Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: 5 Star Review

CELIA’s HEAVEN by Nancy Canyon – Magic Realism, Family Saga, Contemporary Literature

It’s as if a large chunk of her heart was wrenched away in an instant. Celia’s twin sister died suddenly in a terrible accident. Now Celia is haunted by this dear sister who is gone forever. Moreover, the emotional distance between herself and her parents, the only family that’s left behind, is painful. From her hell on earth, she yearns for her own, Celia’s Heaven, where all could be right again. But the road to Heaven is paved with broken promises and a shattering revelation.

Celia leads an unsatisfying life. The residents in her town are repulsed by her because she works as a stripper. Her father berates her for her life choices. She gets it, but she makes good money, and money is hard to turn down. Although Celia’s boyfriend asks her to marry him, she still likes to be with other men and acts on her impulses. Amid the emotional chaos, Celia continues to look for a miracle. The only thing on the horizon, however, is the worst winter snowstorm in years, and it could be deadly.

On the anniversary of her twin’s death, Celia reminisces about the times the two shared together. But something weird is happening, she is seeing glimpses of her twin – even hearing messages from her. What is she trying to say? Is there some warning to communicate? Or is it some secret she needs Celia to know? Her sister’s spirit is restless, and Celia is trying to understand and help. Perhaps by helping her sister, she will be helping herself as well.

Nancy Canyon’s beautifully written story has a smooth, crisp, surface tone with an underlying, pulsing energy. Fascinating, conflicted characters will grab any reader’s interest right from the start. Even the dialogue is masterful for what is said and what is left unsaid. All in all, Canyon shines at painting detailed, intense character portraits that spring to life and find their way right into the heart of the reader. Each character struggles to reconcile the choices they’ve made that affect them and those around them. But now they face fears about what is to come. The powerful writing takes the reader into the intimate journeys of Celia, her boyfriend, and others including her sister. These are women and men who live in quiet desperation, and thoughtfulness, praying for a better life and hoping to survive.

Set against a backdrop of a nightmarish snowstorm, Canyon’s characters are put to the test, trying to survive the current situation that seems to have supernatural strength and the emotional turmoil they each face. Is peace a possibility? Is happiness and love too much to hope for? Celia’s twin may know something that will change lives forever if only Celia discovers the key to unlock her message.

Celia’s Heaven won First in Category in the CIBAs 2013 PARANORMAL Awards.

July 17, 2020
MURDER BESIDE the SALISH SEA by Jennifer Mueller – Mystery, Thriller, World War II, Pacific Northwest

Brock Harker, World War II fighter pilot returns home to the Pacific Northwest on leave. He’s searching for a little peace once he finds his half Japanese wife who vanished while he was away. What he finds is Murder Beside The Salish Sea by author Jennifer Mueller, who artfully pulls Brock into an intriguing plot that hides the darkest of secrets.

Working as a pilot for the Flying Tigers in China, Brock earned the distinguished Order of the Cloud and Banner from the Chinese. After Pearl Harbor, he joins the Air Corps as a bomber pilot. Brock would say that flying was the one good thing his dad taught him, and he’d learned it so well he swore he could dogfight when he was ten years old. He should have been dead many times during these World War II years, but what has him frightened most is Amy’s disappearance. Half Japanese/American women have to watch themselves now. His heart broke when her letters stopped, and the letters he sent went unanswered. Now he’s determined to find her or find out what happened to her.

The search begins at his father’s home, the only family he has left. They parted years ago on the worst of terms, in large part because of his racist father’s hatred for Brock’s beloved Amy. Now, will his father greet Brock after all these years, or throw him away again? Brock reacquaints himself with his hometown of Bellingham, friends and other people he had known before, and meets military personnel on the nearby base. Several of these people become suspects in the ensuing murders. Brock is also accused by the police in his father’s murder. Brock applies wartime tactics and a little help from his friends to track and capture the murderer. Only then are devastating secrets revealed that may be unbearable for this war hero.

This thrilling, historical mystery that’s steeped in sweet romance tugs at a sense of adventure. The story travels across plot twists like an army jeep driving the diverse, Pacific Northwest landscape, from the Cascade Mountains to sandy beaches, and along the Straits to the Ocean. Hang on because just when the reader thinks the plot ahead is recognizable, there’s another curve and the view completely changes.

With Murder Beside The Salish Sea, Jennifer Mueller brings to life an important time in history, while weaving in poignant, personal drama. As Brock’s beloved wife Amy once said to him, “We endure what we cannot change.”

April 26, 2018
HOT SCHEMING MESS: MADISON CRUZ, Book 1 by Lucy Carol – Cozy Mystery, Female Sleuth, Humorous Mystery

Madison Cruz wants a breakthrough acting job, money in her purse, and fun with the sexy guys vying for her attention. Instead, she delivers singing telegrams for a living. Then her grandfather gives her mysterious evidence that must be kept sealed and hidden, he disappears, and now, spies are watching her every move. In other words, Madison’s life is a hot scheming mess!

Estranged from her FBI mother, Madison feels her family ties are confusing. Recent attempts by mother and daughter to bond often result in awkwardly hilarious scenes. Also, when her beloved grandfather disappears and Madison begins investigating, her creative problem-solving skills are downright laugh-out-loud funny. As luck would have it, she’s up against some organized bad boys. Fortunately, she’s got some willing and loyal friends she can count on as things begin to heat up. Among those friends is one particularly appealing hot interest nicknamed ExBoy with his dangerously handsome looks. He and Madison become entangled in the mystery and much, much more. But he’s not the only guy interested in knowing Madison better.

Spenser, Madison’s best girlfriend, repeatedly advises her to use more caution – a piece of advice that never lasts for long. The two gals have a relationship where they not only have good times together sharing jokes and stories, they also look out for each other in this wild, Los Angeles life.

This story, the first book in the Madison Cruz Mystery series, is an entertaining whirlwind that will keep readers breathless with plot twists and turns, and roaring with laughter. The funny situations the characters find themselves in are so imaginative, and their innovative solutions will delight and thrill cozy mystery fans. Best of all, at the core of this fun story is a very well plotted, intricate mystery to solve, about cleverly fleshed-out characters who will tug at your heart.

Author Lucy Carol is an entertainer and a storyteller. Her background is in the performing arts as an actress, voiceover artist, choreographer, and even a singing telegram performer. She married the love of her life, enjoys martinis, flowers, dancing, a good lipstick, cake, and of course fun and fast-paced mysteries. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, and has three books in this series, with the next one out soon.

Madison Cruz demonstrates that a sharp mind, a sense of humor, and a full purse can work wonders. Never be caught without them.

March 19, 2018
COCOON of CANCER: an INVITATION to LOVE DEEPLY by Abbe Rolnick & Jim Wiggins – Spiritual & Mental Healing, Personal Transformation, Living with Cancer

When author Abbe Rolnick’s husband Jim Wiggins slipped off a ladder in 2013, he was told he had osteopenia and would need to rest his back. He and Abbe went to Africa, but the pain persisted, in fact, got worse. Finally, the author “…got the call, the one every person dreads.” Jim had cancer, a rare, aggressive form called Multiple Myeloma. The plasma in his bone marrow had increased, taking over the normal cells, causing anemia and acidity that began to eat away at his spine. Life for Abbe and Jim would never be the same. What followed was a total disruption: for Jim it involved chemo, radiation, stem cell implants, pain, weight loss, and even height loss; for Abbe, an exploration of basic fears, and, of course, the deepest terror of loss of a loved one.

Rolnick’s book is told for the most part in a series of emails among friends and family. Since she is a fiction writer (River of Angels, Color of Lies) she was able to express her feelings to others, especially to Jim, in a manner both poignant and poetic. She recounts the couple’s simple acceptance, the moments of despair, and the daily activities and routines they shared despite the discouraging limitations of Jim’s medical necessities. Whenever possible, the couple cuddled at night, exchanged kisses, watched funny, upbeat fare on television. The memoir is remarkable for these moments, balanced by the necessary, at times dreadful and dire medical information that impinged on their lives every day for a year. The couple had to live away from home, ask family for help, including cells donated by a brother, and rely on the kindness and expertise of strangers. As Rolnick puts it, “Cancer explodes with ramifications.” Jim’s round-robin emails form an especially touching piece of the narrative as he attempts to apply logic, masculine bravado and a mild sense of humor to the horrors he is experiencing.

The author offers advice on keeping up with insurance issues, dealing with the caregiver role, with fears, and with the ultimate uncertainty. She doesn’t know, nor does anyone, how long remission might last. She advises being honest with doctors and with oneself, and notes that her viewpoint was often the most helpful, especially when Jim would deny he had pain while she observed how much pain he really felt from his overt reactions like groans and grimaces. At one point, the cancer clinic lab made a massive mistake; handling it judiciously but firmly was a learning experience. Two people, the author believes, can perhaps take in the totality of the problems. She describes the year as like being in a cocoon—dominated by the disease, yet growing and changing within.

Leaving us saddened but cautiously relieved by the end of her account, with Jim at home, forming a new life around continued treatments, Rolnick has taken us on a journey, tough and full of dangers, but with a quiet resting place for now—and now is all that matters.

October 4, 2017
A DANGEROUS DESCENT: A Sarah McKinney Mystery by Marian Exall – a contemporary cosmopolitan mystery

A hectic life, a missing daughter, love lost and found come together in this spellbinding mystery thriller, Marian Exall’s second book in the Sarah McKinney series, A Dangerous Descent.

Sarah McKinney, a witty, hard-working New Yorker, is whisked off to France to help her old mentor find his long-lost daughter in the second book of this thrilling mystery series.

Sarah McKinney was happy with her chaotic life as a mediator in New York, where the most complicated thing she had to deal with was her love life. When she meets up with an old mentor, she doesn’t expect the meeting to end with her hoping a plane and flying halfway across the world.

But hop that plane she does, to help out her mentor fulfill his promise to his dying wife: locate their estranged daughter living in France. But finding Chantal isn’t easy. She’s not where she’s supposed to be. With urgent business back home, Sarah’s mentor pleads with her to find his daughter. She agrees and with the help of an old flame, she’s off to locate the missing girl.

But finding Chantal proves more difficult than expected and Sarah finds herself chasing leads down dangerous paths.

Marian Exall’s A Dangerous Descent is a captivating mystery that skillfully keeps the reader glued to the page. The book starts out with a light tone that tricks readers into thinking they are following the witty escapades of a New Yorker, only to find the journey darkening and becoming much more dangerous as the story progresses.

But the immediate likeability of Sarah, as well as her touching relationships, keeps the novel positive. Readers will smile as often as they grip the seat of their chairs.

Indeed, Sarah’s narration is perhaps the best part of the novel, and she remains worth rooting for throughout the story. Her traumatic childhood has left her tougher than a bed of nails, and she keeps her wits about her during terrifying situations. Exall masters the characterization of Sarah, portraying her as a sharp, collected professional against the foil of Chantal’s bizarre disappearance.

Exall’s writing is sharp and well-paced, with natural dialogue and gorgeous descriptions of setting. So much so, the reader is bound to feel as if they are in France as well!

A Dangerous Descent is Book 2 of a thrilling mystery series with a soft spot for tender-hearted lovers.

December 16, 2016
The GOLDEN DICE (A Tale of Ancient Rome) by Elisabeth Storrs — passion, betrayal, & victories

Set in the 4^th century BCE, this gorgeously-written, masterful blend of fact and fiction exposes the raw passions, betrayals and victories of three strong women as they navigate politics and corruption in an ancient world at war.

With famine weighing heavily in the Roman territories and its war coffers depleted, Rome is once again on the move. Political as well as blood alliances forged in previous battles are shattered under the Roman Consular General’s Northern military drive – a tactical move to extend Rome’s borders and claim dominion over the 12 adjacent city-states. Veii, the closest and most powerful of the twelve is the first to feel Rome’s metal. Caught in the crosshairs of this ancient war are three women, one Roman, one Veientane and one walking the razor’s edge of conflicted loyalties, all with secrets that link their lives in ways they could never imagine.

Caecilia, daughter of Rome, keeps her secret locked away in her heart. Decreed to wed Vel Mastarna of her rival city, Veii, Caecilia becomes a pawn in the politics of power. Having been previously recalled to Rome in a violent emotional tug-of-war, Caecilia’s love for her Veientane betrothed has only deepened, and from what Vel believes to have been a prophetic roll of his golden dice, Caecilia is back at his side. But Caecilia is a half-cast, straddling the wall between Rome and Veii, seen as a traitor to Rome and just another “Helen of Troy” to the people of Veii. And as the home and family she’s built in Veii is threatened she is forced to make choices that have the power to make history.

Pinna, once the proud daughter of a Roman soldier, has lost everything except her will to survive. Reduced to the status of “night moth,” an unregistered prostitute, plying her trade among the gravestones, Pinna gathers knowledge and secrets that she uses to her advantage. And when a twist of fate opens up an unexpected opportunity Pinna calls upon her sly wit to breach the established Roman social hierarchy. But Pinna’s scheming does not go unnoticed and the secret of her “tomb whore” past threatens to be her undoing.

Semni, a gifted Veientane craftswoman, craves the world of sensory experience. But her hunger for a fully sensual life leaves her with an illegitimate pregnancy and her cuckolded husband throws her into the street, penniless. Fate again intervenes, this time bringing Semni into Caecilia’s house as a servant. Although Semni’s circumstances are significantly reduced she has the opportunity for a new life and possibly for the first time, love. As Semni adjusts to the rhythms of her new home she turns a blind eye to what she thinks are minor indiscretions of another servant girl. But she soon learns that her silence endangers Caecilia’s household and may cost her the man she loves.

“The Golden Dice” is the second installment of Elisabeth Storrs’s award-winning “Tales of Ancient Rome” series. In it the author delivers engaging, believable characters infused with compassion, intelligence and unrelenting strength with a level of historical detail, both fact and fictional, that transport the reader to all of the glory and turmoil of ancient Rome.

Readers who’ve enjoyed the passion and extraordinary historical detail of Renault’s “Alexander Trilogy” and Thornton’s “The Conqueror’s Wife” will love “The Golden Dice.” A great read!

August 15, 2016
POE: Nevermore by Rachel M. Martens – Horror, Paranormal, Thriller, Mystery

Poe: Nevermore, by Rachel M. Martens, is a contemporary suspense thriller with a nod to paranormal elements of the Romanticism Movement. This dark and dense novel that borders on horror is told in the first person by a young woman, Elenora Allison Poe, known simply as ‘Poe.’

The story begins innocently enough; it seems that the characters and the plot are driven by mental illness (even Poe) until the impetus is revealed. That is the hook of Martens’ writing—just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the game changes. The plot twists and turns as it sinks its hook deeper into you. At first, as I read, I thought that this novel might be another variation of Fight Club or the Dragon Tattoo series. It is not.

For some, it may be too haunting a tale. The author skillfully builds tension and anticipation with complex characters that are not easily dismissed. The antagonists are evil incarnate. The scary part is that they could be someone you speak with every day, the next date that you are on, the person you work with….

The beginning of the story manifests Poe’s awkwardness of Poe in trying to make her way in the world alone, as many young adults do. The ordeals Poe has survived so far in her young life have reduced her to perilously low levels of self-worth and confidence. You think to yourself that Poe needs to get a grip on herself, to stop feeling sorry for herself. But soon enough the reasons for her self-defeatist attitude are divulged and you will wonder how she functions at all and why, … indeed, why she is still alive.

Poe learns that her family has been accursed since Edgar Allan Poe’s foster father had a witch invoke it. The curse destroys the victim psychologically and emotionally. It will destroy everything and everyone to torture its victim, to make the victim’s life a living hell.

Poe must unravel the details of the family curse in order to save the few loved ones she has left in this world. She pursues this with the help of a budding relationship with Frost, a homicide detective who sees something worth saving in her, and shares her interest in the writings of Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Poe himself aids her pursuit, explaining the curse, and presenting himself as her spirit guide.

The 19th century Romantic Movement, a revolt against societal norms in art, was represented by deep emotional response to experience, including emphasis on terror, horror, and the supernatural. Edgar Allan Poe’s writings, known for their mystery, their macabre methods of death, and his delving into the human psyche, were part of this movement. The parallels between our heroine’s life and that of Edgar Allan Poe are brilliantly developed by the genre and style in which Poe: Nevermore has been written.

Be warned; Poe: Nevermore is not a cozy mystery. Ms. Martens succeeds at painting dark, suspenseful, sometimes horrific pictures. It is the type of psychological horror that locking the doors and windows and reading with the lights on will not keep out.

I highly recommend this book for my fellow edge-of-our-seat junkies—those of us who are constantly seeking the book we ever so briefly fear picking up, then can’t put down in the relentless pursuit of discovering whatever comes next! Martens’ Poe: Nevermore deliciously feeds these cravings along with satisfying those with classical literary interests. I anxiously look forward to reading Marten’s next installment of Poe.

August 28, 2013
A Trip To The Stars by Nicholas Christopher

A Trip to the Stars will take you to exotic locales while introducing you to its realms of magic, music, memory and time travel. You will become acquainted with this mesmerizing story’s fascinating characters and their mysterious talents. Some of these are characters with whom you will wish could become life-long friends. Other ones you will vehemently desire that they could feel your wrath. And then there are those characters of whom you will pray never cross your path. Nicholas Christopher deftly weaves these threads to create this ensnaring mystical web of a story that crisscrosses the globe, the turbulent 60s and 70s, and the celestial sky.

The story opens with the young Alma and her ten-year-old nephew Loren enjoying an afternoon planetarium show. The drama starts when they are separated in a post-show tangle of exiting stargazers. The ensuing plot, enormously complex yet tantalizing, documents the next fifteen years of our protagonists’ separate, but seemingly cosmically-linked adventures. While under this book’s cosmic spell, you will be both educated and entertained as A Trip to the Stars sends you to the outer rings of love and destiny as this mystery unfolds.

As Alma and Loren narrate alternating chapters of this 499 page opus, they become Mala and Enzo. Name changes are only two of, what will be many, portents you will encounter on their esoteric journeys. Indeed, Christopher will connect many of his dots with a colorful variety of such talismans, the majority of them touching on notions of stars and constellations, perhaps as a reminder that subtle, yet influential, energies are at play.

Christopher, an accomplished poet, rendered in Mala and Enzo characters a vulnerability and an openness that propels them into captivating situations throughout their separate lives. Christopher’s direct and sure-handed prose is made from words so carefully selected and assembled that you may at times be tempted to pause your reading to relish in the fluent lyricism of a recently read poetic phrase.

As you share with Alma and Loren in their struggles toward growth and fulfillment, you will come to care about them deeply, and to hope for them that the biggest and brightest star in the cosmos will light the way to the convergence of their destinies.

This is a novel to be enjoyed again and again as each reading discovers new layers of intricacy and revelations. Warning: If you loan out your copy of A Trip to the Stars, you may never get it back. I am on my fourth copy of this treasure.

December 6, 2011