Saturday, December 31, 2011

Happy New Year Eve.........

Happy New Years Eve.....Have a safe and fun night!
We are off to a food party this evening and after eating so much over Christmas I'm not sure I'll find any clothes that still fit in 2012.  For those interested in Weight Loss or Fitness goals for 2012  Check out the Great Fat Fraud and the Pedometer review.  Walking 10,000 steps a day has made me feel better and I have dropped a few stubborn pounds to boot,  now my goal is to stay at this weight as I enter my 43rd year of life.  I want my clothes to fit as long as I want to wear them and I love wearing a size 2 or 4 depending on the brand and cut...extra small is fun too....Yeah!!!!

2011 Reading Challenge



2011 Reading Challenge

Book Him Danno has

(This is just Lisa's goal!)
completed a goal of reading 170 books in 2011!


hide








Friday, December 30, 2011

Giveaway Blog Hop New Years Eve 2012 - December 30th - January 3rd

One Winner wins: A copy of Delayed Flight from the author.  Here is the link to our review.  Here is the link to the author interview.

                        


Happy New Year to all of our followers.  Thank You.
Enter this contest by Following this blog: any of these GFC, Twitter, Network Blogs.
and commenting with contact info like: lisapeters at yahoo dot com and adding the way that you follow with your following name.  1 extra entry for commenting on the book post or the author interview.  That is it.  Thanks 
Delayed Flight

In case you can't wait to see if you are a winner, you can purchase the book at Amazon.  Thanks

Thursday, December 29, 2011

December Quote of the Month

Winner of the last blog hop was Vicki...she has been contacted by the author.
Thanks and please come again.
A new blog hop starts tomorrow!  See you there!


You have brains in your head.  You have feet in your shoes.  You can steer yourself, any direction you choose.

Today is your day.  Your mountain is waiting.  So...get on your way.

Dr. Seuss ..... of course!

What are some of your New Years Resolution this year?

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Happy Anniversary to the two of us!

Both a bit wiser and a bit larger than we were only 21 years ago.
Not quite the newly wed pose, but we tried.
Reading keeps us young along with the five kids that never give us a break.
Dinner for the family tonight 
to celebrate the 21 years we have been together.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Book Review - Deadly Straits - R.E. McDermott

Deadly Straits
Title:      Deadly Straits

Author:  R.E. McDermott

Review:  I can't believe this is R.E. McDermotts first book. Deadly Straits is a fast pace thriller that takes no prisoners. From the very beginning of the book the reader knows that the body count is going to be high and at times gruesome.  The author uses almost every country that has issues in the world today from Iran to Venezuela and had them working together.  Terrorists from all parts of the world, Jihadist, former East German to Chechen rebels. The author created such evil characters that you could only hope they would receive the same punishment they gave to others.  The hero of the book, Tom Dugan, was only trying to help a friend and instead found himself in the middle of a CIA\MI5 investigation. Tom wasn't an All American Hero and the author created a character that everyone could identity with when it came to feelings of regret, friendship, love and passion.  Towards the end of the book the author added two Russians for comic relief, the tension that had been building up and I was grateful for the two very funny Russians.

I enjoyed that R.E. McDermott gave a back stories to everyone who was important in the book so the reader could better understand the characters motives later on.  The only problem I found was the story jumped around from character to character and after a while there were too many characters to keep track of causing me to reread large sections of the book.  I ended up taking away their names and renaming some of the lesser characters as rebel 1 terrorist 2. At one point in the book I wasn't even sure who some of the lesser character were and decided to more past them to get back to the main story.

The author created a very believable story just like other great thriller authors such as Tom Clancy.  The author also had a large body count and with that came several scenes of strong language and gore.  I could have lived without someone’s guts coming out and a missing leg all in one chapter.


I felt this book was a combination of the movie Taken with the large dead body count but the suspense of a Tom Clancy mystery.

Thank you Heidi for this fabulous review…keep up the great work.

Publisher:  Published July 28th 2011 by R.E. McDermott

Copyright: 2011

Pages:  412

ISBN:    9780983741701

Quick Review:  31/2  Stars out of 5. 

Where I Obtained the Book:  The author sent it for review.

Synopsis:  When marine engineer and very part-time spook Tom Dugan becomes collateral damage in the War on Terror, he's not about to take it lying down.
Falsely implicated in a hijacking, he's offered a chance to clear himself by helping the CIA snare their real prey, Dugan's best friend, London ship owner Alex Kairouz. Reluctantly, Dugan agrees to go undercover in Alex's company, despite doubts about his friend's guilt. Once undercover, Dugan's steadfast refusal to accept Alex's guilt puts him at odds not only with his CIA superiors, but also with a beautiful British agent with whom he's romantically involved.
When a tanker is found adrift near Singapore with a dead crew, and another explodes in Panama as Alex lies near death after a suspicious suicide attempt, Dugan is framed for the attacks. Out of options, and convinced the attacks are prelude to an even more devastating assault, Dugan eludes capture to follow his last lead to Russia, only to be shanghaied as an 'advisor' to a Russian Spetsnaz unit on a suicide mission.
Deadly Straits is a non-stop thrill ride, from London streets, to the dry docks of Singapore, to the decks of the tankers that feed the world's thirst for oil, with stops along the way in Panama, Langley, Virginia, and Teheran. Richly spiced with detail from the author's 30 years sailing, building, and repairing ships worldwide, it is, in the words of one reviewer, "fast-paced, multilayered and gripping."
 Image of R E McDermott
Author Biography:  R.E. McDermott grew up on the Gulf Coast and graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. He's worked in the marine industry for over thirty years, in positions from ship's officer to shipping company management. Traveling widely, he's lived abroad for extended periods, and managed ship-building projects in the U.S., Japan, Singapore, and China. He currently splits his time between the U.S. and Singapore, where he operates a marine consultancy, advising clients on ship construction, and operational and engineering matters. Deadly Straits is his first novel
Other Reviews: 

Monday, December 26, 2011

Monday in my Mailbox

Well our mailbox has been busy with Christmas card, gifts and books.  Happy Boxing Day.  What did you get to read this holiday?
Ten Tea Parties: Patriotic Protests That History ForgotEveryone knows the story of the Boston Tea Party—in which colonists stormed three British ships and dumped 92,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. But do you know the history of the Philadelphia Tea Party (December 1773)? How about the York, Maine, Tea Party (September 1774) or the Wilmington, North Carolina, Tea Party (March 1775)?

Ten Tea Parties is the first book to chronicle all these uniquely American protests. Author and historian Joseph Cummins begins with the history of the East India Company (the biggest global corporation in the eighteenth century) and their staggering financial losses during the Boston Tea Party (more than a million dollars in today’s money).

From there we travel to Philadelphia, where Captain Samuel Ayres was nearly tarred and feathered by a mob of 8,000 angry patriots. Then we set sail for New York City, where the Sons of Liberty raided the Londonand heaved 18 chests of tea into the Hudson River. Still later, in Annapolis, Maryland, a brigantine carrying 2,320 pounds of the “wretched weed” was burned to ashes.

Together, the stories in Ten Tea Parties illuminate the power of Americans banding together as Americans—for the very first time in the fledgling nation’s history. It’s no wonder these patriots remain an inspiration to so many people today.  Goodreads win, first reads.
Deadly StraitsIn the tradition of Tom Clancy, Clive Cussler, Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, and W.E.B. Griffin, R.E. McDermott delivers a thriller to rival the masters. 

When marine engineer and very part-time spook Tom Dugan becomes collateral damage in the War on Terror, he's not about to take it lying down. 

Falsely implicated in a hijacking, he's offered a chance to clear himself by helping the CIA snare their real prey, Dugan's best friend, London ship owner Alex Kairouz. Reluctantly, Dugan agrees to go undercover in Alex's company, despite doubts about his friend's guilt. Once undercover, Dugan's steadfast refusal to accept Alex's guilt puts him at odds not only with his CIA superiors, but also with a beautiful British agent with whom he's romantically involved. 

When a tanker is found adrift near Singapore with a dead crew, and another explodes in Panama as Alex lies near death after a suspicious suicide attempt, Dugan is framed for the attacks. Out of options, and convinced the attacks are prelude to an even more devastating assault, Dugan eludes capture to follow his last lead to Russia, only to be shanghaied as an 'advisor' to a Russian Spetsnaz unit on a suicide mission.

Deadly Straits is a non-stop thrill ride, from London streets, to the dry docks of Singapore, to the decks of the tankers that slake the world's thirst for oil, with stops along the way in Panama, Langley, Virginia, and Teheran. Richly spiced with detail from the author's 30 years sailing, building, and repairing ships worldwide, it is, in the words of one reviewer, "fast-paced, multilayered and gripping."  Sent by the author.
Brandon Marlowe and the Alpha in the OmegaThe war between Humans and Gods threatened the existence of both races when the powerful half-human, half-god offspring of the Gods known as Demigods brought their powers into the struggle. The Gods knew that for their way of life to continue, they had to fade into Humanity's memory. To do so, Zeus unleashed one of his most powerful weapons as a distraction - his own son, Alpha, the most powerful Demigod in history. Alpha's incredible powers had soon enslaved the Human race, so Zeus locked his son away forever before Alpha could use his Followers to challenge the Gods of Olympus. 

At the School in Tartarus where students learn the skills to continue to wage the war on the Gods, Brandon Marlowe is back, continuing his second year. Having attained a ranking as the 10th best student in the School, Brandon is finally granted access to the restricted Omega library. Driven there by his relentless desire to learn the truth about his older brother's death, Brandon will also discover the carefully guarded secret of Alpha's existence. As more about the terrible threat he posed to the Human world is revealed, the top students in the school learn an even more terrible truth. Alpha's Followers are poised to release him into the world once again, and unless Brandon and the other ranked students can stop them, Humanity will fall. Send for review
Empire of the GodsLinus is taken prisoner from earth by a barbaric civilization rampaging through our galaxy. He is to be sold into slavery, spending his life toiling in the factories or front lines. Or he may be killed at any time for the amusement of his captors. This evil Empire is ruled by invincible tyrants with limitless abilities. They have powers to make any wish come true just by thinking of it. And the depravity of the rules filters down to every level of society. This empire has vast armies with advanced technology far beyond that of any of the conquered planets. Linus is not a superhero. He is an ordinary person with no special weapons or fighting skills. His journey through this society is a revelation about ourselves and our culture. It's a study of power, who has it and how they got it. This novel is about 157,000 words (about twice the size of the average sci-fi book). It is not intended for children or teenagers, but will be entertaining to thinking adults. Sent for review.
All Her Father's GunsCal Lyte, a gun-loving venture capitalist, is tired of paying alimony to his ex-wife Tabytha. Plotting to blackmail her and derail her campaign for Congress, he enlists the help of their daughter's boyfriend, British academic Reid Seyton, to unearth some Lyte family secrets. But the results turn out to be more than anyone bargained for, in an escalating cycle of revelations that will leave nobody's life the same.  Sent for review.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas Eve To All


I hope you all have a magical Christmas Eve that you remember as children.  Merry Christmas Eve...My favorite day of the year.  Friends, Family and so much food I think I will burst.  Have a great holiday.

Thanks to all of our readers and for all the fantastic comments you have made this past year.  Keep it comin'. Merry Christmas to you all.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Movie Review - The Help - rent it today!

The Help

I realize I'm a bit behind the times, but we have five kids so going out is not an option we get to take very often.  We rented this movie the other night and I have to say that I was surprised it was almost as good as the book.  Watching a movie after reading the book always worries me and I have skipped several movies because I hate it when Hollywood ruins a great book.  This is not the case with the movie The Help.  I laughed and I got a bit teary eyed in places, but I enjoyed the movie almost as much as I enjoyed the book.  Of course the book has more details and the characters are like friends once you finish, but this movie was quite good and I would suggest it to everyone out there.

I did hate Hilly, people like that really twist my knickers.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Book Review - The Hour of Tiamat - Lisa M Taylor

The Hour of Tiamat
Title:      The Hour of Tiamat

Author:  Lisa Taylor

Review:  The first few chapters of this book kind of freaked me out.  I wasn’t sure where the demons were coming from and why they were released to kill.  As I read further I realized what was going on and why the whole thing needed to be stopped.  The characters calling the demons were quite scary, I didn’t care for them at all.  The group trying to stop them was more fully developed and of course I was cheering for them to succeed.

I think the book was interesting and after about reading half of the book I really wanted to finish it and see what would happen to the world.  It took some time to get into, but once it started it kept my interest.  Demons and things involving demons have never been a huge interest to me, but if they interest you than read this book and see what you think.


Publisher:  Published June 20th 2011 by AuthorHouse

Copyright: 2011

Pages:  192

ISBN:    9781463424404

Quick Review:  3 Stars out of 5. 

Where I Obtained the Book:  The author sent it for review.

Synopsis:  We've all heard of the Mayan predictions of a vast change coming in the year 2012; but it turns out the ancient Sumerian people had a very similar prophecy…
The dreaded Necronomicon, a book of fable said to contain all the ancient knowledge of the Sumerian civilization has surfaced and fallen into the hands of four teenagers in a small Texas town. Tonight, after years of studying its dark teachings in secret, they gather to call back to Earth those Gods that tried to enslave humanity over ten thousand years ago, and in turn become rulers themselves.
Under threat of his life, Tristan helps them complete the ritual; but does that mean it is too late to stop this apocalypse? With Evelyn, whose past and future seem inextricably linked to Tristan, their friend Hunter and a host of surprising paranormal helpers, Tristan will race against murderers, monsters, and time itself to shut the ancient gate before our evil creators are upon us again.
Lisa  Taylor 
Author Biography:  Lisa was born in Paris, Texas, the youngest of three children. Her family moved every few years, so she grew up all over the United States. All that time in cars and airplanes gave her ample opportunity to start writing early.
When she was eighteen she was accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and she graduated in May, 2010. In July 2010, however, she was honorably discharged from the Army due to medical reasons, so she is now beginning her career as an author. She currently lives in Kentucky with her sister and two wonderful, if spoiled, border collies.
Other Reviews: 

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Blog Hop Mid-Winters Eve Blog Hop

8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf
The author is giving a ecopy of his book to one lucky reader.  
Follow this blog in anyway, GFC, Networked Blog, or Twitter for a chance to win.  
Leave a comment with how you follow and contact information this is the 1st entry. 
  For an extra two entries please like the authors facebook page: 8: The Untold Story.
  Link Here.  
Thanks, Michael.
Thanks the winner will be announced on or around the 30th.
Good Luck to you all, Happy Holiday's!!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Older Book Review - Tuck Everlasting - Natalie Babbit




Title:  Tuck Everlasting

Author: Natalie Babbitt

Review:  I read this book with my daughter, she laughed when I cried at end. The book was short, but it got its point across. Things move on and on and if you don't, well that ain't natural.

The relationship between Winnie and the Tucks was sweet. I'm glad Winnie made the choice she did and I think so were the Tucks.  Everlasting life is something we think we want, especially when a loved one dies, but what would we do with all that time?  Work, play, read, …. Forever is …well forever.  And it would feel longer if you were the only one living it.

This is a sweet book that will take you an hour to read.  I really wish it had been longer, it had a slightly unfinished feel to it.


Publisher: Published September 17th 2010 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (first published January 1st 1975)

ISBN: 0374706441

Copyright: 1975

Pages: 144

Quick Review: 31/2 stars (out of 5)

Why I Read It: This has been on my TBR list and my daughter was reading it for school so I grabbed it one evening.

Where I Obtained the Book: My daughters copy from the school.

Synopsis:  Doomed to—or blessed with—eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less a blessing that it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.

Author Biography:  Natalie Babbitt was born Natalie Zane Moore on July 28, 1932, in Dayton, Ohio. She attended Laurel School for Girls, and then Smith College. She has 3 children and is married to Samuel Fisher Babbitt. She is a grandmother of 3 and lives in Rhode Island.

She is also a board member of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance a national not-for-profit that actively advocates for literacy, literature, and libraries

Monday, December 19, 2011

Monday Musing

I don't know about the rest of you, but when I want to learn about something I buy a book.  I have read books on many subjects, some I enjoyed and pursued and some that I felt held nothing for me.  Well with Christmas coming and gifts to buy, the first thing I think is to get someone a book on a subject they enjoy.  Is this wrong?  I realize we now have Google and believe me I use it daily to look up things that I wonder about or to find the best price on an item.  But I have to say that I hate reading on the computer and find a book to have so much more information then a quick Google search.

SO what are you buying for those on your gift list this year?  My kids want anything but BOOKS, they all believe we have plenty.  I don't agree, I send all read books to the local library for the Friends of the Library sale that helps raise funds.  We have clear spaces on our shelves, so why not put a  few good books under the tree for everyone on your list.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Book Review - Hollowland - Amanda Hocking

 Hollowland (The Hollows, #1)
Title:      Hollowland   

Author:   Amanda Hocking

Review:  I will start out with the fact that I love Zombie books because they always make me think of how I would survive the end of the world. The author makes the story so believable that it caused me to question why I bought a house with so many windows.  Now I want to lock my doors, and possibly buy a gun just in case there is a zombie outbreak soon.

For a young adult book it was quite fun and a very easy read. I love how the author made the ending of each chapter climax, taunting the reader to finish the book in one night.

I also enjoyed the slightly different twist on the Zombie genre and how the virus would slowly kill the host and zombies would never reanimate as opposed to most zombie stories, where they live forever until someone shoots them in the head.   The author made an awesome gross-out factor when describing the gore of the zombies.

The book has your typical Zombie story: a group of diverse people thrown together while at the same time wonderful friendships develop and others are tested. 

Remy, the lead female character, was a great example of unconditional love for a family member.  In that nothing would stop her from finding her brother and saving his life.  Remy had her flaws, but that’s what made her likeable while being frustrating at the same time. I also wish she had fleshed out some of the other characters like Blue.  I feel like we hardly knew Blue, yet he was willing to sacrifice everything for Remy's cause even if it meant being thrown out of the only safe place left in the world.  There were several other underdeveloped characters that I think could have been fleshed out more to make their actions more believable. 

I really enjoyed the authors twist on animals, specifically the lions and how they loved eating zombies. However my only question is if the virus killing the human is a mutation of the Rabies virus, wouldn't it effect animals also? 

I won’t give away the ending but it was very emotional, and Remy's story causes the reader to break down realizing sometimes the greatest sacrifice in the world is for someone you love(be sure to have some tissue close.)

What could have been left out in my opinion was the sex scene in the latter half of the book.  It turned this adventure novel into a serious romance.  When writing a novel aimed at teens it may be more appropriate to tone down the sexuality.  Remy was also kind of a pain when it came to the romance. I get she is a broken person but come on, stop leading the poor guy on if you have no interest in him.

There were some grammatical and editing errors, but the book was interesting so I was able to look past the mistakes.

If you are really into Zombie movies, TV shows, and books than this is a can't be missed.  It has the vibe of Resident Evil, the humor of Zombieland and the gross out factor of your typical zombie movies.  I can't wait to read the next book because I want to know what happens to everyone.

Thank you to Heidi for this fabulous review.


Publisher:  Published October 6th 2010 by AmandaHocking

Copyright: 2010

Pages:  312

ISBN:    9781453860953

Quick Review:  4 Stars out of 5. 

Why I Read it:  It sounded fun, this author is from my hometown.

Where I Obtained the Book:  Free from Amazon for Kindle.

Synopsis:  "This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."
Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.
Amanda Hocking
Author Biography:  I live in Minnesota, and I write young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy mostly. The My Blood Approves series is about vampires in Minneapolis, and its available now. I also wrote the Trylle Trilogy, which is a paranormal romance without vampires, shifters, mermaids, fae, angels, dragons, ghosts, or ninjas.
My latest book is Hollowland - a zombie urban fantasy set in the dystopian near future. It's a bit more violent and gritter than my other books, but there is still romance. Mostly though, Remy kicks a lot of butt.
I also enjoy Red Bull, Jim Henson, Batman, Jane Austen, Star Wars legos, and I absolutely hate long walks on the beach out of my intense fear/hatred of wet sand
My favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut, Chuck Palahniuk, Bret Easton Ellis, Alan Moore, and J. D. Salinger, but I don't write anything like them. I have an obsession with River Phoenix, and I've seen Silence of the Lambs more than any other movie, even The Dark Knight. If I were trapped on a deserted island, the one thing I'd take with me would be a boat capable for taking me home.
I'm also the guitarist in a band called the Fraggin Aardvarks, and even though its even twice as cool as it sounds, we haven't had a practice in like two years, so I'm not sure that technically we are still a band. But we never broke up, and it's an awesome thing to tell people, so I'm sticking with it. (We even had a synethesizer!)
Other Reviews: 

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Book Review - 8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf - Michael Mullin

The author is giving an ecopy of this book away at the Mid-Winters Blog Hop
December 21st-27th.  See you there.  Thanks Michael.
8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf
Title:  8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf

Author: Michael Mullin

Review:   Fairy tales lost something when all the dreadful parts were removed to make them more appropriate for children.  We now have children that think everything is going to be great and nothing bad ever happens in the world.  We all know that isn’t true and I have to say that I enjoyed this rendition of Snow White.  The idea that everything was not perfect, besides the messy cottage,  in the lives of the Dwarfs was refreshing.

This short story is written in verse and includes drawings along the way.  I read this on a bus full of 7th graders and some stopped talking to looked at me as I laughed and smiled while following the story.  This is a short and sweet story that I think kids and adults will enjoy.  What if this is really the story after all?  What a great take on Snow White.  Give it a try I think you will be pleasantly surprised.


Publisher: Published November 11th 2010 by Mullin, Michael

ISBN: 2940011138799

Copyright: 2010

Pages: ebook

Quick Review: 4 stars (out of 5)

Why I Read It:  Sent by the author for review.

Synopsis: Written in verse, this is the previously untold story of the previously unknown 8th dwarf, named Creepy. He is banished to the basement for being different and, well, weird. Yet he plays a vital - and of course previously unknown - role in the popular tale of Snow White (whose title character is an intruder Creepy refers to as "the Maid").
 Michael Mullin
Author Biography: Michael Mullin is a native New Englander living in Los Angeles. He is the co-author of John Skewes' successful Larry Gets Lost children's book series. In late 2010, he released 8: The Previously Untold Story of the Previously Unknown 8th Dwarf, the first in a trilogy of alternative/retold fairy tales. He published two novelty Mickey Mouse books, and his screenplay Zooing Time was recognized by the WGA's Written By magazine. Before all this writing, he taught preschool and college (two positions he found disconcertingly similar).


Other Reviews:

Friday, December 16, 2011

Delayed Flight - Author Interview with John J. Smith



After reading Delayed Flight I asked the author a few questions I thought our readers would be interested in.  Thank you for joining us today.

1.   John what was your inspiration for this story?

I was in an airport during a snow storm and I watched a couple talking, obviously they had not seen each other in quite some time and it looked as if he wanted to pick up where they left off but I don’t believe she did, she looked angry.  As I eavesdropped on the conversation (I know, not good, but sometimes the best material is right in front of you) I could tell she was upset and there was no way that relationship would pick up.  I then felt sorry for both of them and thought, I wonder what would happen if they were thrown together into a situation where they had to see each other, what would be the outcome? Would he continue to pursue her?  Would she change her mind?  Could they even pick up from where they left off or would it be better to start anew.  What would happen if there was a secret that she didn’t want him to know? Since I love reading and have a passion for writing, and really enjoy love stories, I knew I had to write this.

2.   What would you like to tell our readers about your book?

Delayed Flight is a love story told from the perspective of the woman and man and the decisions we make, and what decisions we would make if we had the opportunity to make them again.  Delayed Flight also shows us how intertwined we are with everyone we know and meet, and at times when something happens it’s really not what it seems and communications is the key to understanding.

3.   Who is your favorite author and what is your favorite book?

This is a hard one, I have so many, and it really depends on my mood when I sit down to read.  Nicholas Sparks is by far my favorite. The Wedding really tugged on some strings, if you know what I mean.  It was great to watch the relationship rekindle and grow, and the wedding was about them and the opportunity to retake their vows and renew the love and commitment that brought them together to begin with.

4.   Inspirational words for writers just starting out?

This is also a tough question as most will say write what you know about. I’ve always been, write what you feel. If it feels good then get it on paper. Let the idea blossom and let your muse bring it to life. But more importantly, never give up, never stop writing because writing is a love that will always be with you even when you put the pen down or turn off your computer.

Thanks John for taking this time with us.  Good luck with your writing.  Page down for yesterdays review of Delayed Flight.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Book Review - Delayed Flight - John J. Smith

Jade Loves is the winner of the Amazon GC.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by to enter.
Come again, another blog hop coming up on the 21st.
Delayed Flight
Title:  Delayed Flight

Author: John Smith

Review:   I loved the idea of this book, who wouldn’t want to find out what happen to their first love?  Well I would love to know what he is doing today and what a great way to catch-up while having nothing better to do.  Finding yourself stuck at an airport is a bummer, but then finding someone you know stuck also is a blessing(or I hope it is anyway.  I guess it would depend on who it was.)  Looking at the cover and thinking about the idea of the book made me smile.

As for the book itself, well it fell a bit flat for me.  I don’t believe in coincidences, but come on sometimes enough is enough and  No….No…No….No…there is limit to what people will believe and this went a bit too far for even me, who loves romance and the idea of a long lost love still pining for me somewhere in the world.  A bit of reality never hurt a book and this one could use a large dose.  Life does not line up like this book did and even with the characters fighting against Fate, I still could not swallow all the accidents that seemed to occur.

I liked the writing(especially the first chapter...funny LOL) it flowed well, and if I could get past all the way over the top , just happened that way,  made-up, you’ve got to be kidding me, things; I think I would have given it a higher rating.  I think there is definite potential here maybe a made for TV movie or a chick flix starring Jennifer Aniston.  But for a book there were just too many neat little fixes that just fell in to place along the way.  I think every book needs a dose of real life and this one would be better if it had some.  I liked the characters, but Veronica was a bit of a whiner. Jared was great and then a bit too great, if you know what I mean.


If you enjoy romance and stories that are almost too good to be true you will like this book. 

Publisher: Published January 1st 2011 Dark Red Press

ISBN: B004HO648W

Copyright: 2011


Quick Review: 3 stars (out of 5)

Why I Read It:  Sent by the Premier Virtual Author Book Tours

Synopsis: Veronica, a widow from an abusive marriage, is looking forward to having a wonderful visit with her daughter, Jeri. It had been a year since Jeri moved away to college andVeronica cannot think of anywhere else she would rather be than spend a peaceful Christmas with Jeri.

Jared thought his day had already gone badly when his hiring proposal for consultants was put on hold. Now he finds himself stranded in a blizzard and discovers his rental car has a flat.To add insult upon injury, the keys are locked in the trunk!

When Veronica sees Jared walk into the airport terminal and takes a seat across from her, she can feel her emotions run amok bouncing somewhere between loathing and love. He was the man, whom she had loved and yet he had walked out on her. Jared on the other hand wants to do everything in his power to heal her wounds. In the deepest region of his heart, he wants to start over.

On icy roads, and deep in thought, Jeri’s is suddenly involved in a serious accident, and as Veronica rushes through the halls of the hospital, in search to find answers, she stumbles upon Jared. It is then Veronica realizes at that their present has brought them together shrouded in the events of their past while the doctors feverishly work to save her daughter’s life.

Author Biography: My name is John Smith, but with such a common name, I was once convinced by a peer of a consulting company where I was once employed that I should at least include my middle initial, which is J.

So, if you’ve seen my query letter or an entry into a contest, you would have seen my name as John J. Smith (I’ve often looked for a pen name – hmmm. Maybe Bachman would be good).

My day job, which I have not resigned, is as a computer professional for a large finance corporation, where I not only manage a team of professionals, but I pretty much write most of the documentation for our group, documentation that is mostly in the areas of processes, procedures, and training guides. Plus whatever else I can volunteer for.  I have yet to turn down any type of a writing gig.  I hope one day to sanitize some of my work and post it on my web – who knows, maybe you’ll find those somewhat entertaining (yeah, right) and would offer some freelance copywriting.

I’ve been in the computer profession for quite some time, but I have to be honest with you, writing (and of course reading) is my passion – don’t get me wrong, computers and the professional life is wonderful, but writing, especially fiction, touches a part of my brain that I find exciting.

Those of us who write, and those of us who read books and articles on writing, know we must write daily – I make sure I do that, just not always in the world of fiction.

To date I have been noted in contests where I have won three honorable mentions, and a fourth for just showing up.  Even though I did not place as well as I had liked, I cherish these awards.  When you enter a contest of thousands and place in the top twenty, it’s a thrill.  Who knows, if I keep plugging away, I just might hit the top three.

Welcome to my website, Writer’s Alcove, the place where I go to dream of stories and tales. Grab a beverage and stay awhile.

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