Beverly Stowe McClure's Blog: Enter Beverly's World of Writing, page 14

A Story of Family

Unholy Blue by Darby Kaye

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What does the word family mean to you? For me, I see a mother, a father, children, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Perhaps your idea of family includes still others, someone that’s very close to you, that you can depend on when you need a friend or a hug.

Award-Winning Author Darby Kaye’s latest novel, UNHOLY BLUE, sequel to THE STAG LORD, is a story about many things: Celtic warriors, shape shifters, Goblins, dogs, and bravery, to mention a few. It’s also the touching tale of a family: a man, his eight-year-old son, and a woman who loves them both. And that’s one reason why I love this story so much.

I’ve been counting the days for Shay Doyle the Healer, Bannerman Boru (Bann) the immortal Celtic Warrior, and Bann’s son, Cormac, to continue their story. And boy do they. They still have Lord Cernunnos, the shapeshifter now in the dog Max’s body, the Tully clan, and those darned old Goblins and Fir Blogs to deal with. They have an additional problem, as well: to tell Cor about their forthcoming marriage.

Speaking of Cor, he’s my favorite character. He’s all boy, confused at his father’s and Shay’s behavior sometimes, brave when necessary, and friend and protector to his puppy, Sam. One of my favorite scenes is with Cor and Sam, where Shay tells him not to let the puppy sleep on his bed. So what does Cor do? Like most any boy, he solves the problem in his own way. He puts his pillow and blanket in the dog cage and curls up with Sam. I laughed when I read this: all boy. The relationship between Cor and his father is sweet and touching. There are funny scenes that made me laugh and also scary scenes when their lives are in danger, and I wondered if Bann and Shay (a great warrior herself) would survive. Some of the fighting got pretty bloody.

Darby Kaye/Darby Karchut has a way of creating characters that come to life. I can picture Bann and Shay as they fight together, make love together, and try to be good parents for Bann’s and soon-to-be Shay’s son. Speaking of the hunk, Bann is brave and fears little, yet he’s gentle with his son and Shay. He’s not perfect, however, and he and Shay, with her strong personality, sometimes clash.

UNHOLY BLUE has violence. It has romance. Most of all it has a family that will have you cheering for them when their future looks bleak. I’ve read all of Darby Kaye/Darby Karchut’s books, and they just keep getting better and better.

One thing I’d like to know. There is a third book in the series, Ms. Kaye, right?

Highly recommended.

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A Fascinating Story of Knights, Ghosts, and a Princess

Woven by Michael Jensen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


WOVEN, a fantasy novel by Authors Michael Jensen and David Powers King, is a charming tale of knights and ghosts, a princess and a secret, of heroes and villains, and a quest to find an ancient needle.

The peasant Nels dreams of becoming a knight, but his murder ends not only his life but his dreams as well. Or does it? Nels comes back as a ghost. As is usually true of ghosts, no one can see him, except one person, Princess Tyra, the girl he loves, but who is in love with Sir Arek, a knight. There’s much more to WOVEN then just who likes whom and who will get the girl in the end. The authors have woven a story of magic and hope, adventure and a lesson about life.

The characters are well developed. The plot is fast paced, but not so fast the reader gets lost. There are action scenes and also touching scenes, and for lovers of fantasy stories this is one novel you’ll want to read. An interesting thought to leave with you: Nels is coming unwoven. Curious what that means? The book tells you.
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Are you taking care of your heart?

It's All Heart by Bobby Whisnand

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Do you exercise? Do you eat right? Do you avoid stress? (Good luck with that one.) Do you take care of your heart? If you answered yes to all of these questions, great. If you aren’t sure, I just read a book that might help you make sure you’re living the healthiest you can.

Yes, there are a lot of good books out there about all of the above. In IT’S ALL HEART, by Author Bobby Whisnand, motivational speaker, exercise therapist, and personal trainer with a BS in psychology and biology, the reader learns about taking care of his/her heart. I want to add another thing about Bobby: he is a former student of mine. (just had to say this) In his book, he discusses exercise and nutrition, and how to “stay young.”

“How well do you know your heart?” he asks and proceeds to explain how we should put our hearts first and how stress affects our hearts. He talks about heart disease and the proper way to exercise. The book contains a Workout Journal and so much more.

IT’S ALL HEART is a good book to make the reader stop and think: Am I doing all I can to keep my heart as healthy as possible? You might want to take a look at your daily routine and see if you can answer “yes” to that question. If not, it’s never too late to start a healthy life style. Go for it.
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One Lie Leads to Another

“Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” The quote is from Sir Walter Scott’s poem Marmion that was published in 1808. Today, it could apply to Author Ashelyn Drake’s novel Our Little Secret. How? I’m glad you asked.

The characters in Our Little Secret might be found in almost any high school today. There’s Toby, the good-looking basketball star, loved by all the girls. His twin sister, Tori, who feels inferior to her popular brother, and who wouldn’t? Becca Daniels, the story narrator, has known the twins all her life. Tori is her best friend. Therein lies the problem. Becca would like to be more to Toby than just a friend. To do so, would ruin her friendship with Tori. Then there’s Meredith, his ex-girlfriend. You see where this tangled web is going? The secret comes in when Toby and Becca start hanging out with each other, the beginning of something more serious, and pretending to Tori that Toby’s just tutoring Becca in trig.

One lie leads to a bigger lie to a bigger lie. Sometimes I was a little aggravated with Toby and felt he should have been honest with his sister. I also understood. Teens do not always make the best decisions. Is Becca willing to give up her friendship with Tori to get the boy of her dreams? And what about Meredith, who’s out for revenge against Toby?

Ashelyn Drake has written a story that most teens can probably relate to. They might even learn a lesson or two about honesty. A fun read with characters that aren’t perfect and make mistakes, like real people. I recommend Our Little Secret for teens and older folks too, who can smile with the memories.
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Adventure, Danger, and Romance

Dynasty Mage by K.R. Yaddof

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Some books have lots of twists and turns and surprises. There are good guys and bad guys and sometimes we don’t know which is which. Books like this keep us reading. In DYNASTY MAGE, Book Two of K. R. Yaddof’s MAGES SERIES, we again meet Zachery and Jacob Goddard, twin brothers who don’t exactly show brotherly love for one another. In fact, they appear more like enemies. Add a touch of magic, and they can do bodily harm to themselves, as well as to others.

In the first book so many characters were introduced that I had trouble keeping up with who was who. This second book is much easier to keep track of the characters, which makes, for me anyway, a better story.

As a fifth-generation Texan, I support the New Republic of Texas, of course, and the group helping them. No, I’m not giving anything away. I just had to add that to the review.

If you enjoy reading about danger, adventure, and magic, with a touch of romance, then take a look at DYNASTY MAGE.
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Adventure, Action, Danger, and Dragons

Sword of Deaths by Christopher Mannino

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


What if you were dead, but still had life, in an unusual sort of world? What if you were the only female in this world and had to work extra hard to prove yourself?

In SWORD OF DEATHS, Book 2 in the Scythe Wielders’ Secret Series, Author Christopher Mannino’s novel for young adults, Suzie Sarnio finds herself in such a situation. She is a Death, the only female death. Frank is an Elemental (Mental) in disguise. Deaths hate Mentals. Suzie knows Frank is a Mental; he’s also her friend, and they must keep his secret. She has another secret too: she likes Billy, also a Death. Add dragons, the enemies of Deaths into the picture, and you have a story with plenty of action and danger.

The author has created interesting characters who are simply trying to survive and to do their jobs. They are grim reapers, you see. My favorite character is Frank. He’s brave, kind, and I just like him. The reader sees the story through different points of view of the characters, which is neat.

I need to read the first book in the series now so maybe I’ll understand some of the things that happen in SWORD OF DEATHS that were a bit confusing to me. I think meeting the characters earlier would help me to understand their world and them and their goals better. This is a good novel, especially for fantasy lovers.

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Who's a Boy to Trust?

What’s a boy to do when his mother is murdered in a robbery at her antique shop, his dad sends him to stay with a friend for a while, and then sends him to live with his grandfather, all without any explanation? Why won’t his father tell him what’s going on? Does the necklace his mother gave him right before her death have something to do with the mysterious things happening in his life? She mentioned the amulet might have magical powers. To add to his confusion, Thomas Patrick Henry meets a ghost.

FAMILY SECRET, a paranormal mystery for young readers by Author Kay LaLone, will keep you guessing who the good guys are and who are the bad, at least it did me. There’s never a dull moment. Just when I thought we’d have the answers to Tom’s dilemma, the author threw in a twist. As Tom attempts to solve the mystery of why someone is after him and why people keep getting killed, he discovers that his father has kept secrets from him all his life. Even his mother had her secrets. And he begins to suspect that the same person that’s after him may have killed his mother.

Kay LaLone has written a novel that will keep you guessing, along with Tom, if he can trust anyone, even his own father.. FAMILY SECRET is the story of a family that in protecting their son from the truth not only made him insecure but put him in danger as well. This is a good story for lovers of mystery and for those who enjoy a touch of magic.

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An Unusual Love Story

30 Seconds by Chrys Fey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Sometimes people are simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or perhaps it’s the right place at the wrong time or the wrong place at the right time. Are you confused? If so, you might be able to relate to Dr. Dani Hart, who faces such a situation, in Author Chrys Fey’s novella 30 SECONDS.

All Dr. Hart wants to do is go home to her apartment after an all-nighter at the E.R. and relax. Instead, she runs into Blake Herro, a cop (yes, literally runs into him), six armed men break into her apartment, and she and Blake hide in a cedar chest. Very cozy, if not for the fact the men want to kill her, thinking she’s someone else. From then on Dani’s life will never be the same.

The author has created characters with distinctive personalities. I love Dani. She has some great lines. One of my favorites is “She wanted to lie back down and drool on him some more.” Now, can’t you just picture that scene? And Blake is a hero and not just because of his last name. Danger, the Mob, cops, romance, and a neat surprise at the end make for a fascinating read.

00:30 SECONDS is the first book by Chrys Fey I’ve read. This story is so fast paced, action filled, and have I mentioned romantic, that I plan to read more of the author’s work. Soon.

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Are You a Gourmet?

The Inter-Galactic Gourmet by L.X. Cain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When I see the word “gourmet” I think of a gourmet meal, of delicious food. Well, sometimes a word doesn’t always turn out to mean what one thinks it means. Take Author L. X. Cain’s short story, THE INTER-GALACTIC GOURMET, for instance.

The reader meets Cynthia, who on her way home from work sees a small boy sitting on the curb, alone and hungry. So, she takes him into her apartment, an innocent, kind act, to feed a hungry boy, right? Maybe, but people are not always who or what they seem, and the story takes a little twist. Read on, if you dare.

L. X. Cain has a knack for writing spooky stories that have a surprise or two along the way. When you’re in the mood for a creepy tale, with a bit of gore, okay a lot of gore, take a look at THE INTER-GALACTIC GOURMET, a story with a different touch. You might want to read it on an empty stomach. But then, people differ in what their favorite food is. Happy eating.

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A Story to Read With the Lights On

Biggun by L.X. Cain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Have you ever been awakened suddenly by a spooky sound, and perhaps you even saw a scary image? Was it a dream, or was it real? How did you know?

In Author L. X. Cain’s short story BIG GUN, the sound of wood splitting apart wakes Cora, and she soon finds herself in a battle for her life and the life of her two month old baby. From the first sentence to the end, questions rose in my mind. Who or what was this terror that had invaded her home? Would she escape the danger? Could she save her baby? I didn’t know exactly what was after her, but tension grew with each scene, and I knew that something terrible was about to happen. No spoilers here.

BIG GUN is a story that you might want to read in daylight, or at least with the lights on. Recommended for readers that enjoy a walk in the dark, with unknown characters beside you. You might want to carry a weapon with you, not that it will do you a lot of good.

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