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The River, By Moonlight By Camille Marchetta
 There are times as a reviewer that I feel inadequate. That no matter how eloquently I string together words, they fail to convey all that I found within the pages of a book. Such is the case with The River, By Moonlight by Camille Marchetta. On a rainy, gloomy night in April 1917, young artist Lily Canning falls to her death, drowning in New York City's Hudson River. The vagrant who jumped in to try and save her tells police he doesn't think it was an accident. As Lily's family and friends try to come to terms with her death, they question why she would consider suicide at a time when her life was finally coming together. Having lived through the loss of her beloved father and a short, but horrific marriage, Lily's first art show was coming up soon. It seems incomprehensible that she would choose to end it all now. But could she have done it? And what would this sudden loss mean to those who were left behind to go on living without her? The River, By Moonlight is one of the finest pieces of literary work I have read in years. Told from the perspectives of family, friends, and the men who loved her--and there are many of those--the complex person who was Lily Canning unfolds like a blooming rose, starting off small, until it fully opens to reveal all its hidden treasures. This story invokes strong emotions from the reader: the sense of loss felt by those left behind, the angst felt by the men who loved Lily--feelings she did not return, except once (and that ended terribly for both Lily and the man), the anger and confusion from those who suspected what Lily might have done, the constant torment Lily always dealt with until she was finally at peace, and the uncertainty of a country on the brink of entering World War I. In an ingenious move, the last chapter is told from Lily's perspective. Up to this point, the reader has only experienced Lily's life secondhand. Now, they get to hear Lily's story and understand the decisions she made and the mistakes she had come to live with. What will make this story a winner with readers is the thorough development of the characters. Henrietta (Etta), Lily's heartbroken mother, Edmund, the despised husband, Louis, the cousin secretly in love with Lily, Nuala, the servant girl and friend, and many others who allow the reader to experience the full gamut of emotions as Lily's tale unfolds. The River, By Moonlight is a powerful, gripping story. Exquisitely written, filled with diverse, well developed characters, and brimming with rich descriptions, Lily's story is one that you will never forget. Title: The River, By Moonlight Author: Camille Marchetta Publisher: Virtualbookworm.com Publishing Inc. ISBN: 978-1-60264-017-7 (Paperback) ISBN: 978-1-60264-018-4 (Hardcover) U.S. Price: $14.95 (Paperback) U.S. Price: $21.95 (Hardcover) You'll find Camille's thoughts about New York and why it plays a role in almost all her books here. Labels: book reviews, Camille Marchetta, historical fiction, literary fiction, The River By Moonlight |
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Emotionless Souls by David Grant
 In this book about jerk offs, ex cons, new cons, pranksters, one hit wonders, and homeless entrepreneurs, you'll find twenty stories that are sure to leave you wondering about the hope for society in general. Emotionless Souls by David Grant takes ordinary people and places them into the strangest of circumstances--circumstances that are probably all too real. There's Mervin who stages emergencies so that he can be a hero. Earvin who likes to play pranks at the office. Of course, those pranks end up in one guy getting fired, then blaming some innocent party with fatal results. But what the hell...that's all in a day's work. Hansel spends his time at the Christmas party searching for his lost bag of coke. And then there's the nameless guy who finds out exactly what it means to officially become a member of the team. Grant has a fresh voice and unique style. I polished off this 100-page collection in one evening, as the stories flowed smoothly one to another. And while each offering fit in perfectly with the theme, each story was diverse in its approach and circumstances. I can't say this is a book I would read over again. I'm much more partial to a happy, feel good story--of which there are none. But there are moments when you must laugh at the plight of these characters...like the time where Karina tosses a cup of coffee all over Bernie's shirt so that she can be the one giving a presentation or when Jake and Pete are discussing what girl would cause the biggest stir if she were to appear in a porn movie. Emotionless Souls by David Grant is a truly fresh and unique work of literature. Title: Emotionless Souls Author: David Grant Publisher: Brown Paper Publishing ISBN: 978-1-43484-828-4 U.S. Price: $13.00 Labels: book reviews, David Grant, Emotionless Souls, literary short story collection, online book promotion, Pump Up Your Book Promotion, trangression fiction |
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Letter of Love from China by Bonnie Cuzzolino
 Letter of Love from China by Bonnie Cuzzolino has to be one of the most touching children's stories I've read in a long time. A birth mother from China writes a letter to her daughter who has been adopted by a family from another country. This mother describes why she was forced to give her child up for adoption, tells her child all about the village she was born in, the pain this mother felt at having to let her go, and of the day her adoptive family came to China to bring her home. Lastly, it reminds this child how much she is still loved by her birth family. I could not get through this book without crying. As the mother of three children, I know I could never stand to be parted with one of my own. The courage and the strength of this unnamed mother shines through in every word she has tenderly written to her daughter. The illustrations by Jax Bennett are as stunningly beautiful as the prose. My favorite illustration is the cover art, which also happens to appear on the last page of the book where this mother has told her daughter to "look to the light of the moon that sets over the world in the night sky" to see her face, which is reflected in the child's beautiful face, if she ever starts wondering about her birth mother. Letter of Love from China will touch the hearts of all adoptive families. This book is truly a must read! Title: Love Letter from China Author: Bonnie Cuzzolino Publisher: Plum Blossom Books ISBN: 1-4243-0236-6 U.S. Price: $17.95 Labels: adoption, Bonnie Cuzzolino, children's books, China, Letter of Love from China, picture books |
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Crash! by Mayra Calvani
 Children will love reading about Marcelo and his new puppy in Crash! by Mayra Calvani. Marcelo's parents surprise him on his fifth birthday with a golden retriever puppy--the one thing he wanted more than anything in the world. Thrilled beyond all belief, Marcelo must now learn how to take care of his new puppy: feeding him, walking him, playing with him. But all that is easy compared to finding a name for him. Crash! is a charming story about a boy and his dog and the special relationship that develops between a child and his pet. Author Mayra Calvani shows off her storytelling talents once again, as she did with The Magic Violin. Calvani has a way of getting right to the heart of children with her touching stories. Kudos go out to young illustrator, Anna Pylypchuk, whose beautifully drawn illustrations bring Calvani's story to life. My children each had their favorites drawings from the story. I can't wait to see what Mayra Calvani's next children's book is all about! Title: Crash! Author: Mayra Calvani Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1-933090-54-2 (Print) ISBN-13: 978-1-933090-71-9 (eBook) U.S. Price: $10.95 (Print) THE AUTHOR IS DONATING 50% OF HER ROYALTIES TO ALMOST HEAVEN GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE AND SANCTUARY, A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION. ALMOST HEAVEN-GOLDEN-RETRIEVER-RESCUE.ORG Labels: Anna Pylypchuk, children's books, Crash, Mayra Calvani |
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The Poetry of Murder by Bernadette Steele
 The Poetry of Murder is a tale of lies, secrets, and revenge that will find you weaving through twists and turns every step of the way. Aspiring African American poet, Geneva Anderson finds her aunt, Victoria Franklin murdered in her office at International House. She is stunned once more when she discovers that she has inherited her aunt's estate that is worth millions. After the inheritance leads to Geneva becoming the prime suspect, she is arrested for her aunt's murder. To clear her name, she decides to search out the real killer on her own, despite the advice of many friends. The more she discovers about Victoria's past, the more Geneva fears her aunt might not be who she thought she was. As lies are uncovered and long-held secrets revealed, Geneva is forced to learn The Poetry of Murder. I was thrilled with this cozy murder mystery from debut author, Bernadette Steele. She drops the reader right into the action and it never stops until the murderer is revealed. Geneva Anderson makes the perfect amateur sleuth because she truly learns as she goes, using only past experience and common sense to move her investigation along. There were so many twists and turns to this novel I almost got dizzy and I honestly had no idea who the real killer was until I read it. Steele wove a great plot, included a well-developed set of characters, and plenty of mystery and suspense to come up with an outstanding first novel. The cover didn't do much for me. I liked the black, red, and white print on a yellow background, but the black and white photo of International House wasn't what I would like to see on such a page turner. And having seen the video trailer for this novel at YouTube, I feel there is so much more that could have been done to design an attention-getting cover. All lovers of cozy murder mysteries will want to pick up The Poetry of Murder by Bernadette Steele. I look forward to the next book in this series starring amateur sleuth, Geneva Anderson. Title: The Poetry of Murder Author: Bernadette Steele Publisher: Oak Tree Press ISBN-13: 978-1-892343-08-6 ISBN-10: 1-892343-08-8 U.S. Price: $12.95 Labels: African American Fiction, Bernadette Steele, book reviews, cozy murder mystery, International House, The Poetry of Murder |
The Truth (I'm a girl, I'm smart and I know everything) by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein
 Funny, thought-provoking, and inspiring, The Truth (I'm a girl, I'm smart and I know everything) by Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein is sure to be a hit with young girls ages 8 to 14. Based upon Dr. Holstein's women's self-help book, The Truth (I'm 10, I'm smart and I know everything), the girl's version has a hip new cover, new introduction, and new discussion questions. The format remains the same: a series of diary entries from a young girl who shares everything she thinks and feels about life at home and at school, her dreams for the future, and her knowledge of The Truth. Young girls will follow along as this girl talks about how her parents' fighting makes her feel. They'll witness her fall in love. They'll even get to be with her as her body begins to change. And as young girls move along through two years in this young journalist's life, they will be reminded of their inner strength, their talents, and their future potential. The Truth (I'm a girl, I'm smart and I know everything) is a book that girls and their mothers can read together. It will also make a meaningful gift for any young girl age 8 to 14. Once again, Positive Psychologist and Happiness Coach Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein teaches her readers how to learn about themselves in positive ways. Read my 2007 interview with Dr. Holstein here Title: The Truth (I'm a girl, I'm smart and I know everything) Author: Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein Publisher: Enchanted Self Press ISBN: 978-0-9798952-0-3 U.S. Price: $6.95 Labels: DR. Barbara Becker Holstein, mothers and daughters, teens, The TRUTH, tweens, women and girls |
Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors
 Well-drawn characters, gripping storylines, and rich descriptions fill the pages of debut author Catherine Delors's Mistress of the Revolution. Set during the years leading up to and through the French Revolution, this epic novel finds young noblewoman Gabrielle de Montserrat falling in love with commoner Pierre-Andre Coffinhal. Her brother forbids their union and forces her into a marriage to an aging and wealthy cousin who mistreats her. After the sudden and unexpected death of her abusive husband, Gabrielle goes to Paris to make a life for her and her young daughter, Aimee. As the threat of revolution hangs overhead, Gabrielle becomes a kept woman and a lady in the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. When Gabrielle is faced with the guillotine, she reaches out to Pierre-Andre, who had fled to Paris to become a lawyer when he was denied her hand in marriage. The two lovers search for a way to hold onto each other, as violence swirls around them; pulling everyone and everything into its grasp. Every so often I pick up a book whose hook has such dramatic impact that I must read it again. Such is the case with Mistress of the Revolution by Catherine Delors. Many years in the future, the narrator, Gabrielle tells of the exhuming of the bodies of the late King and Queen of France, thereby setting the scene for all that will unfold in subsequent pages. While a first person narrative often distances the reader from the story, Gabrielle never once distracted me from all that was happening in and around France in the late 1700's. A tremendous amount goes on within the 450 pages of this fascinating and captivating novel. Fully explored were the relationships between Gabrielle and her family, Pierre-Andre, her lover Villers, Aimee, and the friendships she maintained and lost through the years. Rich and vivid details flowed throughout, drawing the reader deeper and deeper into a story that realistically portrayed the plight of the late 18th century woman and the tragic events that unfolded in France during the reign of King Louis XVI and beyond. Mistress of the Revolution is a story of impossible love pitted against the most tumultuous time period in France's history. It is a novel that will reward the reader in every aspect and leave her desiring to read it again as soon as the last word is read. I eagerly look forward to the next book by talented newcomer Catherine Delors. Title: Mistress of the Revolution Author: Catherine Delors Publisher: Dutton (Penguin Group) ISBN: 978-0-525-95054-7 U.S. Price: $25.95 Labels: book reviews, Catherine Delors, French Revolution, historical fiction, Mistress of the Revolution, Reign of Terror |