Juicy blurbs update: A girl meets a young Shakespeare, a retelling of little red riding hood, and more…

Recently I wrote an article about the Christian Fiction I will be reading and reviewing to close out Spring 2012. However, below you will find a listing for other books I plan to review involving a girl who travels back through time to meet Shakespeare, Bergren’s pervious historical about a gifted race of people and more…

Cascading through Spring 2012 brings some bad news and a bit of good news in fiction…

First of all, the bad news: A local Norfolk bookstore is closing down June 1st, 2012 and the owner is saying, “Make me an offer”. You can have some 9,000 volumes of classics and reference materials for a loaded $15,000 dollars. See Bookstore Closing in Hampton Roads for more details.

View slide show:Cascading through Spring Titles

Now the good news you have been waiting for. Upcoming reviews for Christian Fiction you would not want to miss, including a nonfiction title that explains inspiration for most of this author’s Amish Fiction! Below you’ll find the upcoming reviews to close out properly, Spring 2012!(Read more on Examiner)

Here’s the list you’ve been waiting for:

Image Courtesy of Random House Children’s Books

A modern-day girl is transported back to 16th-century England, where she gets to meet a young William Shakespeare.

Miranda has Shakespeare in her blood: she hopes one day to become a Shakespearean actor like her famous parents. At least, she does until her disastrous performance in her school’s staging of The Taming of the Shrew. Humiliated, Miranda skips the opening-night party. All she wants to do is hide.

Publication Date: August 14, 2012

They are gifted and in 14th Century Italy…

At the height of the Inquisition, a secret half a millennium old is about to be exposed-a lost letter said to have been written by Paul and part of what was to become the foundation of the Christian canon. It speaks of men and women-the Gifted-with mysterious spiritual gifts that struck fear in the heart of the Church. Now the letter has surfaced. The Gifted ones are coming together. Their prophecy is coming true. (Summary from Amazon.com)

                                                                                                Publication Date: September 4, 2007

Image Courtesy of Simon Pulse

 

Ruth’s grandmother lives in the forest, banished there for the “evil” that the townsfolk believed she practiced. But if studying the stars, learning about nature, and dreaming of flying is evil, then Ruth is guilty of it too. Whenever Ruth took food and supplies to her grandmother, she would sit with the old woman for hours, listening and learning.

When she wasn’t in the woods, Ruth was learning the trade of her father, a blacksmith, now that her brother would never return from the Crusades.

Publication Date: April 6, 2004

‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ another dark fairytale?

From the movie ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’

With all the Mirror Mirrors and queens asking who is the fairest of them all, I must say that secretly I hoped for an action thriller or sci-fi movie where there is more cultural diversity. Now before you get upset I will say this-

I would love to see Snow White and the Huntsman, simply because the director, Joe Roth is the one who did the stunningly dark and appealing Alice in Wonderland. the second reason I want to see the movie is because Kristen Stewart(Twilight, Panic Room) will be playing the sword swinging “fairest of them all”, how cool is that?

For a brief synopsis of the movie head to Snow White and the Huntsman to read all about it and peek at some photos. All star cast includes the ever beautiful Charlize Theron and the Thor man himself Chris Hemsworth.

I am all for remakes of classic fairytale, I am unsure as to why they have to be dark, but if you add some beasts, some romance, and action to it I’ll more than likely give it a try

The movie is due out June 1st

‘To Love a Wilde’, a blast from the past wielding sass captured him

To Love a Wilde by Kimberly Kaye Terry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can’t breathe without you.

Yasmine Taylor, an up and coming chef just got a message from her aunt that she needs her. Yasmine’s aunt Lilly lives in Wyoming on the Wilde ranch- a ranch filled with men who are brothers in spirit and heart and one particular one, Holt Wilde has been Yasmine’s crush for over ten years- she can’t hide from him now once she arrives on the ranch.

Holt Wilde hasn’t seen Yasmine in ten years, but back then she was a bit chubby yet had an affectionate, contagious laugh and smile that drew him in- and way. He saw her as his sister- until she arrives at the airport and he wonders where this shapely, confident woman came from. Suddenly he’s the one chasing her and not the other way around.

This was my first time reading anything in the Wilde series and I enjoyed it. Again, this is a Kimani Romance novel, so if you’re into quick, sizzling hot reads, this one scores way up the top. Holt is a man on a mission: To win Yasmine before any of the men on the ranch try to claim her and when he realizes she’s the one- he can not breathe without her. He needs her. They need each other.

Sweet.

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‘Red Sky’, Native American history splashed with colorful romance

Red Sky by Renee Alexis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Justine Roberts-Peretti, a photojournalist with an adventurous spirit, takes on an assignment in Gallup, New Mexico. There, she meets the owner of a jewelry store who manages to sweep her off her feet and causes her to forget her own vow to leave men alone completely. It is literally love at first sight.

Darrius Red Sky, Native American, listens to his heart, the wind, his soul and they all told him that Justine is the woman he’s been waiting for. He falls head over heels for the saucy , African-American/Italian in a heartbeat and enjoys how she knows so much about his culture.

What’s to Love

I read this book in about two days max and I feel it has been awhile since an author has taken such time to paint the backdrop with the history of Native Americans to the point where I felt I was there eating the buffalo stew and corn muffins and the sights Justine experienced were also splashed in wild colors of reds, greens, blacks, and of course the hot touch of Darrius Sky’s lips and his instant love for her.

What’s to Really Love

Warning! There are some really decadent, spicy intimate scenes between Justine and Darrius. The great point though is that is from their love for each other and the scenes are not just there to be there. It literally places the characters where they want to end up. The book was hefty with stories about the tribes and my favorite- the Koshari clown(which I will be looking up), but it serves up a nice story.

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‘Hot to Touch’: Not even a blazin’ trail of fire could keep them apart

Hot to Touch by Kimberly Kaye Terry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So what did I think of this?

A typical Kimani Romance Book, or Silhouette Desire novel runs about 182-214 pages, so things between the protagonist and potential lover must progress quickly while still making the novel believable.

Kimberly Kaye Terry made this book believable for me by giving us quick childhood backgrounds of both main characters: Shane Westwood and Emogene Rawlings. Emogene Rawlings is a photojournalist who “isn’t afraid to fight fire with fire”. She believes she can handle anything- until meets rugged, handsome and very tall Shane Westwood.

Shane Westwood had put out enough fires in his life and enjoys the risk of being a firefighter. But he can not for the life of him squelsh the hidden flames of desire he has for the petite brown skinned woman who calls herself Gene Raw.

The book was a fast paced read and the writing sharp enough to elicit emotions and sympathy for both Shane and Emogene’s past. When they get togeher, there is no denying the heat they are cooking in.

If you like a quick, hot, passionate book to pass the time, this is a good one.

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‘Tempting Faith’ shows that facing your past don’t have to be a lonely job

Tempting Faith by Crystal Hubbard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*Entertainment reporter Faith Wheeler knows a secret that can make her name in Hollywood. Unfortunately, that same secret could break megastar Zander Baron.

Known for her creative ways of catching and writing up an entertainment story, Faith is sent to do one on the super sexy, uber hot Zander Baron. The only monkey wrench in her job is the fact that she knows Zander Baron. In fact, they both grew up together in Booger Hollow, West Virginia- and his real name is not Zander Baron.

Zander knows who the pretty eyed, now straight haired chic is asking him so many personal questions and for him things get confusing, because he knows her and he knows that she knows his deep, dark secrets. His life was riddled with all forms of malice, sadness, and anger and the only one he could hold on to was Faith.

For me, Crystal Hubbard has done it again with her superb writing and research and believable characters who grab hold of your heart long after you’re done reading. Faith and Zander heats up the pages as he tempts her with his lips and eyes and Faith has no choice but to give in to his touches and those eyes that never change.
There was one part of the book that I felt could have been a stand alone but once I got to the end of the subplot I realized it was quite good. It was the play Zander starred in called “Garden of Evils”. It took up more than five pages of the book- full script and all, but it was a pretty good script. I ached for more pages with Zander and Faith and the author delivered on those goods.

SPOILER!

My totally awesome, fantastic, reader worthy moment was when Zander went back to West Virginia during a crisis and those who used to tease him and taunt him, saw him as the megastar with a giant sized…heart. Faith’s constant pleading for him to return home to where he grew up had finally sank into him and boy do people change after highschool! Many of them were doing flat out bad.

Personally, I got tired of Faith wanting Zander to see West Virginia as a lovely place now when it was the place he was abused by his father. He had no friends either. Faith lived on the other side with rich parents and was a cheerleader, so she could have at least been a bit more sympathetic. Instead she told Zander, “Get over it!”
Still a pretty darn good romantic story with some VERY hot scenes to make a cool night toasty!

*Blurb taken from back of the book

Book Details:
Tempting Faith
Crystal Hubbard
Published: Indigo Love Spectrum(2009)
ISBN: 978-158571288-5
Price: $6.99US/$8.49CAN

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‘Mark of Fortune’ new short story

Nasa

Under the pen name Sheerrain Kase, Mark of Fortune was written. A quick, thirty odd page novella on the meeting between Samosa, a thirty year old community college student and handsome man named Stone of the Ice Rings.

Without giving much away, they meet up and Samosa finds out that this humble guy who helps her in her worst moment, is much more than a man. He has something they both need. What makes the book interesting is the fact that there is no real need for actual sex scenes as what Stone can do to any woman is sensual and…uncomfortable at best.

Stone has his own story to tell and his adventure from Galaxy to Midplane to Earth and his love triangles across the universe before he met the beautiful Samosa- is worth telling. His story will be published this Spring/Summer 2012 and available on Smashwords, Createspace, and Kindle.

Right now, if you are an Amazon Prime Member you can read this book for free!

‘Best of Luck Elsewhere’ and ‘The Hot Spot’ reviews

The Hot Spot by Niobia Bryant

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Zaria Ali has two grown girls and an ex husband who walked out on her for a younger woman.

What’s a woman to do?

Zaria meets very handsome Kaleb Strong and discovers that their passion could sizzle up an already hot summer in July- but their age difference could cause a rift. Zaria at forty two is not ready to settle down, she is trying to reclaim her youth, while Kaleb, at 26 wants a woman who is ready for marriage and children with him. Still, they fill each other’s homes with love and lust and the heat never dies down but get’s stronger…and stronger…

I was pleased with the emotional punches Niobia Bryant pulled in this book. The pages had to be flipped because I wanted to see what would happen with these two souls who were made for each other in every way.

If you want a book filled with romance, passion, and more passion, please read The Hot Spot.

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Best of Luck Elsewhere by Trisha Haddad

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

J Press editor, S. Rain has been killed in an accident with a an author’s rejection letter found at the scene and that same person could be after mystery editor, Eliza Tahan because it is actually Eliza who rejects authors but it is her boss’s name whow went on those rejection letters.

Enter Adam Mestas, the handsome book editor who interviews her and their relationship quickly turns into a love affair filled with sweet promise and intrigue, but not without a few accidents happening all around them.

This book, for me was okay. Truly I wanted to give it three and half stars because while the storyline and the mystery of “whodunit” was quite interesting and I am sure it will resonate with many who have turned in manuscripts only to have them rejected; the typos and other errors and the fact I wanted more interaction between the protagonist and her lover earned the book four stars.

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How would you describe the action of creating a story?

kevinzim

Authors(self pubbed or traditionally published, or not pubbed at all), have one thing in common: They write.

What they write is what lives on in our hearts for  along time. So here are some descriptions of what stories really are…

1. A heart that beats once and is resounding…
2. A person’s memoir fresh with an old tale
3. A dream expanded across the screen
4. Conversations explored
5. The right to listen to the voices
6. Access to Muse files
7. Playing God across the page
8. Illusions of grandeur tapping the reader’s brain
9. Telling lies we pay for
10. A murmur of romance, speeding up hearts and fueling passion
11. Scrapping bits and piece of trash and treasures, tossed from life and neatly regrouping…

*Any more descriptions for writing? I’d love to see them

How would you describe poetry?

Wolfgang Staudt

1. Capture the big picture with short words
2. Tunneling the deep sea to find one pearl
3. Harvesting words in the heart which spills onto paper
4. Taking a grown up situation and simplifying it for the innocent
5. Ridicule with literary genius
6. Uplift with one wing
7. Plucking the senses with sentences

 

Can you come up with more metaphors or creative desciptions for poetry? Post them here!