Deadly Kisses

Brenda Joyce

Rich-girl sleuth Francesca Cahill returns for another adventure in early twentieth-century New York, this time attempting to exonerate her fiance of murder. Much to the dismay of her parents and most of polite society, Francesca is engaged to a self-made, wealthy enigma of a man, Calder Hart. She alone can see the goodness and vulnerability in this former rogue, and her faith in him is severely tested when his former mistress is murdered and he becomes the number-one suspect. Francesca dedicates herself to finding the real killer, in spite of much opposition. Calder attempts to distance himself from her until he realizes that no matter what he has or hasn't done, and no matter what is said of him, Francesca will loyally stand by even as things go from bad to worse. 

My Take:

Very rarely do I dislike a book as much as this one.  I couldn't stand the man character AT ALL.  She is in love with an absolute, well, the only way I can think of to describe him is D-bag, to be quite blunt.  She is proclaimed to be super intelligent and have amazing judgement, yet, the reader is forced to swallow this romance.  Francesca spends over half of her dialogue defending her "true love" and at least 3/4 of her inner thoughts defending him to herself and the reader.  Yuck.  I skipped pages and pages and pages (something I oh so rarely do) because it was so repetitive and unenjoyable.  Now, aside from the romance that bugged me, I was completely unimpressed by Francesca's sleuthing skills.  It wouldn't be a big deal, except that her character is famous for her ability to solve crimes, but I saw absolutely no evidence of her crime solving prowess.  In fact, she was so blinded by her personal life that she missed out on a ton of important clues and she was totally off base in a bazillion of her assumptions.  She didn't even have the slightest inkling of who the killer was until said person was waving a gun in her face.  I know it is easier for the reader to figure out whodunnit than it is for the characters, but I had the killer pegged so early it wasn't even interesting.  Also, the final showdown, a scene I always look forward to in mysteries, was a zzzzzzz fest.

Not only did I find the storyline lackluster, but the writing as well.  My apologies to the author, but contraction removal alone does not authentic period dialogue make.  Period dialogue is tough, if the author doesn't know what they are doing, the reader will see right through you and your dialogue.  I, personally, am a super crappy historical dialogue writer, which is why I stay away from it.  All in all the book felt clunky, badly paced, and completely uninteresting.  There was a very distinct feel of been there done that-a total no no for a mystery.  There were a few side story lines that I really enjoyed but since they took up a total of probably 40 pages, they weren't nearly enough to save this book for me.  I absolutely hate assigning this rating, but I have no choice.  5-Don't Even Bother 

Tell me what you think!  Have you read this book, or any of the other Francesca Cahill mysteries?  Have you read anything by Brenda Joyce?  Do you think I am totally off base in my review?  Hit the comments and let me know!

If Deadly Kisses were a movie, it would likely be rated R for some strong language and brief but strong sexual content

***FTC Disclosure:  Deadly Kisses was provided free of charge by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  No other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing Deadly Kisses, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon links, thank you!

Paperback:                          Kindle:

Love Turns the Tide

Gail Pallotta

Shattered by a failed romance, challenged by a different job, feature writer Cammie O’Shea dreads meeting her new boss, the editor of The Sun Dial newspaper, in Destin, Florida. However, her real source of angst turns out to be Vic Deleona, the influential real estate tycoon she must write about to generate interest in the paper.

While she refuses to open herself to another painful relationship he attempts to court her. Seeing him as pompous, she nonetheless goes out of her way to maintain a good business association.

However, when her friend, Angie Jones, has a break-in at her condo and there’s a mysterious vandalism at Cammie’s unit, Vic comes to their rescue, Cammie sees his Christian side and love blossoms.

My Take:

Eeeesh.  I really truly try to give an honest review without being crushingly brutal if I hated the book, but I felt as though this one was not done well.  The one good thing about the book was the love interest, Vic, but he was treated so poorly by the main character that I cringed every time they got together.  I didn't find Cammie to be relatable or enjoyable to read about at all.  She was so presumptuous and judgmental that I honestly was rooting for Vic to dump her and find someone else that would treat him better. Basically she treated him like absolute crap, constantly calling him "high and mighty Vic" when he was nothing but nice and casual with her.  I also wasn't a big fan of the dialogue, it felt much too formal-not natural at all.  There was another aspect of Love Turns the Tide that was interesting, but not endearing.  The book felt like a commercial for Coca-Cola (never referred to casually as Coke, only Coca-Cola) and various sandwiches.  Literally at least every second or third page, someone is eating a sandwich or drinking a Coke, usually both.  After 172 pages, this tends to grate on a person.  Finally the biggest disappointment was the lack of heart in the romance.  When I read a romance, I want to hear physical descriptions ( I didn't have a very good idea of what Cammie and Vic looked like), pining inner monologue, or declarations of love.  Love Turns the Tide was a bit lackluster, because the romantic descriptions were limited to "enjoying each other's company", "finding someone appealing"  Where is the passion?  Unfortunately not here, and all of this, plus the overabundance of Bible insertions (which I like if they are natural, these weren't) I have to give this book a 5, Don't Bother. 

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to lave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie it would likely be rated PG

A few words with the author, Gail Pallotta:

The Book Buff: When did you begin writing?

Gail Pallotta: Writing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I wrote my first story for publication in grammar school when a friend and I put out a newspaper about our classmates. I write because I can't not write. My husband says I have pretend people and events running around in my head, and I have to let them out. Perhaps, he's right.

TBB: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

GP: Hope -- "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him..." Romans 8: 28.

TBB: How did you come up with the names of your characters? 

GP: Before Cammie's fiance broke her heart she was a friendly, carefree person. I wanted a happy sounding name that conveyed that. Even though the emotional turmoil in Cammie's life overshadows her personality for a while, she regains her vitality through faith, friends, and her new love, Vic. I wanted the hero, Vic Deleona, to have a strong name. While he's busy with his real estate investments he never quits or tires of trying to win Cammie's heart. In the end Cammie sees his strength and goodness.

TBB: Do you have any advice for other writers?

GP: If writing is a part of you, and you have a story to tell never give up. Keep writing and believe in your story. Since each person is unique no one else could write your story like you.

TBB: What is the most interesting thing about you?

GP: I'm just an ordinary person. But perhaps in this day and age it is that total strangers seem to trust me. For instance, one day my daughter and I were in a check-out line at a discount store when the lady in front of us started talking to me about an item she wished she had bought. The more she discussed it the more she wanted it. Finally she looked at me. Speaking hurriedly she said, "Watch my basket and purse. I'll be right back." And she went to get the item. In case anyone is wondering, I did as she asked.

TBB: Is there a website or page you would like to be included on your review post?

GP: Sure, my Web site is http://www.gailpallotta.com and my blog is http://www.gailpallotta.blogspot.com. The publisher's site is www.awe-struck.net.

If you are interested in purchasing titles from this author, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

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How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math

Saundra Carter

In my family, I am the brains behind English, History, and Writing.  My hubby is the brains behind math, science and computers.  I always figured he'd be the one helping our kids with their math homework when the time came, and I'd help them with their essays.  Well, after reading this book, I'm still totally intimidated by math, but I feel like with the help of this book, I'll be more able to muddle through and help the kids.  Its broken down into useful sections such as Time Saving Techniques, Areas that Give Math Students the Most Difficulty, and also Careers in Mathematics.  I found this last section to be really great.  She goes into detail about jobs such as Actuary, Statistician, Economist, Geoscientist, and Surveyor.  As you can see from my blog, I'm a books and words kind of person, so you'd probably have to pay me triple to work any of those jobs, but I showed my nephew those pages (he LOVES math) and he was really interested and really excited to see the opportunities in pursuing math.  I also let my sister, who is a former elementary school teacher, current homeschooling SAHM, borrow the book to get a good look at it.  As a former teacher and mom of kids the age appropriate for the book (my daughter is 3, we don't need the book for her quite yet :)  I was anxious to get her opinion.   She and her home school group have found it to be a great book to have on hand in class to help students get through tough spots. Coming up with the right rating for this book was tough, I found this book to be a really great resource, and if is something you think you'd be able to use, then 1, Pay Full Price. However, if you are just fine in math and don't need the additional help, 5, Don't Even Bother. 

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

This book is rated G for all audiences

Now a few words with the author, Saundra Carter:

The Book Buff: When and why did you begin writing?

Saundra Carter: After tutoring young people in math for more than 15 years, I noticed that many of my students forgot their math lessons over summer break or after long absences. Writing the book provided a permanent record of our sessions together that they carry with them to college and in life to help their own children with math.

TBB: What was the hardest part of writing How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math?

SC: The most difficult part of writing the book was knowing when to finish. There are so many more math concepts that cause young people to struggle.  I did not want to re-write a text book, but an inspirational, educational, and entertaining book for parents and their children.

TBB: Is this book inspired by events in your own life?

SC: By sharing my own struggles with math as  a youth, I can let people know that they can move from fear to ferocity in math.

TBB: Is there a specific message in your book that you want readers to grasp?

SC: There is nothing to fear about math, but fear itself.

If you are interested in learning more about Saundra Carter, or her books and upcoming projects, check out the following link: http://www.math1on1.net

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

The Twain Shall Meet

j guevara

 A riotous, hilarious, soul-searching romp through the 20th century with THE icon of American literature in his unique wit, insight and perspective, as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago. What would Twain say if he were here today? Well, let's put the matter to rest. If you're a Twain fan you'll love it. If not, you will be. "Let not the tongue of idle cavilers dissuade"

My Take:

I have to say, I was totally put off by the main character in this story to the point of total distraction from just about all other aspects of the book.  His arrogance and "know it all-ness" was excruciating.  I don't know if I've ever rolled my eyes more in my life!  I am not sure the eye rolling came more from him generalizing an entire country by claiming all of Japan's culture as arrogant because some of the people believe McDonalds started there.  Or maybe it was calling the assumed "illegal" at the Burger King "Senorita Green Card Nada", and looking down on her when he has no right to judge, as he is a weed dealer for Heaven's sake, I think he might want to tone down throwing around the word "illegal".  Or maybe it was his overall mockery of anyone or anything with beliefs other than his own.  Funny enough, my biggest piece of entertainment while reading this book, was the laugh I got as I happened to be enjoying a particularly delicious Buck Double from Burger King during his pages long tirade of how revolting fast food is and how low a person must be to even consider eating "corporate food".  The saving graces of this book are the intriguing concept, the fact that Mark Twain is modern times loves Bill Cosby ( a personal favorite of mine), and lastly, I did enjoy reading the things Mark Twain would say if he got to visit out present day.  But overall, I was just too distracted by the totally off putting main character to enjoy Twain.  I'm sorry to say, but The Twain Shall Meet, gets a big ol' 5, Don't Even Bother.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie, it would likely be rated PG-13 for strong language throughout

***FTC Disclosure: This book was provided in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was given, all opinions are my own***

If you are interested in purchasing The Twain Shall Meet, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Farraday Road

Ace Collins

It’s just another quiet evening out for Lije and Kaitlyn Evans. But somewhere along the way, it becomes something more sinister and a murder takes place. In the aftermath, a small-town attorney sets out to find his wife’s killers and uncovers a deadly conspiracy. A suspenseful mystery with a twist of faith.

My Take:

Oy.  Farraday Road was one of the most exasperating books I have ever read.  The ending was not complete, the multiple mysteries were not (even remotely) plausible, and the characters were not endearing.  Let me begin with my biggest pet peeve of the book.  There are several mysteries, and they all revolve around this particular piece of land, somewhere off in the Ozarks.  I'm sorry, but is the reader really expected to believe that there is some secret World War II mystery hidden on the property AND the mysterious loot that Jessie James pulled in on a hidden train from a bank robbery AND the Knights Templar's hidden treasure is buried below the mountain on the property???  Really?  What are the odds that all three of these totally unrelated mysteries happening all on this random plot of land off in the hills somewhere?  Not only are you to believe it is remotely possible, there is hardly any resolution to the mysteries! (Not to mention there are a number of unrelated sub-mysteries, also unresolved)  I believe this book is the first in a series, but when you write the first book of a series, you must give up enough info about the mystery to keep the reader interested, and by the end, there must always be some sense of closure.  On the plus side, there was a character introduced toward the end of the book that was very intriguing, a strong blind woman named Janie.  I wouldn't mind if the author just dropped Lije, (the main guy from Farraday Road) and just wrote about Janie instead, as she is infinitely more interesting.  Overall if Farraday Road leaves you half as frustrated as I was, I think you will agree with my rating of 5, Don't Bother.  .

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If Farraday Road were a movie, it would likely be rated PG-13 for action and violence.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Guest Review: Some White English Women I've Almost Known

***This review has been written by one of The Book Buff's favorite writers, Jenn.  I look forward to more of her reviews, she is so talented!***

Mogbolahan Koya-Oyagbola

Some White English Women I've Almost Known is a collection of short stories and poems illustrating preconceived notions, stereotypes and futility in the modern world, from the perspective of a Nigerian man striving for acceptance.  The stories span both the world and time, outlining the difficulties one encounters in attempting to achieve personal satisfaction and discover approval.  We are bombarded with tales of stereotypes, loss, sacrifice and difficult truisms most people would find impossible to sustain.  The stories form a tale, a tale of a man, a tale of mankind, and mostly, a tale of Nigerian men, that they themselves become lost in, and reluctantly learn they are unable to differentiate themselves from the masses.

My Take:

I like to consider myself a fan of art, in all of its various forms, from painting and drawings to music, movies, animation, sculpture, architecture, and of course, the written word.  However, in each of my  encounters with art of any kind, I have become particularly aware of artistic intent versus the audience's reaction.  It is true that not everyone is a fan of Picasso's.  However, few can argue the brilliance of his work, the genius, the ingenuity, uniqueness, and passion.  On the other hand, there are some people who consider a toddler's marking of the wall with a magic marker, just as honest a piece of work as that of Picasso.  While some viewers have a horrific reaction to both Picasso's work, and that of the toddler (say this child's mother), few would view their work as being in the same league with the other.  To me, comparing the work of Mogbolahan Koya-Oyagbola's Some White English Women I've Almost Known, to that of say the work of Charles Dickens, or even Frank McCourt, is saying a child's rendering of multiple lines drawn on a wall in haste with an untrained hand, is just as impressive as any of Picasso's work.  

I found this book to be one of the most difficult I have ever attempted read.  I've made my way through the Canterbury Tales, The Iliad, much of Shakespeare's work in the traditional Old English, and yet, I loathed picking this book up and forcing myself to trudge on.  It's not that the stories were terrible per say, it was the way they were told.  It was difficult, at best, to keep track of just who we were reading about, and I have pondered for some time, the best way to explain the narration,  This, is the best I can come up with; at times the story is told by a man, listening to another man tell a story in the third person, with the first person perspective removed.  Yes.  I do realize that makes very little, if any sense, but that is the most accurate description I can give.  From there, there are various points of narration that you flow into another character's perspective without any introduction to them, and without even being aware until you "switch back" to another character, and realize at some point, you must have been looking at life through another's eyes.  For example at one point, a character is named as "A---", and not ten pages later, that same character is referred to as "Ade".  

Trying to keep up with what time period you are in, and who's life you are witnessing is torturous.  There is very little descriptive analysis of the location (one as opposed to another), time period, season, etc.  The most descriptive narration is reserved for the sexual content which is vivid, redundant, and extant throughout.  Unfortunately, you can't even determine what character you are witnessing by the names of the women, as they tend to overlap as well.  To give you an example of the absurdity and convoluted narration, I will use an excerpt from the work:

"Within the feverish delusion of sleep deprivation, his features blurred, his out line diminished until somewhere along the trajectory of his storytelling he morphed into me and I into him.  He therefore sat listening to myself speak, or was that me listening to himself speak?"

And that, unfortunately, is the frustration with this work.  As I mention at the onset of this review, there are powerful ideas touched upon, such as stereotype and sacrifice, but I find that much of the work is hypocritical as the author tries to shed light on the racism that remains in this world, and he winds up objectifying women, and showing them to be nothing more than all of the worst stereotypes attributed to them.  The adult content and lack of structure made this an extremely frustrating read.  The author even inserts various, somewhat unrelated poems throughout, which cause even more confusion, and left me with an even more sour taste for this collection of short stories.  I would rate this a 5, Don't Even Bother.  Save yourself the aggravation, and use the time to read something--anything--else.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie it would be rated a hard R.  For explicit sexual content and strong language throughout.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Ponder Awhile

Mohit.K.Misra

WIN SOME LOSE SOME,
a poem from Ponder Awhile

"Trust only in god,

Faithful then comes the dog.

The human is a racist,

Indeed also a sadist.

You seem to enjoy it when I burn,

Why should I show any remorse when it is your turn?

By so many I have been deceived,

Of course I am peeved.

More so at myself,

The other was cause itself.

To love is to respect to trust,

Something so often is unjust

.

Either you think divine,

Or you think like a swine.

You win some, you lose some,

Decide wisely for the outcome."

My Take:

I am an absolute lover of poetry.  I love all kinds, ranging from the semi-nonsensical of Lewis Carroll, to the romance of Shakespeare, and even the macabre work of Edgar Allen Poe.  Now, I am not expecting every piece of poetry I read and review to be absolute genius or groundbreaking, but I think that to classify Ponder Awhile as mediocre would be a stretch.  The poetry really felt like a middle school project for several reasons.  The first reason being the lack of editing.  There were several instances in which the author uses the word "seize" in place of "cease", here is an example:

From The Now

"All your practicalities will seize to exist,

The moment death you seize to resist"

Aside from misuse of words, grammatical errors abound (to, too, etc.).  The second reason was the ever present AABBCCDD rhyme scheme (if you are unfamiliar with rhyme schemes, what this means is the first two lines rhyme together, than the next two rhyme, the next two, on and on, as opposed to ABAB where every other line would rhyme).  While couplets (AABBCCDD) have their place, 50 odd poems chalk full of them was just too much.  This makes it feel very forced and very choppy.  Here is an example taken exactly as it was from the book:

From Shoot the Goal

"Focus between your eyebrows with intense concentration,

Then will come a deadly confrontation.

First implode into the of light,

Then explode to a divine sight.

Your religion and country are part of your ego,

For god, the truth even that one must let go.

Spread knowledge of the Light is what I must,

Soon I will be just dust."

I think it is an amateur belief to feel the need to be so strict with your rhyming.  When you are a child, and are learning about poetry, you think everything has to rhyme and match up perfectly.  This is not the case.  For some great examples of flow and effective use of rhyming, check out some of my favorite poems: Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley and Shakespeare's sonnets numbers 18 and 116.  It feels as if the author of Ponder Awhile is so bound and determined to have every line rhyme, that he has to twist his words around in weird ways to work in a rhyme, sometimes it doesn't even make sense at all.  Poetry is a way to express your deepest feelings, and as such must feel natural to be effective.  Again, I'm not saying that unless you are Shakespeare, your poetry is crap, but Ponder Awhile just wasn't very good, there's no two ways about it.

Now, I did like a lot of the messages the author was attempting to convey.  He writes about tolerance, love and religion, all worthy of poetic reverence.  The ideas behind the poems are very simple, which I believe to be a very good thing.  One poem in particular I did enjoy:

Drinking tea has become a hobby for me,
It gives me time to pause and think of eternity.
What we have been taught is so full of rot,
Such beauty lies when it is all shot.
Whatever you do try your best,
Unto God leave the rest.

Poetry is extremely subjective.  If you enjoyed the excerpts I shared with you, please check the book out.  Overall I am going to rate this book a 5, Don't Bother.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from  you.  Be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this poetry were to be assigned an MPAA rating, it would likely be rated PG

If you are interested in purchasing Ponder Awhile, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link, thank you!

Vichy Water

Calvin Barry Schwartz

Alex Zari, Egyptian and Elvin Stone meet in 1960 in a vacant lot as Newark high school students and become life long exceptional friends. Exceptional means trust, sharing life and spirituality, pulled from the author's experiences with angelic intervention and clairvoyance. Alex’s haunting visions tell of becoming more than friends.
Elvin attends Rutgers University while Alex studies astronomy and joins a discussion group at Princeton University where he's groomed to slide into a secret organization and government security clearance. Eventually, Alex lands in the Situation Room of the White House with potentially unsettling news for the President.
Life abruptly changes. Clandestine government meetings, murders, and a plane crash follow. Overcome by change and great loss, Elvin searches self in Sedona, Arizona, Guadalcanal, Montana, Key Largo, Vietnam War Memorials, Guadeloupe, and a Chicago African-American cemetery where Emmett Till is buried. Elvin marries twice, changes career to sales, has an affair with the daughter of a European businessman and when morality is confronted, ponders the Virtue of Selfishness. The story twists through the universe, parallel worlds, women's perspectives, racism, tech noir movies, environment and a college bar.

My Take:

I hate to be harsh, because I'm sure someone else out there would enjoy Vichy Water, but I am definitely not one of those people.  I'll be honest, I was turned off in the first sentence.  Here it is: "Two middle aged men, dressed in mountain hiking gear, strolled thru Cathedral Square in Belluno, Italy."  I know "thru" is a little thing, but it drove me crazy.  I didn't think it was an acknowledged word out side of the realm of "drvie-thru", but when I looked it up, it was in fact a word, but an informal, simplified version of "through". As such, I don't think it has any place in the formal narrative of a book.  Now I know that the English language is an ever evolving entity, and that most, if not all, of our words are some watered down version of the word before it  However, this evolution takes time,and when you use an evolving word too soon, it sounds really bad.  Okay, enough of the first sentence.  Overall, I did not enjoy the book, I felt that the transitions between scenes and locations, conversations, etc. were just about non-existent.  It felt like a dream where you drift from scene to scene without much context, but not in a fun whimsical way, it was definitely more frustrating than fun.  The writing felt a bit self indulgent, like he didn't have his audience in mind.  I was also pretty turned off of the main characters from the beginning because they were doing something really gross when we met them, and I just didn't care for them after that.  The book had some nice messages in it, one of the most prominent was fighting against racism.  It was nice, even if you were hit over the head with the message.  Overall, I rate Vichy Water a 5, Don't Bother.  It was not my cup of tea.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel.

If this book were a movie, it would likely be rated R for strong language and sexuality.

A few words with the author, Calvin Barry Schwartz:

The Book Buff: What inspired you to write your Vichy Water?
 

Calvin Barry Schwartz: I was sitting at the edge of the bed when "something" said to go watch "Casablanca"(for the 44th time). The last scene when Bogart (Rick) shoots the bad German guy and Claude Rains (Louis) picks up a bottle of 'Vichy Water' to celebrate. About to pour it, he realizes that anything 'Vichy' really meant collaboration with the Nazis so he dropped the bottle in a wire trash basket. This whole novel was suddenly in my head in 2 seconds of bottle traveling time. 

TBB: If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in Vichy Water?

CBS: Believe it or not, I'd add just one long sentence (in dialogue) towards the end which would serve the purpose of further confounding. I love to confound; a life's mission.

TBB: Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
 

CBS: To create powerful visualizations with least amount of word baggage.
 

TBB: Do you have a muse?
 

CBS: Folk music from the sixties (hope, change, tolerance). Listen to it incessantly. I love real spiritual leaders, filled with love, forgiveness, purity, vision, wisdom. Leaders like Gandhi, Dr. King and even Einstein for his sense of goodness and universal haunting intellect.
 

TBB: If you had to choose one book to read the rest of your life, and nothing else, what book would it be and why?
 

CBS: "The Secret" would keep delivering messages about being positive and sending out the same kind of energy into the universe and getting it back, as if you're an antenna.

If you are interested in learning more about Calvin Barry Schwartz, or his book, Vichy Water, check out the following link:

http://vichywater.net/

**FTC Disclosure-I received Vichy Water from the author in exchange for an honest review.  No other compensation was received.  All opinions are my own. **

The Dark Tide

Andrew Gross

Karen Friedman thinks it's a mistake when two men show up asking about her dead husband's business, but millions of dollars don't disappear by accident—and all trails lead to Charles. Then detective Ty Hauck makes a discovery while investigating a suspicious hit-and-run—a clue that shockingly points to Charles. As Karen's and Hauck's lives converge, they unwittingly step into a widening storm of hedge fund losses, international scams, and deadly conspiracies. 

 

My Take:  

Having read and enjoyed The Jester, an Andrew Gross/James Patterson collaboration, I was really excited to read this book.  What an absolute let down The Dark Tide was.  I think the writing was solid enough, not a ton of awkwardness in the dialogue and transitions, but it just didn't have the magic that other suspense novels have.  By the way, when describing this book, I use the word "suspense" VERY loosely.  I feel like for me to enjoy a book, it needs to have at least one facet that is exceptional.  For example, a book may have super predictable events (such as just about every romance novel on the planet), but you are so sucked in to the rich characters, that the events just don't matter a whole heck of a lot.  The opposite might also be true, the characters are just so-so, but the twists and turns the story takes is absolute edge-of-your-seat inducing euphoria.  The Dark Tide had neither.  I predicted every single event that took place, and I honestly didn't care if the main characters lived or died, in fact I thought it would be a good twist if they did kick the bucket.  After I'd finished this unnecessarily long book, my reaction was mixed between "phew! I'm finally done with the dang thing" and, regarding the story/characters a resounding "eh".  Having the reader experience relief/apathy at the end of your book = no bueno!  Anyway, if you love the genre, it might not be a total waste of time for you, but overall, I'm rating this book a big ol' fat 5, Don't Even Bother

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie, it would likely be rated R, for frequent strong language, sexual situations, and depictions of violence.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider supporting The Book Buff by purchasing from the following Amazon link.  Thank you!

Cool Like That: A So For Real Novel

Nikki Carter

"Now that she's been accepted into a summer enrichment program in New York City, Gia knows she's going to have the flyest summer ever. Especially since her mom and her annoying stepsister won't be around. And best of all? Her best friend, Ricky, is joining her so they're going to spend the entire summer together. Gia hopes Ricky's finally going to make a move on her, but it seems like Ricky's bent on playing it safe—too safe, as far as Gia's concerned. So when Rashad, a cutie from the summer program, starts to get his flirt on with Gia, she's got a new crush—and Ricky's so not cool with that."

My Take: 

I can probably guess what you are thinking, and the answer is yes, that really is the title of the book.  The absolutely ghastly title of "Cool Like That A So For Real Novel" turned me off just about immediately.  The strained slang that overpopulated the beginning was also a major turnoff.  I think the thing that made me feel like the slang was not authentic, was because the author had teenagers using words that are not necessarily uncommon, just not used under the age of 21.  For example, a teenager (especially one that says "re-darn-diculous" yeah, a direct quote) does not say "I need to select clothing to wear tonight".  Yes I know this is not drastic, but it really lends to an overall inauthentic feel.   I have to say, that I made it through the book, despite my near constant giggle fits throughout.  Surprisingly enough, I enjoyed the characters in this book, despite some of the aggravating writing, I was somewhat invested in them and enjoyed the ending, however abrupt it felt.  Gia felt relatable and her problem was one that a lot of girls face--boy drama.  She handled it pretty well, and with more maturity than you might expect from many teenagers.  This book contained religious references that I felt flowed just fine with the book, unlike the slang, they didn't feel forced at all.  This is another one of those books where I struggle between two different ratings, I think if you are a tween, then maybe this book could be a 4, Borrow from a Friend, but I have to say overall a 5, Don't Even Bother

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off-base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel.

Check out the rest of the Teen Section of The Book Buff

If this book were a movie it would likely be rated PG for some references to "hooking up", but nothing further.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider supporting The Book Buff and purchasing from the Amazon link below.

When Night Falls

Margaret Daley

A violent encounter in a deserted parking lot is FBI agent Sam Pierce's only clue to the menace who is stalking child psychologist Jocelyn Gold.  A random event?  Or a client's revenge?  When darkness falls, the danger deepens...

My Take:

What a disappointment.  Although I was totally turned off from the generic title of "When Darkness Falls", when the book started I was immediately intrigued.  The beginning started off with a bang and was quite promising and suspenseful.  However, the further into the story I got, the less I cared about the characters and the less interesting the plot was.  Honestly, the bad guy was so predictable, and there were no twists whatsoever.  Just because it is a short story doesn't mean you can't take the time to build proper suspense.  If you are looking for a suspenseful short story, you've got to check out "The Ravine" by Ray Bradbury, the master of short stories in my ever so humble opinion.  He shows that a well developed short story can be done, it doesn't need to feel rushed, as this one does.  This book was also a Christian book, and I have enjoyed reading many a book from that genre, so long as the religious references feel natural and fluid.  However, those are not the words I would use to describe "When Darkness Falls".  The references felt jerky and forced, along with a lot of the dialogue.  I'm not normally one to totally rip apart a book, but this one was just not good.  I am so glad I got it free on my Kindle, if I had paid for this, I would not be happy at all.  I'm torn between the 2 lowest ratings, but I think I've got to rate this a 5, Don't Even Bother.  Harsh but true.

Do you agree with my review?  Do you think I'm totally off base?  Either way I'd love to hear from you, be sure to leave a comment and tell me how you feel.

Don't miss the rest of the Mystery section in The Book Buff!

If this book were a movie, it would likely be rated PG for some intense situations. 

If you are interested in supporting The Book Buff, please consider purchasing from the links provided.

Wicked

Gregory Maguire

"When Dorothy triumphed over the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum's classic tale, we heard only her side of the story. But what about her arch-nemesis, the mysterious Witch? Where did she come from? How did she become so wicked? And what is the true nature of evil?
Gregory Maguire creates a fantasy world so rich and vivid that we will never look at Oz the same way again. Wicked is about a land where animals talk and strive to be treated like first-class citizens, Munchkinlanders seek the comfort of middle-class stability, and the Tin Man becomes a victim of domestic violence. And then there is the little green-skinned girl named Elphaba, who will grow up to become the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, a smart, prickly, and misunderstood creature who challenges all our preconceived notions about the nature of good and evil."


My Take:

I can't say enough about "Wicked", I hated it! And I do not hate many books! Aside from the interesting concept, there are no redeeming qualities about this book. First off, I found it in the teen section, I do not want my teenager to read this book. It contains explicit language, allusions to acts I don't want put into my teens mind. After getting over the shock of how misrepresented this book is, I could concentrate more on the story. The story focused so much on the boring and ridiculously mundane aspects, then whipped by the interesting parts, eager to get back to it's boring roots. As an avid reader of historical fiction, my tolerance for dry spells in a book is usually quite high, I am able to recognize that sometimes you need to get through the boring stuff to more fully appreciate the interesting. But this Wicked was the reverse. I have never seen the musical based on this book, and after reading it, I was convinced I'd never see it, but my sister, who has both seen the play and read the book, informs me that the play is still worth seeing. So in my opinion, skip the book see the play, the book's not even worth borrowing from a friend. 5. Don't Even Bother

If you are a teen that read this book, but maybe you are looking for a little more action, you should check out Running Out of Time, see if its more your style.

Do you agree with my review? Do you think I'm totally off base? I'd love to hear about it either way! Be sure to comment and tell me how you feel!

If this book were a movie it would likely be rated R for explicit sexual content, extreme language, and some graphic representation of violence.