Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: Andrea Murray

SEIZE the FLAME by Lynda J. Cox – Romantic Western, Historical Fiction, Heartwarming Romance

Drake Adams and Jessie Depre want the same thing: peace. For Drake, peace will only come when he can rid his memory of Jessie’s heart-wrenching betrayal nearly two years earlier, at the altar. What began as a fairytale love between childhood sweethearts ended when Jessie married another man and left the Wyoming territory. Since then, Drake has given up his law career to become a bounty hunter, and when he sees Jessie’s wanted poster, he knows he has only one choice, track her down and return her to the man she ran off with.

Following a life-changing misunderstanding, Jessie married the first man she saw, but it wasn’t long before her would-be hero turned into a real-life monster. She will only find peace when she is far away from her homicidal husband, Robert. However, when Drake captures Jessie, both realize their own peace just might come from rekindling their love for each other.

Lynda J. Cox’s Seize the Flame is a story of reconciling the past. Both characters are emotionally and physically damaged. Jessie’s story will touch home with any woman who’s been the victim of abuse. Her fear, her panic, are so real the reader will instantly identify with her even if he/she has never suffered from that unfortunate malady. The strength she has in not only running from her husband but also in ensuring the safety of another innocent woman celebrates the determined female spirit. Despite the scars on her body and, more importantly, in her mind, Jessie manages to find her own way and create her own destiny.

Drake has a genuinely unique story. Kidnapped at the age of nine and forced to work for a ruthless thief until he’s rescued by Royce, Jessie’s father, Drake loved Jessie from the first moment he saw her. His continued devotion to the woman who shattered his dream of a home and family of his own is touching and endearing. Although the backstory is as winding as a Wyoming mountain trail, the story unravels slowly enough to allow the reader to soak it all in and experience the complexity of these characters, and though the genre is historical romance, the romantic content is limited enough that fans of the western genre will still enjoy the novel without blushing.

Seize the Flame by Lynda J. Cox won First Place in the Laramie Awards for Western Fiction in 2016.

June 30, 2018
CAMELOT’S QUEEN: GUINEVERE’S TALE BOOK 2 by Nicole Evelina – Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale

Meet Guinevere: a sage military adviser, a priestess of Avalon, and the mother of a dynasty. In Nicole Evelina’s Camelot’s Queen: Guinevere’s Tale (book two), Guinevere must learn to reconcile her past with her future; what she was with what she must become.

No longer a young lover with dreams of a home with her former betrothed, Guinevere must quickly learn how to be a queen and to navigate the rocky waters of marriage to the high king, Arthur Pendragon. Over time, Guinevere proves a great success until she cannot give Arthur the heir he needs.

Kidnapped by a ruthless man bent on revenge, Guinevere must find the strength to hold tight to her sanity while regaining her rightful place. Upon returning from her horrific ordeal, she finds her position as queen in jeopardy and her once-strong relationship crumbling as she struggles to hold her growing restlessness and loneliness at bay.

Book two of this series, which includes a map for easy reference, explores the nature of Guinevere’s struggle with duty: to self and her country. Once a girl with fanciful dreams of a quiet life, Guinevere must learn to put aside what she wants for what her country needs. After swearing to protect her people as Arthur’s queen, she knows that she must always sacrifice desire for obligation, even when the choice breaks her heart.

As a powerful Avalonian priestess capable of manipulating the elements with a literal flick of her finger, she must subjugate herself to a man who seeks her wisdom. And while Arthur respects her as the stronger of the two, Guinevere still suffers for her gender, legally equal as a ruler but never quite enough to command without her husband.

Hemmed in by the historical perimeters of this mythical queen, the author creates a surprisingly unique character. Fans of the original stories will enjoy this reimagined Guinevere with her priestess markings and battle-tested body. She is no damsel in distress. Familiar characters like Tristan, Gawain, and Bors, come to life, but this time, the Combrogi (aka Knights of the Round Table) take a backseat to the fairer sex who dominate the storyline. Lancelot will have readers swooning. And though the reader knows Guinevere seals her fate from the moment she chooses Lancelot as her champion, they will be cheering her on for taking charge of her happiness.

Camelot’s Queen, the second book in Nicole Evelina’s Guinevere’s Tale series, casts Guinevere as a jealous wife, a grieving mother, a capable priestess, and an exemplary military strategist, all as she juggles the ever-changing world she finds herself in.

Lovers of historical fiction, as well as those who enjoy fantasy, will delight in this gem.

The Guinevere’s Tale Trilogy won the 2021 Series Grand Prize Award for Best Fiction Book Series.

May 10, 2018
BUILDING MR. DARCY by Ashlinn Craven – Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Clean & Wholesome

Two software developers, Max Taggart and Zoe Bunsen, want to create the perfect artificially intelligent companion. Zycorp needs this project to be successful, or their floundering AI department will be dissolved; however, while Max is a man with a plan, Zoe is a woman with a serious book crush on the character chosen to embody their AI.

Zoe has grown up loving Mr. Darcy, the hero in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. From their chance meeting to their continuous jostling for power, Max and Zoe find working together almost impossible. While Zoe wants a Darcy with human-like reactions, Max wants a finished product ready for release by the deadline. Their constant bickering coupled with their shared office creates the perfect tension for romance. But finding the balance in Mr. Darcy and the balance in their own personal lives may be more than these two can handle.

From Max and Zoe’s chivalrous first meeting to their conflicting personalities, Building Mr. Darcy has the feel of a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Like her counterpoint Elizabeth Bennet, Zoe is a smart woman in a man’s world. Her free-thinking spirit may be perfect for software development, but her gender makes it difficult for her to succeed in Zycorp where schedules and deadlines keep getting in her way. Her Pygmalion need to create an almost “boyfriend-like” interaction with Darcy arises from her completely disastrous love life, and while her neediness differs from the original feel of Elizabeth Bennet, it helps set Zoe apart from her metafictional doppelganger and give her a slice of her own personality.

Max has the same no-nonsense attitude of Fitzwilliam Darcy, but he is far removed from the affluently born romantic heartthrob of generations of women. Max is a self-made man with a sketchy family. However, the issues of the original novel, love, friends, family obligations, and subtle human interactions, remain the central focus of this novel. These complete opposites with their ever-present Darcy/Elizabeth arguments and eventual character growth harken back to the well-loved, dog-eared classic that makes their relationship so timeless.

Irish-born award-winning romance author Ashlinn Craven lives in the shadow of the Alps writing stories about real-life heroes and heroines, people with actual jobs and paychecks. In Craven’s novels, the world doesn’t stop just because two people fall in love. With their trademark touch of geekiness, these novels are heartfelt, uplifting, and realistic.

March 5, 2018
The MOUSE, the MOLE, and the MAGNIFICENT MOSS-COVERED HOUSE by Stirling C., Illustrated by Donna Washington – Children’s Picture Book, Beginner Readers

In The Mouse, the Mole, and the Magnificent Moss-Covered House written by Stirling C. and illustrated by Donna Washington, Milly Mouse moves into a brand-new home. She works tirelessly making the perfect space for herself. Every day, she awakens with a purpose; her tight schedule of baking and cleaning keeps her busy, but she always allows herself time for painting. Milly soon realizes she’s missing one thing, a friend.

As she begins to explore a tunnel she finds, she eventually discovers exactly what she needs. Morton Mole has lived in the moss-covered hill for years. His home is overflowing with books and maps. Morton begins each day slowly, taking his time to figure out the one thing he wishes to accomplish that day. Morton’s favorite part of the day is when he writes, but just like Milly, Morton is lonely. While exploring his tunnels, he too will discover the one thing that will make his life perfect.

With many picture books, the drawings are secondary to the story, not so with this one. Washington’s illustrations are exceptional. Through the drawings, the reader sees details that aren’t part of the text. From the subtle to-do lists on Milly’s wall to Morton’s map, these drawings do more than just tell the story; they enhance it, taking it beyond the text, which is important since young children learn so much about life visually. The illustrations make Milly and Morton both modern and timeless. A coloring book exploring the further adventures of Milly and Morton and encouraging children to write their own tales and draw their own illustrations is also available.

This backward and forward book emphasizes the differences in Milly’s and Morton’s personalities. An ingenious page with a hole shows the exact moment when the two characters meet and instructs the reader how to continue. Morton’s story mirrors Milly’s but highlights the differences between them. Neither character is shown as more important than the other. Both of their traits are essential and valuable to society. The world needs busy bees, like Milly, and deep thinkers, like Morton. This charming book shows children how two completely opposite characters can become the best of friends. It celebrates our differences and shows how valuable those differences can be.

A beautifully illustrated story about unlikely friendship and good neighbors for the very young and old alike. A joy to experience!

January 18, 2018
HAZAD the STORY MASTER TELLS the BLUE BEETLE by Sara Dahmen – Children’s Literature, Belief in Self, Work, and Others, Determination/Drive

A beautiful story of determination, dedication, and drive to fulfill one’s goals, even when those goals seem impossible to achieve, wrapped up in love for family and belief in self and others.

Renni dreams of becoming a scribe, but his family is too poor to afford school. Renni’s father, Pentu, wants to give his son the education he craves; however, he has no job, and finding a way to earn the money proves nearly impossible for Pentu because he doesn’t have the strength required for most of the jobs in the city. After trying and failing at farming and fishing, Pentu returns home dejected, but Renni greets him each time with a reassuring hug.

When he finally tries his hand at carving, Pentu is noticed by the local goldsmith who gives him a job. Pentu excels at making scarabs, a much-valued part of Egyptian culture. His favorite is a large, expensive lapis lazuli scarab, and Pentu knows that selling the jewel will give him the money needed to educate Renni for as long as he likes. When a traveling merchant finally buys the blue beetle, Renni will be able to make his dream come true.

In this third volume of the Story Master series, Hazad, the storyteller, transports children to ancient Egypt where education is a privilege. With Pentu’s repetitive trials, this beautifully illustrated frame story is a bit like a cumulative tale. No matter how hard Pentu tries, he endures disappointment after disappointment; however, he never stops trying. His “never give up” attitude is inspiring. No matter the hardship, he will overcome anything to give his son the education he desires.

The lesson about the value of education isn’t lost on the reader either. Children often undervalue the opportunity to learn while Renni yearns for only that, but even in the midst of Pentu’s disappointments, Renni remains positive. With every failure, he supports his father, reassuring Pentu of his love and never berating his father for being unsuccessful as he searches for his niche.

In this celebration of artistry, The Blue Beetle will touch and inspire children to appreciate what they have, never stop trying regardless of the obstacles, and dream big.

Sara Dahmen has worked in numerous facets in the publishing industry, including editing trade publications. Not only does she write children’s books, she also illustrates them and her historical fiction series, Flats Junction. However, publishing isn’t Sarah’s only talent. She is a copper and tinsmith apprentice, a wedding planner, and creator of her own cookware line. Throughout all of her many successful ventures, Sara cherishes life with her children and her husband.

November 28, 2017
The TOOTH COLLECTOR FAIRIES: Batina’s Best First Day by Denise Ditto – Children’s Literature, Early Reader Chapter Book, Fantasy & Magic

In Denise Ditto’s The Tooth Collector Fairies: Batina’s Best First Day, Batina wants one thing, to be the best Tooth Collector in all of Brushelot. Batina is a Tooth Fairy, and she can’t wait to get her first collecting assignment. Unfortunately, her first day doesn’t go quite as she planned. With her huge wings (three times the size of most of the fairies), she’s clumsy and a little awkward, but Batina has a job to do, collecting well-brushed teeth which can be turned magically into the rainbow dust that gives all of the fairies the ability to fly.

Despite the sneers of Jolene, an unhappy fairy who isn’t allowed to gather the precious teeth, Batina and her friends, Lulu and Lainey, can’t wait to begin their tasks, and each of them hopes to win the Best First Day ribbon awarded by Crown Mistress Molar. However, gathering the teeth from under the pillows of sleeping children is only the first step. When Batina returns with her prized first tooth, she must find a way to help the Tooth Inspector with a sabotaged conveyor belt and to fix the Super-Duper Magic Dust-Making Machine, or her first day might be ruined.

Batina’s story is one of determination and teamwork. Again and again, she must overcome her problems and celebrate her differences. Those huge wings often get in her way, but she remains undaunted. Instead, she finds a way to make the wings work in her favor. She also values the role of her friends and calls on them to help her solve the day’s problems. She recognizes the importance of their individual talents and even finds a way to help Jolene the bully, stop being a bully, and be her friend. The positive message of working together and embracing diversity makes this early-level chapter book, illustrated by Gabhor Utomo, shine.

Young and not-so-young readers alike will be happy to learn that Batina’s Best First Day is the first in the Tooth Collector Fairies series. There is more adventure waiting for all!

Author Denise Ditto not only loves writing children’s books, but she is also the Executive Director at Houston Writers House, a position she shares with her business partner Rebecca Nolen, and is the former Director of the Houston Writers Guild. A graduate of the University of Houston-Downtown, she has also published an award-winning short story. She lives in Texas, her home state, with her husband.

The Tooth Collector Fairies: Batina’s Best First Day won Grand Prize in CIBAs 2016 LITTLE PEEPS Awards for Children’s Literature. Follow this link to the Chanticleer Review of the second book in the series, Home from Decay Valley.

November 27, 2017