Deadly Appraisal
by Jane Cleland

Deadly Appraisal is the second in the series by Jane K. Cleland that features the amateur sleuth Josie Prescott.

Josie runs an antique consignment shopl, and is quickly becoming known in the community. This offers up an opportunity to exploit her expertise when Maisy Gaylor of the Portsmouth Women’s Guild asks Josie to sponsor a charity dinner and antique auction. While anxiously awaiting for Maisy Gaylor to name the winner she ends up dead, someone has poisoned her wine. Who would want to kill Maisy? Or was the poisoned wine even intended for Maisy or someone else? Perhaps it was intended for Josie, and if so, Why?

Deadly Appraisal is a murder mystery that will have you guessing who the killer is until the end. The author has a gift for her genre and is to be applauded. Her characters are well defined and believable. This is a series that everyone will enjoy and is great entertainment.

The Dark Tide
by Andrew Gross
ISBN: 9780061143427
William Morrow
An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers
Reviewed by Terry South, Quality Book Reviews

The Dark Tide is Andrew Gross’ second solo novel which is due to go on sale on 3/18/08.

Andrew Gross delivers an ingenious and intricately layered plot, while still creating convincing personal journeys for his characters. The Dark Tide delivers a tantalizing and intriguing story packed with shocking twists that will keep you guessing and begging for more. Gross is a master storyteller and demands attention.

The Dark Tide is a riveting, mind blowing story full of twist and turns. The author draws the reader in and I found myself trying to piece the puzzling story together through to the very end. A true page turner, I was unable to put this one down as it demands to be finished.

** Warning ** Do not continue reading as the following review contains spoilers.

The Dark Tide takes place in Greenwich, Conneticut among the wealthy. It begins with the Friedman family which consists of Charles, Karen and their two children Samantha and Alex. The Friedman’s lives are about to become explosive with the unfolding of the story. Literally there is an explosion at Grand Central Station where Charles Friedman is presumed dead, however, Karen holds out hope; thinking Charlie can come out of this like he does with everything else in life. Karen brings herself to finally watch the documentary one year after the explosion of Grand Central Station. What she finds is astounding, heart stopping and she finds herself watching the same frame over and over. Is her husband really alive? Did he survive, or is it her imagination playing tricks on her?

Karen finds herself searching for the truth and what she finds is $250 million worth of heartache; she is thrown into a whirlwind of international scams, losses of funds, lies, conspiracy and murder.

Karen’s life is turned upside down and she is drawn into the shock of her life, she seeks help from the Greenwich detective Ty Hauck. As the story futher unfolds I found myself hoping that Karen and Ty become involved in more than just the search for Charlie. Andrew Gross takes the characters across the Caribbean with beautiful detail, with the warmth of the sun, the beautiful waters, and the many islands through his vivid details.

The characters are finely tuned, compelling and memorable and you will find yourself caught up within the lives of the characters, I found myself in Karen’s shoes throughout the story. I could feel what she was feeling, Andrew Gross has developed such great characters that you feel as if you are in the shoes of the main character who I felt was the telling the story (Karen Friedman).

Karen through the help of Ty finds that her husband is indeed alive and feels cheated, and is consumed with the question of Why? Has the last eighteen years of her life with her husband Charles been a lie? What was he doing? Why did he lie, could he not trust her with the truth? Was there another woman? Why disappear and let her and and the children believe he was dead? She was determined to find him and find out for herself.

The Dark Tide is explosive action, intriguing, compelling and suspenseful thriller packed with enticing twists and turns to keep you on the edge. The author has created a powerful thriller that tantalizes with a sense of suspense and a steady flow of action. Gross has done a fantastic job in creating a story that is thought provoking and wraps everthing up effortlessly.

If you are in the market for an explosive read that will leave you thinking and talking for days after reading THIS IS IT!

It has been a great pleasure to be able to read and provide a review and I look forward to all of Andrew Gross’ future publications.

The ARC contained some typographical errors which should not be within the pages of the final published copy.

Strong language was used throughout for those that maybe offended. But please do not allow this to deter you, THIS IS AN EXPLOSIVE READ!!!

Andrew Gross web pages:
www.AndrewGrossBooks.com

www.myspace.com/andrewgrossbooks

I wanted to thank Harper Collins for the ARC of “The Dark Tide” by Andrew Gross, it has been a great pleasure reading such an explosive read. I cannot convey how much I enjoyed reading this, I think Andrew Gross has out done himself with this one and has set such a high standard and I truly love his work.

I have already spread the word through family, friends and co-workers and they are ready to hit the stores on 3/18/08.

The cover is also an attention getter as everyone has asked is the jacket designed that way or did you tear the jacket, so a great idea of grabbing everyone’s attention.

This is directed to the authors as well as our readers and reviewers.

Authors how do you feel about this new device (Amazon Kindle)? Are you for it or against its use?
I understand that the Kindle is growing in demand and that they are out of stock but are working on these devices as quickly as possible.

I have heard mixed reviews from many who have already bought these devices and other than a few glitches with holding the device in place in its softcover, I have heard no complaints. Actually it is all a buzz of how easy it is to take your device with you where you go and that the downloads are quick, wireless and automatic to the Kindle device.

I have placed an order for mine but I still have not heard when they project a shipment date as of yet. I have always turned down reading ebooks for the simple fact of sitting behind a computer all day, now they have developed this mobile device that is so simple to change the font size making it adaptable to the readers needs.

They have newspapers, magazines that can automatically be downloaded onto the Kindle for a fraction of the monthly cost. You can even subscribed to certain blogs which will automatically download onto the device – all of this is being done wirelessly.

I am actually in a hurry to get my new Kindle device in my hot little hands to see how much better it is that picking up books and carrying with me.

I would like to have others thoughts and feelings on the Amazon Kindle:
Just come on in and give us your thoughts and opinions (whether good or bad)

Authors are you requesting that your novels be available in the Kindle format?

Thank you,

Quality Book Reviews

High Way From Hell
by Moonstone Star White

High Way From Hell by Moonstone Star White is a self-help book which is compelling and a profoundly insightful book into the inner mechanisms of emotion and how they drive us in all aspects of our lives. There is no true way to provide the outstanding review this read deserves. I would suggest you pick up a copy and read this one for yourself and experience the powerful, honest awareness of yourself. Once you have read this you will be picking up copies for your family and friends, as this is compelling and life enriching read.

High Way From Hell will stir emotions in the reader while providing you with the techniques for releasing anger, being able to forgive ourselves as well as others, and for working with our mistakes as well as our emotions rather than becoming a victim to them. The author presents us with a personal and all encompassing wisdom into how the inner journey can bring great joy, success and self-awareness, but that we must be ready and willing to go through our own emotions to get there by transforming emotions to facing truths we would rather ignore to working with karma, forgiveness and grace. The author provides us with the tools to gain insights and make our own journey to a more pleasant and better way of living. The author brings us in and gives us the inner workings to help us heal the total body including mind and spirit. Allowing us to heal ourselves from the inside out and providing useful insight into the workings of how to obtain this in a satisfying way allowing for gratification.

I highly recommend this book as it will inspire you and will enrich your life.

St Barts Breakdown

Oceanview Publishing (Hardcover) ISBN-10: 1-933515-12-0 (1933515120) ISBN-13: 978-1-933515-12-0 (1933515120) Publication Date: March 2008 List Price: $24.95

Reviewed by: Sean Caplett

St Barts Breakdown Synopsis provided by the publisher:
Rock and roll journalist Mick Sever is back with a new assignment: interview music legend Danny Murtz. Murtz’s walls are lined with platinum records, but his closet is full of skeletons. Known for producing an unbelievable string of hits, Murtz is also tied to a string of disappearances. Seems a number of Murtz’s romantic conquests have vanished into thin air. After his latest incident, Murtz conveniently retreats to his secluded St. Barts villa. Before Mick can hop a plane to the island, he’s nearly run down by a speeding car. Coincidence? Maybe, but hitmaker Danny Murtz and near misses go hand in hand. After receiving anonymous threats, Murtz is convinced: someone wants to bring him down. Even his longtime secretary Nancy, and attorney/manager/cleaner-upper Harvey Schwartz are suspect. And that meddlesome Mick Sever is digging too deep.

If Danny Murtz has his way, Mick will only need a one-way ticket to paradise. Because if Mick isn’t careful, his next column will be an obituary – his obituary. Sun, sand and a psychopath: it’s a deadly mix.

Review:

As the title suggest the setting is St. Barts island.

St Barts Breakdown has a mix but not a deadly mix, the mix is of suspense, mystery with added humor. St Barts Breakdown is the fourth in the series by Don Bruns and is a Mick Sever Mystery. The writer keeps us uniquely informed throughout the story leaving no guess work. The story is based on the fact that there have never been any murders in St. Barts.

The author has crafted an intriguing story and the characters are believable, some characters you will find yourself loving while some you will hate; the author has a knack of bringing life to his characters. The author has woven a few twists to the plot which provides for an interesting end.

St. Barts Breakdown is an entertaining read and is highly recommended. I found that this was difficult to put down and am anxious to read all the others in the series.

The Last Miracle Mile
by Mary Moon
Reviewed by Terry South for Quality Book Reviews

The Last Miracle Mile / by Mary Moon

The Last Miracle Mile is a true story which is so compelling and so inspirational it’s a guaranteed must read. Have you ever been in some type of an abusive relationship? If you answered yes or you know someone who has I highly recommend you pick up a copy today.

The Last Miracle Mile is such a heartfelt story and sends a much needed message to everyone who has had some type of abuse touch their lives. This book will help lift your spirit and make you soar to a new level.

This is not your typical self help book but is an inspiring true story of the Author’s childhood experience of abuse. I myself have lived a past life of very abusive relationships and the words and inspiration this book derives is unbelievable. It has given me a sense of peace and the inspiration to put life in a new perspective; I notice my life has improved since reading this one.

I recommend this book to everyone especially those who have been touched by violence. This book would make a perfect gift for friends, loved ones or someone you know who has also been touched by violence. Again this is a strong compelling and inspirational story to help pull you up and take your life back with pride. This book will demonstrate to you how to break the chain of violence.

Mary Moon teaches you in her own unique style about the grief cycle, co-dependency, boundaries and the cycle of verbal abuse; she’ll teach you how your insecurities, your low self-esteem, poor sense of self-worth and low self image were developed, and she’ll teach you how to refrain from the negativities in your life. You will no longer be the victim; you will raise above all the pain and sorrow and become the person you need to be. You will be the survivor and will prevail.

I do BELIEVE this is the best book I have EVER READ!!!!! I strongly believe this is one story that demands to be read by all! I believe that The Last Miracle Mile should be on the Best Seller List EVERYWHERE!!!

5 Star review *****

Terry / Quality Book Reviews

Humanity’s Edge
by Tamara Wilhite
Reviewed by Marsha Sellers for Quality Book Reviews

Humanity’s Edge was a little weird for me, a very different type of story. My thoughts and feelings about this book.

The author Tamara Wilhite is definately able to express herself and make you look at things in her own perspective. She is well spoken and appears to truly believe what she is writing.

This book consists of several short stories, mainly portraying people’s existance on other planets or their survival dealing with the after effects of some horrible event–such as the resulting effects of human technology experimenting with eartquakes, which caused tidal waves of death all over the continent due to gas emissions, or human cloning on other planets. One of her stories – Cathedral- is about genetics and experimental drugs.

I found it very hard to concentrate while reading this book, it is “out there”. I just couldn’t stay focused at all with this one. Me, personally I would not recommend it for anyone other than someone who is really into this type of thing. This author I feel is writing for educated and scientific people, not ordinary everyday people like me.

My space Her space

Author: Michael Ferguson
ISBN: 0-9747463-0-4

Publisher: Inner soul

Reviewed by: Marsha Sellers for Quality Book Reviews

This book is delicious!! I truly enjoyed reading this book, it is nice to see love from a mans point of view and Michael is excellent with his words.

While reading this book I was totally absorbed in it. It is a little x-rated, but leaves you wanting more!!

There are lots of people who play on Myspace, including myself, I truly believe this story has actually happened, and can happen to people within Myspace pages.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read. I am not a big fan of romance books, but this book is a wonderful read that will leave you wanting more.

The Woods
by: Harlan Coben
ISBN: 0525950125

Story of four teens who attend summer camp take off into the woods one evening to never return. Two are discovered dead, two have vanished and presumed dead. Were all four of the teens victims of the serial killer? As the story plays out, the two discovered dead teens are placed to rest and funeral services held, but what of the other two missing teens, where are their bodies? Are they really dead or hiding for their lives?

Harlan Coben has penned a whopper of an action packed thriller which is evident by the strong story line. There are many twists and the story tends to delve into other avenues that may at times take you away from the main theme, so pay close attention for the astounding end to this one. Not to be missed, an overall excellent read.

The Society of S
Susan Hubbard

Creation In Death
by: J.D. Robb

Another great hit in the”In Death” series which is a futuristic setting taking place in 2060.

I am a great fan of Nora Roberts writing as J.D. Robb and she never disappoints, I highly recommend this entire series. J.D. Robb is a master of her genre and all her stories are entertaining and must reads.

Five Stars to the “In Death” series.

Beginner’s Greek
by: James Collins

Holly and Peter meet on a flight from New York to Los Angeles and are immediately attracted to one another. At some inner level, they each know they met their life mate. This is an amusing chick lit romance in which one thing leads to another. Peter loses her number and years later Holly marries Peter’s best friend, will Holly and Peter ever realize they belong together or is it too late.

You will love the more surprising twists and turns in the lives of the various characters in this romance. You will be amazed at the surprises that will pop up throughout and some unexpected happenings you will never see coming your way.

You will want to pick up a copy of “Beginner’s Greek” as this is an amusing romantic read and demands to be read. No secrets or story lines revealed in this review, you will want to enjoy this one and discuss with your friends. A very entertaining read. And written by a male, so romance still can thrive where least expected from the male’s perspective.

The 13th Demon: Altar of the Spiral Eye
by: Bruce Hennigan
iUniverse (2006)
ISBN 9780595403967

Looking for a page turner that you will not be able to put down, here it is. Once you begin this one make sure you have time to finish or be prepared to be late to school, work, or where ever you may need to be. This is a gripping page turner page after page from beginning to end.

The story begins as a man comes crawling up the beach and finds his way to a woman’s home needing help. He has been severely beaten and left to die by the ocean. The man slips into a coma to awaken without any memory later in the hospital. Upon being discharged from the hospital he has no recollection or any memory of who he is and has no where to go, he accepts a job as a caretaker for a physician and falls for his daughter April.

On the eve of their engagement, Jonathan returns to the condo to find the doctor almost dead at the hands of a madman and no sign of his fiancée. Finding her alive and unharmed, Jonathan attempts to escape the madman who had done such violence, only to have them both caught and April killed before Jonathan is able to kill the man, who is actually a demon. As April lay dying in his arms, she told Jonathan that the demon had said that he had to kill Jonathan before he destroyed all of his kind. With her last breath, she begs Jonathan to fight the evil.

And so the quest begins, but where does one look to find the demons and to prevent evil?

An excellent entertaining read that demands to be finished once the first page has been read. An astounding 5 stars!

Bad Blood
by Pat Whitaker

Bad Blood is the first by Pat Whitaker. Usually with the first publication of a new writer you wonder if it is worth picking up and reading, well this one is well worth picking up. The author has penned a murder mystery like no other, it is written in present tense and contains a wealth of twist and turns. The author has the ability to draw you into the story and leaves you yearning for more.

The setting is England, and the author himself was born in England. He has the gift of vivid detail and the senses he arouses in you as you read is remarkable.

Upon finishing this one I was in awe and cannot wait to read future works from this author.

Punishment and Sacrifice
by John Reid

Synopsis (from the publisher): The children we abuse today could become the monsters of tomorrow. This is the story of child abuse and the nightmare it can create both in the present and the future. It parallels and distorts what is madness and what is sanity until the line becomes blurred beyond recognition. Dr. Jack Barker: respected psychologist, loving father, responsible neighbor, serial killer? Under his mask of sanity he is driven to commit his monstrous acts in a game of cat and mouse and justifies it all by the wrongs that are done to him in the present and were perpetrated on him in his childhood. Mike Swanson: broken recovering alcoholic police detective who has seen too many atrocities human beings can do to each other. Will he be able to stop the monster in this case or be consumed by his own demons from his past. When these two worlds collide in a cataclysmic explosion, the battle will not only be over who will survive but how to live with the nightmarish truth that ties each together in the bondage of the past.

Review:

Punishment and Sacrifice is based upon child abuse and the effects it brings later in life. The author has written this to show the relation of the potential long term consequences of abuse/child abuse. This book will make you think about how you treat your children as well as think of how others treat their children.

I found this to be a page turner and could not put it down until I had finished, I just had to know how this one ended. I have heard mixed reviews on this one, some people love it and could not put it down until completed while others hated it and found it outrageous and poorly penned. So my advice is to read this one and make your own determination, as everyone knows what someone loves others will not like, you be the judge.