsmithing is outstanding, the storyline enthralling, and the characterization compelling. Even when the action is at its most outlandish, instead of taking issue as too being far-fetched, I had to nod with an “Oh, that is so true!”

One thing I really liked about the humor in the book was that it was blatant and funny but not pie-in-the-face. There were no “ta-da” moments where the author stepped back as if he had just presented a one-liner at a comedy club. The humor flowed seamlessly along with the storyline.

It wasn’t just the humor, though, that made this a good book. While I continually laughed out loud as I read it, the storyline was not merely a platform to support the humor. The storyline held its own.

I love this book, and I think the author is a talent. I will look forward to anything else he writes in the future.

About the reviewer:

larryscatJonathan Brazee is a retired Marine infantry colonel who after years of writing non-fiction, wrote his first novel while serving in Iraq. He independently published it, hoping to sell a few copies to friends and family, and was pleasantly surprised when the book gained traction among the general reading public. Twenty-three novels later, he is now winding down his post-military career overseas to become a full-time writer. A majority of his books have a military bent in science fiction, paranormal, historical fiction, and general fiction, but he has also written non-military scifi and paranormal. He writes three to four hours each day with the help (or despite) the attention of two rescue cats who insist on sitting on his lap or keyboard.
Jonathan is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, the US Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Disabled Veterans of America, and is an officer in the VFW’s Department of the Pacific.

Learn more about Jonathan and his work at http://www.jonathanbrazee.com

Delirium

DeliriumJolts Interest – A great story

Amazing intrigue! The reader is immediately at the edge of their seat in the opening scene, where we witness Dr. Christian Monro’s physical and emotional trauma while being murdered. We are brought into the death scene, each agonizing step of the way. The detail and the pace are excellent. The suspense is high voltage.

The protagonist Detective Sergeant Jamie Brooke once again is challenged with high stakes. As in the first book of the series, Jamie is going through hell emotionally after the loss of her child, but she is also engaged in the case and wants to understand the true crime. The heroine strives to remain objective while gathering evidence, hoping to see the truth. Along the way many twists in the case elude her, and attempt to veer her from the true crime. She follows the leads and takes the reader down a road of unexpected horrors. Jamie is not faint of heart, but a woman who makes the tough decisions; she is the protector of her co-workers and friends. There is hope – as she is faced with danger even in her most fragile hours, yet somehow finds the strength to prevail.

The subject matter of this novel immediately jolts interest – the history of mental illness treatment and the reminder of abuse done to the mentally ill. This is a topic I too have strong feelings about, and so this story truly hit my heartstrings. The research was done well, as to be expected by this author who always delivers well developed background. This story is not for those wanting a light read, because the reader will be left with some concepts to think about – maybe even choices on how to view others who may not be as fortunate as most. In this world it is too easy to forget about those who suffer with mental illness. Society has swept them from public view, but we know in our heart that more needs to be addressed. I thank the author for writing this riveting story and bringing this topic to the forefront.
To date this is my favorite of J.F.Penn’s books. I truly enjoy reading about Jamie, and this is a great series. Delirium is for anyone who enjoys detective horror thrillers, and is a definite must read.

About The Reviewer

elizabeth_zgutaElisabeth Zguta is an advocate for Independent authors and publishers and encourages all writers to learn the skills needed for today’s book markets and to keep in touch with the new technologies.

She is curious and always wants to know more about everything, and her attention goes to many places and topics. She considers herself a life learner, not only because of the courses she takes but also from the knowledge gained through life experiences. Nothing brings her more satisfaction than reading something new that sparks her imagination or connecting with other people regarding a topic. She is an Indie Author of supernatural, thriller suspense novels and writes blog posts.

Learn more about Elisabeth and her work at http://ezindiepublishing.com/

A Change Of Life

Change_of_LifeThe novel is A Change of Life, the second book in an unusual superhero series by author Samantha Bryant. First the good: In the first few chapters, I found myself laughing out loud at the pluck of these ‘in-over-their-heads-and-know it’ women of unusual talent. Despite their ironic dilemmas, though, they muddle through quite well, actually. Much better than I ever would faced with the same indignities and dramatic physical changes to person and persona.

And that’s what I liked about this story. For me, it was like watching ordinary friends and relatives cope with a dramatic turn in their lives, in this case, women becoming superhuman, their personalities intact, despite the consequential transitions each has undergone, with all the accompanying discomforts and steep, uncomfortable learning curves.

Written in a very approachable, homey, ‘everyday suburban woman’ style, the story comes in from the up close and very personal perspectives of the myriad main characters. We follow their sometimes too detailed movements as they search for answers to something nobody is quite sure of, except for finding….

Never mind that. Almost slipped there, and I refuse to give anything away in this tale of reluctant heroines. But I will say this: This isn’t your ordinary superhero action-adventure. Not at all.

Now for the bad news. There are a couple of boo-boos here and there–stuff that’s easy to miss when you’re the author, deep in it, but which stand out glaringly to those coming new to the story. Physics gets bent and even defiled a couple of times, and there’s the odd grammatical faux pas, but, all in all, A Change of Life is a well-conceived, well-written read for those who enjoy the superheroine genre.

About The Reviewer:

DLKeur_1_400x600D. L. Keur is an artist, a musician, and an author in her own right. Her titles span multiple genres and include science fiction (Aeros), paranormal mainstream and psychological suspense (E. J. Ruek), and Western Romance/Family Saga (C. J. “Country” James).

You can find her and her novels online at DLKeur.com.

Day Soldiers

day_soldiersThis was one of the best lycanthropic/vampire books I’ve read for quite some time. I enjoyed every page, and that’s the bottom line for any book.

The book takes place in a near future where the werewolves and vampires of legend show themselves to wage war on humankind for their wanton destruction of the planet. The “science” of the author’s universe was pretty well thought out. That aspect wasn’t as detailed as I have seen elsewhere, perhaps, but it never-the-less was logical and without contradictions later in the book. Once you understand this setting, everything falls into place.

I thought characterization was good for the most part. Lily, the protagonist, was somewhat of an odd duck, but she was pretty consistent throughout the book and she grew on me. Everything she did or didn’t do was reasonable given the character the author had built. I rather thought the “chief sneak” Abbey was very well developed.

The action was pretty well written. The entire going to rescue one character was a bit hard to justify, but after having accepted it, events played out quite well, if a bit surprisingly.

Where the novel really shined was in the dialogue. It was quick, brash, funny, and revealing, all while sounding authentic. In particular, Leo was a hoot, but not a cartoon. I laughed out loud several times while reading his dialogue.

I never noticed the editing, which is exactly what you want in a book.

There are many ways to rate a book. Does it push into new ground? Is the writing technically superior? Is the wording lyrical? In this case, I am rating the book by if I thought about it while I was driving home from work, eager to turn on my Kindle and see what happened next. In this, Day Soldiers was a howling success (pun intended.)

About the reviewer:

larryscatJonathan Brazee is a retired Marine infantry colonel who after years of writing non-fiction, wrote his first novel while serving in Iraq. He independently published it, hoping to sell a few copies to friends and family, and was pleasantly surprised when the book gained traction among the general reading public. Twenty-three novels later, he is now winding down his post-military career overseas to become a full-time writer. A majority of his books have a military bent in science fiction, paranormal, historical fiction, and general fiction, but he has also written non-military scifi and paranormal. He writes three to four hours each day with the help (or despite) the attention of two rescue cats who insist on sitting on his lap or keyboard.
Jonathan is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, the US Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Disabled Veterans of America, and is an officer in the VFW’s Department of the Pacific.

Learn more about Jonathan and his work at http://www.jonathanbrazee.com

Desecration

DesecrationEmotionally Charged

This story is action packed, well researched and emotionally charged – as are all of J.F. Penn’s novels. I enjoyed the prologue peek into the murderer’s mindset. It is a jump start into the tale, a foretelling of the horror just around the corner.

This new story series contains a strong heroin, Jamie Brooke, who has a definitive unique personality. Jamie is a wonderful character, very human, with complex desires. The author did a great job getting into the head of the mother in pain, the dedicated detective, as well as the woman with needs. The other characters also have a great deal of depth to them and are very believable. I especially recognized the intense research the author did in regards to the body art community, handling her writing with respectful observance and acceptance. The novel has many original twists to a detective themed story line.

I totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a great adventure, with mysterious people, and anyone who has an open mind to new ideas, and likes a nibble of horror. This is a great read.

About The Reviewer

elizabeth_zgutaElisabeth Zguta is an advocate for Independent authors and publishers and encourages all writers to learn the skills needed for today’s book markets and to keep in touch with the new technologies.

She is curious and always wants to know more about everything, and her attention goes to many places and topics. She considers herself a life learner, not only because of the courses she takes but also from the knowledge gained through life experiences. Nothing brings her more satisfaction than reading something new that sparks her imagination or connecting with other people regarding a topic. She is an Indie Author of supernatural, thriller suspense novels and writes blog posts.

Learn more about Elisabeth and her work at http://ezindiepublishing.com/

The Square Peg Book

square_pegDo not drink. Do not eat powdery or crumbly things while reading this book. You are forewarned. …Because you will wind up inhaling something down the wrong pipe as you gasp in a fit of hysteria. Now, not all the episodes in this droll tome will have you grasping your sides, but a fair share of them will. That’s sure. The rest? You’ll nod sagely, recognizing, dare I say, yourself, your in-laws, your neighbors and friends, and, yes, even your sworn enemies.

S. Bradley Stoner nails suburban life to the wall, then proceeds to expose all its undersides in hilarious and, sometimes, uncomfortably candid detail.  From the steamed green lady to the gab-gad-about gossip, from the dig-himself-into-the-doghouse dufus to the know-it-all ne’er-do-well, you’ll recognize them all, though the faces you see in your mind’s eye won’t match the faces your neighbor sees when he reads the same lines. But your wife will nod wisely as she quirks a small smile your way when you read her some choice, juicy passage, you seeing yourself in the protagonist’s shoes whilst she’s seeing you . . . never mind.

I give The Square Peg Book a four-star . . . because there are some minor editing issues. S. Bradley Stoner’s a darned fine writer, but, yes, like all of us, he misses some stuff when he knows better.  Still, pound for pound, I found no more faults in this work than I find in something put out by HarperCollins, though I know, anymore, that’s not saying much.

About The Reviewer:

DLKeur_1_400x600D. L. Keur is an artist, a musician, and an author in her own right. Her titles span multiple genres and include science fiction (Aeros), paranormal mainstream and psychological suspense (E. J. Ruek), and Western Romance/Family Saga (C. J. “Country” James).

You can find her and her novels online at DLKeur.com.

Greenhouse Redemption Of The Planet Kraal

Greenhouse-RedemptionWith the tens of thousands of scifi titles out there, it gets harder and harder to introduce something new. While this book takes the stranger in a strange land theme to heart (not the Heinlein book, but the general reference), how the author pulls this off was fascinating and clever. We are in a time where we can e-mail photos, and docs, we can even manufacture some things on a printer, so why not the ability to send DNA information across the vast reaches of space to where a clone can then be made? Brilliant!

This book worked very well in laying out the story, then following through with all aspects of it. I enjoyed reading the author’s take on what would happen to a society when an alien is introduced to that society. And what a society. This new society is essentially herds of alien cows, another new twist to the genre. The author’s extrapolation of this society made logical sense to me. It author’s choice of cows, even using the word “bovine,” is ironic in that this is also a novel on global warming, and on our world, earth cows are a major contributor to greenhouse gases. This had to have been a deliberate choice by the author.

At its heart, this is a novel about environmental catastrophe, but the book does not have to be read only by environmentalists. Even ardent naysayers to global warming can just enjoy the story for what it’s worth. This is not a “preachy” novel.

The style of the novel is such that it is not a particularly easy read. I fear some people will download the sample, then bog down a bit while reading the first few pages. This would be a shame. I would recommend that potential readers stick with it. The book is well worth it, and before long, the style and flow become familiar, and the reading flows with less effort.

This is one of the best scifi novels I have read in quite some time, and I enthusiastically recommend it.

About the reviewer:

larryscatJonathan Brazee is a retired Marine infantry colonel who after years of writing non-fiction, wrote his first novel while serving in Iraq. He independently published it, hoping to sell a few copies to friends and family, and was pleasantly surprised when the book gained traction among the general reading public. Twenty-three novels later, he is now winding down his post-military career overseas to become a full-time writer. A majority of his books have a military bent in science fiction, paranormal, historical fiction, and general fiction, but he has also written non-military scifi and paranormal. He writes three to four hours each day with the help (or despite) the attention of two rescue cats who insist on sitting on his lap or keyboard.
Jonathan is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, the US Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Disabled Veterans of America, and is an officer in the VFW’s Department of the Pacific.

Learn more about Jonathan and his work at http://www.jonathanbrazee.com

The Catacombs

CatacombsThere will be no skipping parts—and no putting this book down until it has finished.

What can be scarier than wandering the catacombs under Paris in darkness? You will discover how horrific it can be below the city. The story plunges you underground with the four explorers, as they journey through the catacombs, pursuing a quest inspired by a mysterious video Pascal had found during a previous trip below.

Pascal and Daniele are both experienced cataphiles—the colloquial term for underground urban explorers of the catacombs. They guide Rob and Will through some treacherous terrain and tight conditions. The setting is described fully, and you will feel as if you are there in the tunnels as well, inching through every fissure crack. You want suspense and horror—look no further. The surprise will be not only whom they meet below, but also the shadows they each carry within themselves. As they trek, the characters naturally unfold their own stories.

The bizarre and shocking encounters underground trigger their reveries and innermost thoughts. The reader has a front row seat and glimpses into the past of Will, the main protagonist, as he reveals his nightmare while trying to come to terms with his own ghosts. The author does this with a smooth and compassionate brush.

This brings us right back to their horrendous situation that they are dealing with. We travel beside them, sharing their troubles; the deeper into the tunnels and the story, the bigger the shock becomes. Twists and turns are found not only through the catacombs, but the with each action decision the characters opt as well.

No more details told. I do not want to give anything away. Nevertheless, I have to disclose that I never expected the end as it unfolded. Not a fairy-tale ending but it is very much acceptable. Well done—suspenseful to the end!

This is book two in the series “A World’s Scariest Places”. The first “Suicide Forest” was also a great suspense thriller. For both of these stories, the series name is not enough to prepare you for what you will experience as a reader. You will learn new things about our world, and survive through our worst fears as well.

I have read both books in the series so far, and both are intense. These books have become my favorites, a modern writer surpassing King and Koontz. Jeremy Bates not only delivers maximum suspense and horror, but you are right there with the characters. The style of writing is honest, vivid, compelling and never a dull moment.

About The Reviewer

elizabeth_zgutaElisabeth Zguta is an advocate for Independent authors and publishers and encourages all writers to learn the skills needed for today’s book markets and to keep in touch with the new technologies.

​She is curious ​and always wants to know more about everything, and her attention goes to many places and topics. She considers herself a life learner, not only because of the courses she takes but also from the knowledge gained through life experiences. Nothing brings her more satisfaction than reading something new that sparks her imagination or connecting with other people regarding a topic. She is an Indie Author of supernatural, thriller suspense novels and writes blog posts.

Learn more about Elisabeth and her work at http://ezindiepublishing.com/