Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Review of The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks

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When someone on Facebook asked, “are there any men who write romance?” I immediately thought of Nicholas Sparks and his seventeen romance novels. I went to my bookshelves and prowled through the section where I had his books filled neatly away. It had been a number of years since I had read The Guardian, so I brought it back to my easy chair and decided to read it again. In the few minutes I had been gone from my computer, several comments had been posted, and a few of them said that Sparks didn’t really write Romance. One woman, with her tongue planted firmly in her cheek said, “there isn’t a single chiseled chin or a drop-dead gorgeous he-man in any of his books. The characters are just ordinary people.” The Guardian was published in 2003, but I couldn’t wait to read it again.


The guardian is the story of Julie Barenson, a young woman who had struggled through her teen years, then found the man of her dreams; someone who loved and valued her. His sudden death left her devastated, alone, and unable to pick up her life again. Then she received a letter her husband had written before he died promising that he would look after her, and asking her to find someone else to love her. The note was attached to a box containing a small ugly puppy. Four years passed and she began to date again, but what kind of man did she really want to spend the rest of her life with? Did she want to get romantically involved with Mike, her best friend, or did she want it to be Richard who was trying to sweep her off her feet? The book is filled with suspense. You might say that is a romantic thriller, but however you label this book, it is exciting and unforgettable. 

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

REVIEW OF ELI'S COMING BY DARCIA HELLE



Dark Fantasy novels are growing steadily in popularity, and fans of the genre are sure to find this first book in Darcia Helle’s series, ELI’S COMING, an enjoyable read. This is a fantasy story concerning Eli’s ‘gift’ which he has inherited from his American Indian ancestors. At first he has considered it a curse, but has come to realize that his super-human abilities can also be used for good. Eli has a dark past, and this serves as the force driving the plot of this supernatural thriller. In addition to the dangers he faces, there are also some inner demons that he has to conquer. He meets and falls in love with Amanda, and he is forced to carefully weigh the choices that might cause her harm. Amanda must also weigh the choices she is forced to make. This is a real page-turner as the reader is pulled along by the unfolding plot. If you are a fan of dark fantasy, you won’t be able to lay this book down. Thanks for letting me introduce you to this book, and I hope you will have a happy reading experience.

Joe Prentis
[I received this book as a gift in exchange for an unbiased review.]

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Review of Wolf Spencer on Julies Book Review
Wolf Spencer
by
Joe Prentis

The opening of this book reads like a Clint Eastwood / Sergio Leone spaghetti western. Credit goes to Joe Prentis for a cinematic vision and being able to write in a style that captures the details of the Old West. If you like reading Westerns this first book of Prentis’ Renegade series will keep your interest. It has the makings of establishing a new genre. Call it the Western as Mystery. Wolf Spencer is a man with a past. Who he is and why are part of the mystery. Why did he leave the town that opens memorably with, ”If Wolf Spencer saw the gallows as he rode into town, there was no indication...under the shade of his flat ­brimmed hat”? Why did he come back? Does he love Shannon? Does Shannon love him? What happened between them? Who are the bad guys? Who are the good guys? It’s the kids’ game of
Cowboys and Indians all over again with a twist ­ not all the Indians are bad guys. Many questions arise and many answers are given. But many answers are not given.
You have to read the whole Renegade series to get all the answers.
4 Stars
William

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