Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Chanticleer 5 Star Book Review

THE ALOHA SPIRIT by Linda Ulleseit – Hawaiian Cultural Fiction, World War II Historical Fiction, Women’s Divorce Fiction

In Linda Ulleseit’s novel The Aloha Spirit, we meet the plucky heroine, Dolores, as her father leaves her.

“Dolores’s father deemed her useless when she was seven. Neither he nor her older brother, Pablo, ever said that, but every detail of their leaving told her so. Papa had tried to explain the Hawaiian custom of hānai to her. All she understood was the giving away, leaving her to live with a family not her own.”

Her story starts in 1922; the place, multiethnic, multilingual Hawaii. Papa, a sugar cane cutter from Spain who worked in Hawaii, decides to take his son Pablo with him to seek his fortune in California. His wife died five years earlier. He leaves 7-year-old Dolores with a large family on Oahu in an arrangement called hānai, an informal adoption. Dolores doesn’t know the family well. She feels abandoned, with no idea when or if her father will send for her or return.

There follow years of drudgery in which she works as an adult, laundering clothes for many people at least six days a week as part of her hānai arrangement. The hard-working couple she lives with struggles to survive. Befriended by Maria, an older hānai girl, Dolores escapes her situation when Maria leaves to marry Peter. Dolores goes to live with them, to help Maria through her pregnancy, and for a while, she gets to share their happy family and have some things of her own.

At age 16, Dolores marries Manolo Medeiros, a boy she met on the beach and barely knows.

She becomes part of his large, extended Portuguese family, which includes Alberto, a nephew four years younger than Dolores. She hopes the Medeiroses will be the family she always wished for. When she met him on the beach, Manolo gave his interpretation of the aloha spirit: “Aloha begins with love.”… “Love yourself first.”… “Love the land.”… “Love the people.”… “Aloha is the joyous sharing of life’s energy.”

Dolores has her first child at age 17. But Manolo’s serious drinking problem, anger, and physical abuse of Dolores estranges him from her and the family, forcing her to take more control of her own life and protect her daughters. As Manolo’s behavior worsens, Alberto steps up to support Dolores, and they fall in love. But as part of a devout Catholic family, Dolores can’t possibly divorce Manolo.

Novelist Ulleseit gives us a vivid picture of the life of a hard-working Hawaiian woman and her community in the early decades of the 20th century.

Anyone interested in the history of Hawaii or in women’s history will enjoy this book. This book centers on abuse, overwork, and alcoholism as major themes, described in a matter-of-fact way. Dolores lives through interesting times, including the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the United States’ entry into the war, rationing, and the removal of Japanese Americans from Hawaii. Dolores goes to California and visits the World’s Fair, so we get to see the fair through her eyes. A glossary at the end of the book provides translations and a pronunciation guide for the many Hawaiian and Spanish words.

Linda Ulleseit was born and raised in Saratoga, California, and taught elementary school in San José. In addition to The Aloha Spirit, she wrote Under the Almond Trees, another historical novel, which takes place in California starting in 1896. She has also written a series of Flying Horse books, young adult fantasy books set in medieval Wales. She has an MFA in writing from Lindenwood University, serves as marketing chair of Women Writing the West, and is a founding member of Paper Lantern Writers.

Linda Ulleseit’s The Aloha Spirit won Grand Prize in the 2020 CIBA Goethe Book Awards for post-1750s Historical Novels.

December 2, 2021
SPIRIT of the RABBIT PLACE (Choestoe Book 3) by J.R. Collins – Native American Literature, American Western Fiction, Historical Action & Adventure

When gold miners discover Choestoe Valley, Jebediah Collins must fight for his family – whether blood-related or not – in J.R. Collins’ historical adventure, Spirit of the Rabbit Place

Fourteen-year-old Jebediah Collins lives in paradise, also known as Choestoe Valley, or to the Cherokee as the “land where the rabbits dance.” The Collins consider Dancing Bear, a Cherokee elder, and his relatives as family. They share with and help each other in good times and bad.

When Jeb’s grandfather settled in the valley after immigrating from Ireland, he quickly learned the benefits of befriending the Native Americans living in the area. Now Jeb’s father, Thompie, gives freely of his farm’s bounty to the Cherokee, who help work the land and teach the Collins how to survive in this beautiful but deadly landscape. Cain, Jeb’s older brother even marries Rose, Dancing Bear’s daughter, and becomes a full-fledged Cherokee warrior in his own right. Dancing Bear symbolically adopts Jeb, who shares an age with his own son, Wolf. Jebediah and Wolf become blood brothers, learning to be Cherokee warriors together and taking on any and every adventure that comes their way.

Their adventures take a darker turn with the arrival of gold miners to their sacred valley.

These unscrupulous men threaten their very way of life. The ruthless miners capture Wolf and force him into slavery, pushing Jeb to risk himself for the chance to rescue his friend.

The third novel in the Choestoe series builds on a theme of unity. Jeb’s family and nearly all of the settlers in the valley honor and respect the Cherokee who inhabited this area long before the settlers arrived. From plowing fields to hunting game, the Collins family and Dancing Bear’s clan work seamlessly, easily with each other. Under the age-old adage, “treat folks how you want to be treated,” Jeb understands that what he does and says will be returned to him tenfold. Though the white man’s greed threatens to change his home forever, he would never make an enemy of the Cherokee, a people so much more knowledgeable than his own. He trusts implicitly and without question, and with that comes the need to protect and love his family.

The people of Choestoe take responsibility for one another.

Their hearts beat as one; their minds think as one. When any neighbor needs help, neither the settlers nor their Cherokee brethren forsake them, chasing down murderous outlaws and helping free slaves. More people than just Jeb’s family show this amazing generosity of spirit. Throughout the valley, families return in kind the goodness shown to them. Mrs. England, for example, takes in orphaned children, especially those with disabilities and special needs.

The settlers not only want to fight for their way of life, but also for the ancient ways of their Cherokee neighbors, who the gold seekers and US government treat more cruelly every day. This community defines the emotional journey of Spirit of the Rabbit Place.

Spiritualism plays an important role as well, with a mixture of and deep respect for Cherokee and Christian beliefs.

Jeb’s faith often brings him comfort and strength, and many times, the Cherokee turn to prayer for direction and guidance on huge decisions. Though he fears evil when he comes face-to-face with it, Jeb knows the Great Creator protects him and finds solace in the idea that no evil can hurt someone who is protected by the Peace of Jesus. All of the Cherokee warriors repeatedly assure Jeb, whose Cherokee name is Spirit Filled One, that he should trust in and heed the voice of the Spirit that comes to him; that very faith not only saves him and George Black Oak, Wolf’s blood uncle, but also shows them some much-needed information in the midst of an important emotional struggle. This faith shines through in Jeb’s loving nature and brings light to all those around him.

Spirit of the Rabbit Place (Choestoe Book 3) by J.R. Collins won 1st place in the 2019 CIBA Laramie Book Awards for Western and Americana fiction.

Click on these titles to read our reviews of the first two books in this powerful series, The Boy Who Danced with Rabbits and Living Where the Rabbits Dance.

November 23, 2021
HALE: The Rise of the Griffins by J.K. Noble – YA Fiction Self-Esteem, YA Dragons & Mythical Creatures Fantasy, YA Sword and Sorcery Fantasy

J.K. Noble’s first installment in her new YA series, Hale: The Rise of the Griffins, is a fast-paced adventure through a magical realm full of danger, deception, and mythical beasts.

Sixteen-year-old Hale was orphaned at a young age; his parents both mysteriously killed while on a family camping trip. His older sister, Carly, took him under her wing and raised him, making sure he was safe and that he always wore the amulet given to him by his father. But two years later, when Hale and Carly are both abducted and held captive by a violent man, Hale’s life takes another drastic turn he isn’t expecting. He’s swiftly ushered into a magical realm known as The Extraordinary Division of Malphora – a sister realm to The Human Division of Malphora – where Griffin’s reign supreme and monsters lurk across the lands.

Accompanied by a group of other kids also pulled into The Extraordinary Division of Malphora, Hale learns that he isn’t a simple human boy – he’s a Griffin with the power of Endurance, the strongest of powers among his kind.

Aided by his new friend River, Hale navigates the brutal world of young Griffin training set up by the leader of the Griffins – the powerful and respected Bayo. Except, Bayo isn’t entirely what he seems. He’s hiding a dark secret from Hale that could flip their entire world upside down, and if he’s not careful, Hale could end up bringing about his demise.

Noble crafts an intricate and vast world full of lore that will keep even the most avid fantasy reader engrossed.

The magic system uniquely draws upon many familiar mythological creatures – harpies, nymphs, witches – but offers its own spin, combining these old legends with the modern era’s ingenuity. It is clear that an immense amount of planning and work went into the creation of Malphora, and while some details may feel rushed at times, Noble gives the reader an adventure of a lifetime that they won’t be able to put down.

Not only does Noble’s magic system draw the reader in, but so do her characters.

The emotional ties between the cast are one of the book’s most vital attributes, exploring the trials of friendship, the heartbreak of love, and the dangerous things we’ll do to protect our family. The bond between Hale and Carly provides a solid start to the book. The friendship that forms between Hale and fellow Griffin River keeps the reader invested, not to mention the plethora of other characters and their interesting and often complicated personal ties to one another. Emotions run high in Hale: The Rise of the Griffins, and they will make any reader laugh, cry, and sing Nobel’s praises.

November 22, 2021
Hot Air: An Arnold Falls Novel, Book 2 by Charlie Suisman – Humorous Contemporary Fiction, Small Town Humor, Cultural Humor

Charlie Suisman returns to the unique fictional town of Arnold Falls in his humorous novel, Hot Air.

Arnold Falls bristles with zany events, quirky locals, and colorful newbies. Above all, this memorable enclave buoys its people through heart, soul, wit, and a true sense of collective spirit.

Jeebie Walker returns as the story’s central narrator.

The successful voice-over artist stands as a solid fixture in the town, now in a loving relationship with his partner Will. A volunteer fireman, illustrator, and candidate for an MA in Conservation Biology, Will jokingly claims that Jeebie makes “bossing others around” a superpower.

In the midst of a mid-life crisis, Jeebie takes on a project of implementing little library cabinets throughout the town. Due to some unscrupulous financial administrators, he also worries about the sudden lack of funding for arts programs at the local hospital.

Meanwhile, the friend he helped elect as the town’s first female mayor has her own hands full.

She bonds with her adoptive Haitian son while reluctantly considering a temporary Arnold Falls name change to bring in money and tourists. Her newfound attraction to the local record store/weed emporium aficionado complicates her life further. A sudden string of thefts involving odd but meaningful town memorabilia certainly also needs the mayor’s attention.

Coincidentally, a new TV series – based on several New Yorker stories about a hapless, Hudson Valley hamlet resembling Arnold Falls – starts using the town for filming. Here an indie film actress heads up the cast and brings about a whole other set of calamities.

Hot Air calls back to characters and incidents from the original, award-winning novel, Arnold Falls, bringing unfamiliar readers up to speed.

Comical references like the amorous adventures of a town turkey saved from the chopping block and the former mayor accidentally sending bomb-making supplies to a sister city in Romania will draw new readers to Suisman’s previous novel.

Suisman continues to shine in his ability to drive a well-crafted narrative through creative characters, action, and detail.

Many small storylines intertwine. An old-time resident nearing his final days receives a toast of Clagger – the local hooch. The recordings from a former Arnold Falls Chamber Ensemble reappear. A jazzy chanteuse uses her talents to draw wandering cows home. A high-tech museum installation honors the life of a flatulent nonagenarian’s mother, a popular black madam.

In this unforgettable world, Suisman conjures unique and lively scenes.

A Martha Washington mannequin sits on a porch, complete with a “may have belonged to MW” mobcap. Drag queens teach hot yoga. A “Witness Protection” face cream hawked at the farmer’s market will leave users speechless. And a mayoral assistant/fashionista dresses to honor “National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day.” Once again, this hideaway proves itself as a charmingly lyrical landscape, where the spark of levity is never far behind.

Like the first Arnold Falls novel, here the final fun-filled, open-air wind-up exudes the caring and commitment of these multi-faceted characters woven into the richly textured fabric of their community. Wrapped in its inspiring and imaginative literary warmth, fans will be happy to learn the epilogue suggestively hints at more ventures to come.

November 19, 2021
UP NORTH by Abena Sankofa – The Great Migration Historical Fiction, Black Historical Fiction, African American Historical Fiction

One young Black woman turns detective when she realizes her family is in jeopardy in Abena Sankofa’s debut novel, Up North.

Teenage songbird Phyllis Joiner dreamed of one day seeing the glamorous North. But when her Uncle has been apprehended for an alleged crime, her wish may be about to be granted in the most distressing manner, beginning in 1933.

Phyllis Joiner always managed to get in trouble in one form or other. But she has no idea what ‘trouble’ will look like. Nineteen-year-old Phyllis is well-known for her spirited singing and piano playing in her Pa’s joint – “Daddy Joiner’s” local Music Club in Colchester County, Louisiana. But the Joiners live in a county where black schools do not go beyond the middle grade, and white supremacy rules the land.

Problems multiply when Phyllis’ Uncle, Zachariah, has been apprehended for an alleged crime.

His accuser, the notoriously ruthless landowner Smith Owens, isn’t interested in justice, but something else entirely. He has a reputation for getting all who cross him jailed and worked to death on his land.

In a rare twist of fate for the Joiners, an African-American family in the Jim Crow South, they take their case to the court and win, but it turns out to be a Pyrrhic victory when a chilling threat letter arrives in the mail, warning them to pay $250 or “Get what’s coming to you on the Full Moon.” The tattered note is signed in none other than Smith Owens’ hand. Now even their congenial white neighbors do not want to be seen speaking to her family after they have been “marked” for retaliation by the Owens’ minions.

Phyllis’ Pa, who had already lived through voting riots when he was a boy, fears that a new riot will be around the corner if he doesn’t take appropriate action. And the situation with Phyllis’s education heading nowhere also bothers him, so Pa makes up his mind that the time has come for the Joiners and their extended families to sneak out of Colchester County. They plan to leave “by the light of the full moon” (which happens to be the end of the “death threat” letter’s grace period) to Chicago, where Ma Joiner’s sister, Ruth, lives.

The timing must coincide perfectly, especially since Pa could only procure train tickets to take them as far as St. Louis.

The family would need “agents” who could safely guide them to their destination. The Phantom Menace would be their last contact, getting them into the Black Belt of Chicago. Little do the Joiners know what harrowing adventures await them along the way, and even more once they get to Chicago. Although positive events occur, like Phyllis attending nursing school, and falling for a handsome Fairground officer, no amount of fitting in with the ways of the big city can protect her for long from her family’s hunted status.

When Smith Owens and his adult sons arrive in Chicago, he makes a deadly pact with one of the Windy City’s most terrible crime syndicates in a bid to hunt down the Joiner family for the location of a mysterious treasure he believes them to have inherited.

Now it falls to teenage Phyllis Joiner to turn sleuth, and track them down before they find her family – a goal that tosses her into the gritty reality of what it means to live “Up North” in the Windy City. It’s a reality that will force her to cast aside her lofty expectations, and become the Captain of her own fate, and her family’s protector in the process.

Enter Willard Lancaster, the Joiner family’s red-headed lawyer, a rebellious, street-smart scion attracted to any dangerous pursuit for a worthy cause. A throwback to his Abolitionist predecessor, he throws in his lot with Phyllis Joiner on her way to defend her family, only to find himself in the crosshairs of his own uncle’s wrath.

Rising author Abena Sankofa pens a fascinating story of one young Black woman’s “underground” journey from Louisiana to Chicago and ultimate sleuthing to protect her family from bounty hunters.

Sankofa provides a small but realistic cast set within the precarious years of The Great Migration. Her writing style varies from light to downright nail-biting. Phyllis (Sankofa’s heroine) performs in her father’s music clubs, faces harassment at nursing school, and falls in love – all amid several life-threatening situations.

Sankofa punctuates her fictional plot with factual information. Examples include a mix-and-match of Chicago’s expositions, maps that outline the Black Belt area of Chicago, and “patrons” (guardians, so to speak) to keep watch over Black neighbors. Even though the Black quarter of the city is a safe haven for her, at the all-Black Nursing School which she makes it into, Phyllis faces pressure from classist schoolmates. One particularly striking aspect is the generational viewpoints of Black history. Phyllis’s grandmother tells of the symbolism behind quilt making. Pa recollects sharecropping days and riots over voting rights. Both grandmother and father provide essential nuances of what Phyllis’s ancestors endured on the way to their freedom – all of which Phyllis should never forget even as she races to uncover the location of a rumored family inheritance worth millions.

Sankofa’s approach to storytelling preserves truth.

As she produces a story of perseverance and strength amid a burgeoning romance, she includes music from the gilded Jazz Age and classics that appropriately enhance her narrative. Some favorites include W. C. Handy‘s “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “St. Louis Blues,” and George and Ira Gershwin‘s “I’ve Got Rhythm,” Benny Goodman and his Orchestra‘s “Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing),” and Ella Fitzgerald‘s “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” to name a few.

Up North will touch a nerve and claim a place in today’s world. In short, Abena Sankofa’s debut novel is nothing short of brilliant and a novel we can highly recommend.

**Please Note: This author is currently seeking representation. Follow the process on Sankofa’s website by clicking here.

November 19, 2021
BARBED A Memoir by Julie Morrison – Women’s Biographies, Memoirs, Ranching

Julie Morrison saddles up to take us for a ride through the harsh dry mountains of northern Arizona and beyond in her memoir, Barbed.

Readers visit the ranch where Julie’s parents try to keep the family legacy alive. Julie reveals a cowboy’s world where she meets walls instead of doors but never gives up.

Barbed opens with Morrison living in the rainy Seattle area with her husband. But the lure of a cowboy’s life on the range – working cattle and riding horseback – beckons them both. Julie needs salvation like this for her marriage, now distant and cold.

Reality turns their idealistic, romantic fantasies into a daily grind of working the land. Julie and her husband fight the losing battles of finding enough water and grassland for the cattle and keeping recreationalists from cutting their fence lines. And worse yet, who would have thought mud would be a problem in arid Arizona? Readers learn about the workings of a cattle ranch as Morrison tries one fix after another to save the property.

Morrison realizes that the operation hemorrhages money.

To move the budget from red to black, she must make some significant changes. But the cowboys she works with as a manager meet these changes with resistance at every step. The cowboys ride the horses until their joints are out of alignment and their feet are bruised and lame. Julie’s attempt at proper horse husbandry becomes another leak in the ranch’s finances, and she struggles between the money problems of the ranch and what she can do for these poor animals. Morrison soon reaches the breaking point.

Morrison’s exploration of self bolsters her in this harsh world. She sees the success of other ranch women and a select few men, people who support her efforts and encourage her even when she wants to drop from exhaustion and self-recrimination.

This memoir does not pussy-foot around complex issues that women experience in business or marriage.

Morrison never lets conflict stop her, though she acknowledges that depression can hold her back. Her bravery will inspire readers who might not have to stand toe-to-toe with hardened cowboys or encounter rattlesnakes during an average workday. As she works through the problems of the ranch, she also works through her own self-discovery.

She sees her father, a man she loves, as so pressured to continue the family legacy without incurring more expenses that he perpetuates problems rather than helping her solve them. Until her arrival, his deference to “the cowboy way” had gone unchallenged – as something acceptable. In addition, the similarity between the cowboys who work her family’s ranch and her husband shines too bright to ignore. Morrison pulls the cover off the lies we tell ourselves as women to remain in the security of failed relationships and not seek the path of healing and strength.

This memoir opens the book on a fascinating, nontraditional life filled with adventure and mishap.

Morrison, alone, supports her ideas and dreams of a better world for the horses she cares for – and for herself. However, the harsh life she lives and the disappointments she suffers do not break her. They move her forward toward the healing she needs.

Barbed abounds with sagacity and affirmations that ring true for readers who may never set foot on a ranch or ride a horse. This tough, savvy woman shows us how to persevere and survive in the harsh climate of a failing business and a failing marriage. She teaches us how to let go of what doesn’t work and find what does, and how to keep trying – even when all doors seem to be firmly shut. Morrison keeps on knocking.

Julie Morrison’s aptly titled memoir, Barbed, connects her myriad of encounters into one cohesive tapestry. She faces the difficulty of not backing down or taking the easy path of giving up and embraces what happens when she reaches the other side. Does she find Nirvana? Morrison finds a life worth living, and she moves forward to contentment. She saddles a new horse and rides a new path, and in the end, she finds herself.

November 17, 2021
Summer Girl by Linda Watkins – Coming of Age Fiction, Women’s Literature & Fiction, Romance Fiction

Visit an idyllic island off the coast of Maine, long before the days of the internet and social media, in Linda Watkins’ romance novel, Summer Girl.

Jake, a local teenage boy on Cutter Island meets Andi, who visits for the summer with her mom and stepdad. In this summer of 1965 the two hit it off almost immediately, spending every moment they can together.

But not long after they profess their love for one another, tragedy strikes, forcing them apart with little hope of ever seeing each other again.

Twenty years pass until the summer of 1985. Jake, now a successful writer, returns to Cutter Island with his wife and kids for the first time in many years. Andi also arrives with her husband and young son. Once they learn of each other’s presence on the island, all the memories of that summer long ago come flooding back. And so do the unanswered questions of what happened on that fateful night. But a different question burns in their hearts and demands to be answered. Does first love, true love, ever really die?

Watkins’ writing flows elegantly.

Andi and Jake look back on their past with nostalgia, heartbreak, and regret. Cutter Island and the characters on it feel immediately familiar, like old friends in a place we’d like to visit. This summer vacation on a quiet island community off the coast of Maine, with all the fresh seafood at an arm’s reach, comes to life. Past and present in Summer Girl take place in a time before the internet became ingrained into everyday life. Readers can take a momentary break to disconnect and truly get lost in the story.

Jake and Andi show their impressive amount of depth, and accurately portray the simple naivete of youth during the fateful summer in which they meet. Their romance stays grounded and realistic. Watkins’ beautiful writing paints a picture of inexperienced teenagers with honesty and vulnerability that makes their parting even more emotional.

Summer Girl tells a story of love against all odds.

True love leaves an infinite effect on someone’s life, for better or for worse. This story stands on love, hope, and perseverance. Accept the invitation to the remote Cutter Island and smell the mouthwatering preparations of the summer night’s lobster bake. Keep an eye out for Jake and Andi among the hungry locals and vacationers.

Summer Girl by Linda Watkins won 1st Place in the 2018 CIBA Somerset Book Awards for contemporary literary novels.

November 15, 2021
The LONG DESERT ROAD by Alex Sirotkin – Literary, Romantic Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

Alex Sirotkin’s debut novel, The Long Desert Road, navigates the emotional arcs of life in contrast with the greater expanse of the cosmos. Here a young woman must face her addictions while the people around her try to move beyond her backlash.

We meet Henry Spinoza, a 44-year-old quirky science writer. He ponders his life as half over, looks for the right woman, and wonders if there isn’t more to existence.

For twenty years, Henry, a science writer, has been researching a non-fiction book on the universe that he intends to write. Henry’s feeling “bored, boring, and budget-conscious…the trifecta of gloom,” as he puts it. But in the middle of this ennui, his sister-in-law invites him to dinner, along with her divorced friend, Isabel Dalton, an attorney, and “the setup is afoot.”

Meanwhile, Isabel deals with a family crisis. Her daughter Lauren, newly out of rehab, gets into a severe accident with tragic consequences. Determined to stop enabling Lauren, Isabel places her in the Dusty Palms rehab facility for an extended 6-month stay. Lauren struggles through detox and nightmares, therapy sessions and medications, self-destructive escapades, and mother/daughter communications. Lauren’s thinking, actions, and attitude would justify Henry’s subsequent observation that she’s “just your average, somewhat immature, impulsive bipolar twenty two year old with a history of serious trauma, drugs, alcohol and jail.”

In an effortless blend of conversation, humor, and questioning, Henry and Isabel slowly begin to bond.

Their relationship blossoms from sushi dinners and casual banter. Henry’s fascinating diatribes about the cosmos and Isabel’s sharing of her daughter’s cunning, manipulative ways deepen their connection. When Lauren’s sudden, unexpected release from rehab threatens to derail the merging couple’s dream trip to Chile (coinciding with Henry’s last bit of research), Henry convinces Isabel that they should bring Lauren along. Amidst the desolate beauty of the hot Atacama Desert, with an infinite sea of stars and planets shining down upon them, these characters find common ground, coming to terms with their inner struggles.

Sirotkin tells a story richly layered with well-defined characters, an informative narrative, and genuine, probing dialogue. While the characters initially appear in their own chapters, their lives soon become entwined. Multiple subplots quickly move the action forward. The story uncovers a variety of personal and family issues that help these characters recognize their pitfalls. Henry’s enthrallment with the cosmos contrasts Isabel’s frustration and concern for Lauren. Finally, Lauren begins to question her own self-destructive impulses.

Clearly, much research went into this work.

The story’s focus on addiction reflects Sirotkin’s personal experience with a similar family situation. He creatively places this sense of concern within the framework of a scientific perspective. Sirotkin keeps the science complex but understandable. Henry’s enthusiasm about the wonders of the sky spreads to the reader. Atop a mountain observatory, Henry shines as a brilliant researcher who openly recognizes that scientific principles don’t necessarily conflict with faith in God in the search for truth.

The Long Desert Road thoughtfully explores family, friends, relationships, love, loss, and addiction. More importantly, it reveals the minute significance of these intertwining stories within the vast complexity of our star-studded universe. Highly recommended.

Alex Sirotkin’s The Long Desert Road was the 2021 Grand Prize Winner for the Chatelaine Awards.

November 5, 2021
FROM NICHOLAS to CHRISTMAS by Kyle Poehls – Mythology and Folklore, Christmas Lore, Children’s Holiday Books

This delightful three-part story told in simple rhyming verse, takes us back to the origins of Christmas before the emergence of Santa Claus.

With a creative premise, From Nicholas to Christmas by Kyle Poehls brings the spirit of the holiday to life, in a town filled with despair. One man’s actions set off a wave of happiness and joy in giving to those less fortunate.

Here we meet Nicholas, his wife Carol, and their two children, Holly and Timmy. These youngsters help their father in the wintery woods. One day, they ask to bring the outdoors in by setting up a pine tree in the house and decorating it with toys. First, the loving family gives thanks for all their blessings and soon decides to help those in need.

Nicholas travels in his sleigh to a nearby town, where he encounters a young girl named Mary. While helping this seemingly destitute child, Nicholas notes her kindness to return a found bag of coins. She explains, “I was taught not to take even though I am poor.” Back in his workshop, he discovers a glass snow globe where a vision of Mary’s family suddenly appears. With heartfelt concern, he wishes them a good life.

Nicholas prepares for another journey and takes a special bag of gifts to Mary.

Though delighted and thankful for his generosity, Mary kindly passes the gifts along to others. She then relates a story of her own magical experience whereupon awakening, she found her room filled with food, clothes, and coins. Nicholas considers the surprising blessing a true miracle. As Mary receives more gifts, she continues to give them away, and in a pay-it-forward moment, others begin to join in the giving and sharing. Her actions lead a once darkened town into the light to ignite the true holiday spirit.

Artful illustrations by Diego capture a close-knit family and the warmth of home.

Small oval renderings lend an old-fashioned Currier and Ives appeal as if offering readers a glimpse into this wonderful world. Whether a moonlit cabin on a winter’s night, Nicholas gently repairing Mary’s beloved yarn-haired doll or showcasing a peek inside a magical crystal ball, the images become a reminder of what the holiday season is truly about.

A feel-good story with a message for all ages, this new take on the holiday’s origins with all its heartfelt intentions and charm may turn the reading of From Nicholas to Christmas into a new family tradition. One of our favorites!

November 1, 2021
JUST DIE by E. Alan Fleischauer – International Mystery & Crime, Occult Horror, Thriller & Suspense

E. Alan Fleischauer’s lead character holds the power of life and death in his fingertips in the new crime thriller, Just Die.

How would you react to holding the fate of the living in your bare hand? Recovering from his own near-death experience, retired financial advisor Jake Silver attempts to understand his new powers after a stint in the hospital. When he points his bare finger and utters well-worn words, the object of his attention instantly dies.

With great power comes great responsibility. Now that Jake has this power, how will he decide to use it? And what repercussions come with his decision?

Happy to be home after a stroke, Jake celebrates a second chance at life with his fiancée Beth. He’s also made a new friend from the hospital. This man, Omar, turns out to be an idolized NFL Super Bowl winner, and he joins in Jake’s celebration.

Despite Jake’s gratitude for being home, life’s annoyances can still rub him the wrong way. When he flashes a familiar gesture at any living thing, it dies. It dawns on him that he’s the cause of the deadly results. When a particular bike rider crosses a path near Jake’s home, he suffers this ultimate, lethal punishment. An overreaction? Keep reading to find out more.

The biker’s death brings on a police investigation, exploring motive, means, and opportunity.

Witnesses come forward with motives of their own. Both Jake and his beloved Beth are questioned as witnesses – and then as suspects. How can Jake answer the cops? Concerns grow over whether this stress will force an end to the couple’s engagement, bring them closer together than ever, or put one or both behind bars.

Omar shares a provocative idea with Jake.

After seeing firsthand his friend’s extreme power, Omar shares a story with him. An all-too-familiar tale of justice denied – and the impact upon Omar’s family moves Jake. He sees that it’s within his new power to deliver justice by a covert plan to kill a freed criminal. Will Jake intentionally take on the role of judge and jury to execute what he thinks is the rightful outcome?

In the meantime, the police investigation heats up.

Jake’s power may no longer be a secret. Someone wants this power used for the benefit of the nation and tells an influential official. Now Jake faces more potential danger and critical decisions as the government has designs on his powers. Where will Jake turn? His retired life, gratefully saved in the hospital, has been interrupted by the thriller life of a hired gun.

An action-packed paranormal thriller, Just Die challenges readers with questions about the quality of life, shades of morality, and personal loyalty.

E. Alan Fleischauer masterfully creates relatable characters, including the human frailties shouldered by an NFL star. No one is immune from the limits of being human when tackling bigger-than-life issues. Fleischauer handily delivers a paranormal thriller destined to garner the attention it so rightly deserves. How will it all end? Who will survive the threats and the investigations, and who will just die? Readers, get ready for one thrill ride of a novel. This one will keep you up at night! Just Die won 1st Place in the 2020 CIBAs for Paranormal Fiction.

October 27, 2021