Archives for August 2016

August Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Paranormal Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ The Edge of the Cemetery by Margaret Millmore

EDGE
The Edge of the Cemetery by Margaret Millmore
Ghost Killer Book 2
Publisher: Creative Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (225 pages)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy
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There are ghosts and demons that wander among the living; they do not haunt in the traditional sense. Instead, they plague mankind with diseases and physical deformities, and once a ghost finds its victim it will haunt them for a lifetime. When George Sinclair discovered he could see these ghosts, and more importantly, he could kill them and save their victims, his life changed from ordinary to extraordinary, he’d become a ghost killer, one of the most powerful to be born in some time. George has embraced this new life and now works alongside his new friends, Billy Wilkinson and Phil James. Together they assist the Watchers, an international group of ghost killers and supernatural experts who monitor the world for ghostly sightings and demon infestations to maintain the balance between the living and the dead.

When San Francisco and the surrounding area are suddenly plagued by rogue groups of ghosts and demons, who appeared to have a leader of sorts, a 17th century musketeer demon, the Watchers know it isn’t random, nor was it the usual form in which ghosts and demons prefer to haunt. These monsters were also possessing their victims and forcing them to hurt others, and once the ghost killers arrived, the demons directed their human weapons on them. The question was, who was this musketeer demon and why was he directing these attacks?

As George, Billy, Phil and the Watchers investigate, they discover the 17th century demon is teamed up with a teenage boy, who they come to realize is a powerful ghost killer himself and more importantly, they believe he is being controlled by the demon and is now using its energy to kill people at will. Their search for the teenager and his demon lead them to the discovery of an enemy from their past and a mysterious prophecy. As they decipher the true meaning of the prophecy, they uncover a plot for murderous revenge involving a secret vault containing numerous malevolent souls and a plan to return those wicked dead to human form as directed by Satan himself. Unfortunately, they also discover the true purpose of the demon musketeer’s involvement, which is to become one with the powerful teenage ghost killer, creating a monster that cannot be defeated. With the clock ticking against them, they must find the vault and destroy it before it can be opened and kill the demon and his teenage host.

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

The Edge of the Cemetery by Margaret Millmore

EDGE
The Edge of the Cemetery by Margaret Millmore
Ghost Killer Book 2
Publisher: Creative Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (225 pages)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

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When San Francisco and the surrounding area are suddenly plagued by rogue groups of ghosts and demons, who appeared to have a leader of sorts, a 17th century musketeer demon, the Watchers know it isn’t random, nor was it the usual form in which ghosts and demons prefer to haunt. These monsters were also possessing their victims and forcing them to hurt others, and once the ghost killers arrived, the demons directed their human weapons on them. The question was, who was this musketeer demon and why was he directing these attacks?

As George, Billy, Phil and the Watchers investigate, they discover the 17th century demon is teamed up with a teenage boy, who they come to realize is a powerful ghost killer himself and more importantly, they believe he is being controlled by the demon and is now using its energy to kill people at will. Their search for the teenager and his demon lead them to the discovery of an enemy from their past and a mysterious prophecy. As they decipher the true meaning of the prophecy, they uncover a plot for murderous revenge involving a secret vault containing numerous malevolent souls and a plan to return those wicked dead to human form as directed by Satan himself. Unfortunately, they also discover the true purpose of the demon musketeer’s involvement, which is to become one with the powerful teenage ghost killer, creating a monster that cannot be defeated. With the clock ticking against them, they must find the vault and destroy it before it can be opened and kill the demon and his teenage host.

Written in the first person, this story is about ghost killers. Apparently ghosts have died fairly recently, but demons died many years ago, the longer they are dead, the stronger they become. Ghost killers help them to pass over, sometimes willingly but usually in the case of demons, unwillingly.

George and his friend and neighbor Billy are very strong ghost killers so when a very old demon is determined to take over a young boy and then release hundreds of evil ghosts into the world, it’s up to the ghost killers to stop them. Unfortunately all is not how it seems, and chaos begins to take over. Billy and George belong to the Watchers, a group of people who watch for unusual behavior and possible haunting.

This book was extremely well written and the story captivated me, keeping me reading until I reached the end. A sense of lightheartedness came into the story with George’s weapon of choice, a number two pencil. Billy uses a chopstick. Unusual weapons but they definitely work, sending the spirits to the other side. Several eerie scenes gave me the good old ghost shivers and it was surprising how the story fitted into everyday life.

If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell

DUKE
If I Only Had a Duke by Lenora Bell
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (285 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

After four failed seasons and a disastrous jilting, Lady Dorothea Beaumont has had more than enough of her family’s scheming. She won’t domesticate a duke, entangle an earl, or vie for a viscount. She will quietly exit to her aunt’s Irish estate for a life of blissful freedom. Until an arrogant, sinfully handsome duke singles her out for a waltz, making Thea the most popular belle of the season.

The duke ruined her plans and he’ll just have to fix them.

We all know that stress can buy cheap tadalafil increase the risk of adverse events, so be careful. Some treatment gives you the temporary result of the erectile dysfunction as they lead a stressful life; sometimes even go into depression wholesale cialis as they are not able to satisfy their partner sexually. The brand new drug is buy levitra canada introduced in the market as a surefire remedy for ED. Studies conducted between 2007 to 2013 lead to the conclusion that use of viagra soft after a heart attack (or stroke) positively influences the brain work. Dalton, Duke of Osborne, is far too heartless for debutantes or marriage—he uses dalliances and public spectacle to distract from his real purpose: finding the man who destroyed his family. When his search leads to Ireland, the last thing he needs is the determined, achingly innocent Thea, who arrives in the dead of night demanding he escort her to her aunt. His foolish agreement may prove his undoing. The road to the Emerald Isle is fraught with unforeseen dangers, but the greatest peril of all might just be discovering that he has a heart…and he’s losing it to Thea.

Sometimes the burden of being proper, perfect and demure is a grueling chore. Compound that pressure with a harping and judgmental mother and grandmother who are determined to choose her life and make her decisions for her that it’s not a wonder that the heroine, Thea, snaps and lashes out in the only way she can; she runs. What happens afterwards is pure entertainment for readers.

I’d read How the Duke Was Won,the first book in The Disgraceful Dukes series and thought that one to be clever and unique so I was really looking forward to If I Only Had a Duke in hopes I’d be equally engaged and amused. I was, completely. This is a 100% standalone read so a new fan can read this one first and not feel left out. This novel is strictly about Thea and Dalton. Charlene, Thea’s half-sister shows up later, but as a secondary character to the events and a sweet touch since they are family.

There are quite a few plot conflicts running simultaneously yet Ms. Bell juggled them with aplomb. I grew to have great respect for Thea and her goals to be free of the yoke of perfection. I admired Dalton’s quest for vengeance and retribution and I liked how Con, Dalton’s friend and co-conspirator, always had the hero’s back, except when it came to Thea. With the heroine, Con acted more like a gruff Cupid combined with a devilish Loki, with an Irish brogue – truly delightful. I giggled quite frequently with the dialogue, both internal and between Thea and Dalton. One of my favorite lines what when she labeled him “The Great Wall of Duke”. I snickered as I typed that. You’ll have to read it to understand why it’s so funny – it’s a cumulative effect.

One of my favorite parts, and there are quite a few, is when Thea stood up to the main harridan; the results are miraculous! Another shocker is the revelation of what truly happened to Dalton’s little brother. I’ve read enough romance stories to guess the real answer but not the whole picture or what happens after that knowledge is gained. I really wanted to hug Dalton at that point. Poor guy – he’s gone through so much already and he’s being hunted on top of it! That underlying bit of suspense always seemed to lurk and pop up when I least expected it. It made for great reading.

The happy ever after is just overwhelmingly wonderful. It’s like Thea’s personality – her refusal to give up, to break or be cowed – just inspired everyone around her to dream bigger, fight harder and not take the first answer as gospel. No one gave up or gave in, well, the good guys at least. The dark characters get their just desserts although the author as a bit light in the details – not that I mind, I found it rather amusing. It was just how Ms. Bell did it.

Yes, If I Only Had a Duke is a whopper of a good tale told with a crisp and engaging style that brings Thea and Dalton to life for readers to enjoy. The sexy shenanigans are saucy, seductive and well-written but I was more entertained with the dialogue, Thea’s opinions and Dalton’s reactions to them. There’s just enough drama and fisticuffs to keep the pages turning, and amusing and silly antics to inspire a reader to grin. I fervently hope that Alice, the secondary character with the most amusingly toxic TMI or waxing poetic about the most obscure scientific gobbledygook, gets her happy ever after too. She wasn’t quite as strong a presence in this story, but Ms. Bell included her just at the right time to remind me how much I thought her amusing. Yes, she’d be an interesting character to match with a duke. I wonder who it will be? I can’t wait until the next book!

A Cowboy Christmas Miracle by Carolyn Brown – Spotlight and Giveaway

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Carolyn Brown, whose newest release A Cowboy Christmas Miracle will be released on September 6. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post to win a copy of One Texas Cowboy Too Many.

8_31 cowboy christmas miracleIt will take a miracle bigger than the state of Texas for these two feuding families to survive the holidays!

Opposites might attract…

The Brennans and the Gallaghers put aside their one-hundred-year feud every Tuesday for their weekly poker game. This week, the stakes are sky-high. Goaded to recklessness, Declan Brennan bets one thousand dollars that he can woo the next woman to walk into the saloon. A minute later, fiery-haired Betsy Gallagher pushes through the doors. If Declan can tame this wild Gallagher, he’ll have earned every penny.

If they don’t kill each other first…

Betsy can outshoot anybody in Burnt Boot and loves ranching more than anything—until she falls for Declan. He’s fallen for her too. But when she discovers what sparked their courtship, Declan will need a Christmas miracle to save his hide—and his heart.

Enjoy an Excerpt:

“You cowboys are free to play poker here, but you’d best remember my rules. This is neutral territory, and by damn, I can—and will—drag that shotgun out from under the counter to enforce them. So keep it civil. Understand?” Rosalie shook her finger at the lot of them.

She hadn’t owned the bar very long, but she didn’t take crap off anyone. The wrinkles around her eyes testified that she was somewhere in her fifties. The strawberry-blond hair worn in a ponytail sticking out the back of her Dallas Cowboys ball cap didn’t have a single gray strand shining in it. Neither Brennans nor Gallaghers wanted to face off with those cold, gray eyes when she was angry.

“Yes, ma’am,” Quaid said respectfully.

“Then play cards or gather up your poker chips and get on out of here.” Rosalie turned back toward the poker table. “Where’s your O’Donnell buddies? I thought this crappy feud might be on its way out when Leah Brennan married Rhett O’Donnell a few weeks ago.”

“Never!” Eli said. “As long as a Gallagher is alive, we’ll keep the feud alive to show these Brennans who’s boss.”

“That’s crazy. Why do you play poker with them?” Rosalie headed toward the jukebox. “It’s all insane anyway. Y’all go to the same church, and nowadays, your kids go to the same school. You’re all ranchers, and both families have a granny who runs things. Sounds to me like you are more alike than different.”

“It’s so sweet to beat them.” Quaid laughed. “They whine like little girls when they lose to us Brennans.”

“Y’all need to end the feud. A hundred years is long enough for folks to carry a grudge.” Rosie plugged the money into the jukebox and chose a few country tunes.

Eli chuckled. “Like that’s gonna happen in my lifetime.”

Declan glanced over at Eli. “Lay out the rules if there are any. If not, let’s finish this game and wait for some old gal to come through the door so Tanner can get on with the business of falling in love with her.”

Eli nodded. “Rule number one: you have a month to make her fall in love with you and get her into bed. It can’t be a one-night stand. I’ll even give you a few extra days since Thanksgiving is next week and you’ll be busy on the ranch.”

Declan held up a palm. “Whoa, hoss! You’re already talking like I’ve lost this game. The rules are supposed to be for both of us.”

Eli flashed a go-to-hell look across the table. “You have until the week before Christmas. Tanner will want to take his winnings and do some shopping with them. And I’m the one making the rules, so don’t be yelling at me. Rule number two: it has to be a woman you’ve never dated before. Rule number three: just to make it interesting, it really does have to be the next woman who walks into this bar so that all four of us know who it is, and you can’t lie to us about having never dated her.”

“So.” Declan checked the calendar on his phone. “Friday, December 18, one of us has to be dating, have slept with, and made the next woman who comes through the doors fall in love with him. And how does Tanner prove to you that he did all that? He could just lie and take my money. After all, that’s what a Gallagher would do.”

“She has to tell it all over town,” Tanner said.

“What if she doesn’t kiss and tell?” Declan asked.

“If you are that irresistible, she’ll be bragging all over town that she’s snagged you,” Tanner said through clenched teeth.

“Okay, you’re on. If you win this hand, I’ll take that bet. And not a one of us around this table can tell anyone about the bet. It has to be a secret, and if it gets out, then all bets are off.”

Quaid threw up his palms. “You’re all crazy. What if the woman who comes through those doors is fifty years old and chews tobacco?”

Tanner shrugged. “A bet is a bet. Hope you like older women, Declan. Thursday night’s pickin’s are pretty slim here.”

There was no way a Gallagher was going to beat a Brennan in poker. “I’ll be glad to take your money tonight and at Christmas. I heard the crunch of wheels out there in the parking lot, so get ready to meet your woman, Gallagher.”

Tanner fanned out a royal flush. “I reckon at Christmas you’ll have to shell out more, but this pot is right fine for now. And I just heard that truck door slam out there in the parking lot, so get ready to meet your date, Declan Brennan. Remember, it’s a secret, Eli and Quaid. Anyone tells, and this town will see the feud fire up hotter than it’s been since your family started it.”

“We didn’t start anything. Y’all did.” Declan said a prayer as he glanced toward the door.

Tanner’s cocky little grin faded, and his face looked like someone had smeared ashes all over it when the door opened. Eli’s eyes came close to popping out of his head and rolling across the floor, and Quaid sucked all the oxygen out of the air in one big gulp. Declan felt as if he’d just been struck by lightning straight from God’s hand.

“You are a dead man, Tanner,” Eli whispered.

Quaid exhaled so hard that it whistled through his teeth. “And so are you, Declan. Granny Mavis will kill you if you go after her.”

“A bet is a bet. And a Brennan does not run from a fight,” Declan said.

Sweet Jesus in heaven. Declan had been in love with Betsy since they were kids in the same Sunday school class. He might have lost the poker match, but here was his chance, and the Gallaghers couldn’t do jack shit about it. Poor old Tanner had just set the whole thing up on a silver platter and handed him the rights to the whole thing. Talk about luck—Declan had lost the money on the table, but he’d been given the rights to Betsy Gallagher.

“Let’s call it off,” Eli said. “Just pretend it never happened and walk out of here.”

All eyes went to Tanner.

“Gallaghers don’t run either,” he murmured.

About the Author: NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author and RITA Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy books. These days she is concentrating on her two loves: women’s fiction and contemporary cowboy romance. She and her husband, a retired English teacher, make their home in southern Oklahoma.

Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or BAM.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Siren’s Song by K. M. Tolan

SONG
Siren’s Song by K. M. Tolan
Publisher: Burst Books
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (261 pgs)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Stargazer

He was of two minds about everything, and one of them wasn’t human.

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When all of your life you desire peace in your mind and the time comes that your desire is granted, you may soon wish that it wasn’t.

Scott Rellant is a normal human with an abnormal mind. An alien species that we are at war with resides in his brain and has remained there since shortly after his birth. Due to an act that saved his life, Scott was cursed with the alien named Water, who lives inside of his mind and can take over all functions of his being on occasion.

This was a phenomenal story in which two different species must work together to understand the other or risk losing everything in the mix. The author goes so much further than just addressing the opposite viewpoints of Scott and Water, he dives deep to look at the emotional impact of institutionalization for Scott due to Water’s presence, the disrupted family dynamic that Scott is forced into and the loss of family and even purpose for Water.

K. M. Tolan works through the separation of Scott and Water and presents both sides in such a remarkable way that the reader feels interwoven into the story. The feelings that Scott and Water feel, the internal and external struggles become so real to the reader that putting down the book is not an option. To right what was wronged so many years in the past, Scott and Water join forces to combat an evil that is ever present in our own world today.

Siren’s Song touches on so many relevant topics we face today both emotionally and morally; and the threads of the story are woven so strongly that that once you are done reading Siren’s Song, you just want to pick it up again and begin reading again! I must admit I have not read a book that resonated with me this well in a long time. I cannot wait to pick up another book by K.M. Tolan, but truth be told, the next book by him will have a high bar to aspire to!

Bedding The Babysitter by Sam Crescent

BEDDING
Bedding The Babysitter by Sam Crescent
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (49 Pages)
Other: M/F
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Tulip

Elise has had a crush on Jon Ross for as long as she can remember. He’s a divorced father, and she loved babysitting for him. His twins were adorable, and she just couldn’t deny him. At twenty-one, and home from college, she is surprised to get the call asking for her to babysit his twins once again. She can’t say no, and she can’t wait to see him.

Never double dose your medicine, take only one brand viagra pfizer pill of Kamagra per day. When a man begins to have an erectile dysfunction, it implies that cialis generic online he is passing through some trouble in having and maintaining or sustaining an erection. viagra ordination http://amerikabulteni.com/2011/06/10/new-york%E2%80%99un-ilk-kaldirim-alkol-lisansi-turk-%E2%80%98taco%E2%80%99cusuna/ From the past few years, even advanced countries like Germany, France and America have shown the propensity towards Ayurveda. Less common side effects include increased light sensitivity, blurred vision, and blueness in vision. viagra cialis samples Jon has always liked Elise, but after her graduation, he couldn’t help but admit he had feelings for her that went beyond being appropriate. Seeing her again only heightens his need for her. He can no longer deny himself.

Can their love really survive? Is it a taste of the forbidden that is driving them? What will the rest of their families think when the truth comes out?

I enjoyed this short and steamy romance from Sam Crescent.

This short story was put together nicely. It’s very fast paced and the characters were easy to like. Elise and Jon were intended to be another taboo-ish couple. I felt they were sweet together though. Again, Elise was a fuller figured heroine and Jon was her sexy older crush. This is an often used plot device for Sam Crescent. It works very well for her because she somehow makes it different every time.

In this one, I just loved the characters and I felt that their feelings were genuine. They had bonded together as a family without even realizing it and it made me feel good for them as the author opened their eyes. Also, Sam Crescent wasn’t stingy with the smoking hot sexy times either.

In a nutshell, this was a sweet and sexy story. I enjoyed it immensely.

Three Modern Shorts: The Park Stories by K. Kris Loomis

PARK
Three Modern Shorts: The Park Stories by K. Kris Loomis
Publisher: Lililoom Publishing
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short Story (22 pages)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

What happens when a distraught teen and a whacky old woman meet in the park? How about a couple that weaves tales about spies and incurable diseases? Or when a father and daughter are presented with the opportunity to get to know one another better under unusual circumstances?
In these three modern short stories, author K. Kris Loomis offers us glimpses of universally shared moments in everyday relationships and life. They are humorous, thought provoking, and written to be read in one sitting.

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In “Lovely Horns,” an old woman named Muriel struck up an unusual conversation with a troubled teenage girl, Lucy, who had a strange problem. Muriel thought she might have a solution for it. It took me a while to decide how I wanted to interpret the problem and the solution. There were several different ways to look at both of them, and that made for a fascinating reading experience. I especially liked how the final scene was written. Not only did it give me a nice sense of closure, it also fit Muriel’s offbeat personality beautifully.

There were some parts of “Friday Afternoon” that I had trouble understanding. While I really enjoyed the funny tales Paul and Angie told each other about what they imagined the lives of the other people at the park had been like, I found it hard to relate to these characters themselves. The hints about what was actually going on between them were so subtle that I was never sure that I was accurately understanding the subtext in their conversation. It would have been helpful to have a little more information to work with in those scenes.

The complicated relationship between Jimmy and his adult daughter, Carley, in “The King Stomper” made me curious to know why things were a little strained between them and what would happen to them next. Watching them interact with each other answered enough of my questions to keep me satisfied, but their chat also made me think of more topics I wished they’d discuss. This story ended up being my favorite on in the book because of how good it was at exploring these characters’ personalities and challenging me to come up with my own theories about why they behaved the way they did.

I’d recommend Three Modern Shorts: The Park Stories to anyone who has ever wished they could peek into a stranger’s life for a moment.

Cream Puff by Demaree Iles

PUGG
Cream Puff by Demaree Iles
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (179 pages)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Orchid

On the surface, Charlie LaRue is a nice guy with a pretty sweet life. He has a great home, a lasting marriage, and owns the best bakery in Ransom, Louisiana. But Charlie’s not happy. When you’ve been pushed around your whole life, you either learn to deal with it or you don’t; Charlie accepted that long ago as the cost of living. His acceptance, however, had a larger price than expected.

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A shadowy secret even Charlie is unaware of, however, is about to be revealed. Once unleashed—for good or evil—there will be consequences.

Cream Puff as a murder weapon? Maybe – we’ll never know.

Charlie is an almost seventy year old overworked baker who makes the most delicious cakes and breads. This made me like him right from the start. Who wouldn’t like a man who can do such wonderful work? Unfortunately his family doesn’t appreciate him. His wife is vastly overweight and doesn’t go out, not even to the third marriage of their spoiled daughter, Ruby. Both women look at Charlie more as an open checkbook, than as someone to love. The only member of his family to love him had been his son Tommy, but this wonderful person was no longer of this world.

The story kept me reading. Charlie is a wonderful character and the story is shown from inside his head, his thoughts, his memories, his headaches, his feeling that he is going mad. Does he commit murder – and does he remember what he has done during his memory blackouts? I loved beginning, middle and ending of the book, although I won’t give a spoiler, it is well worth reading to the last page.

Well written with no problems of flow, grammar or spelling. Demaree Iles has written a comprehensive murder  mystery book which made me understand why murder might be – perhaps not a good idea – but acceptable in some cases.

LASR Anniversary: Victoria Pitts Caine

anniversary post header 500 pixels 2016

This post is part of Long and Short Review’s 9th Anniversary Celebration. Enter the Rafflecopter at the end of the post for a chance to win a $100 gift card or other prizes.

Growing Succulents

My new passion is growing succulents. Last year I made a succulent wall out of concrete bricks, stacked just right to expose the center hole, filled it with potting soil and I had an easy care garden. My front porch holds a very large and very old Jade plant.

Succulents are also known as fat leaves since they store their moisture in various parts of the plant. There are sixty different plants families including succulents and they do well in a hot, dry climate which is what we experience a good six months of the year.

If grown indoors, they need five to six hours of sunlight and don’t go with the temptation to overwater. You need a well-draining container and they’re less happy in glass. They prefer 70 to 80 degrees, so if you’re comfortable, they probably are, too.

This year for my spring birthday and Mother’s Day, I received a basket of succulents and a box of succulent starters. Since the starters were routed from California to the vendor on the east coast and then back again, I was worried they’d survive. They also sat in a delivery van and the little box was hot when I received it. I busily got them planted, hoping they’d endure their ordeal. Thankfully they did, and I have a beautiful planter to keep my other succulents happy at the entryway.

I have been told you can water them and ignore them, probably why I do so well. Did you know the best thing for succulents is a spray bottle? Spritz and forget.

Cairo_Cover_medLiz McCran and Donnie Barnes travel to Cairo, Egypt, in search of Addie and Gary Wright, who were asked to deliver a mysterious envelope. Within days of their arrival, the couple has vanished. When Liz locates the Wright’s contact, Mr. Moustafa, she receives the first of several riddles.

Rayhan Shenouda, an Egyptian working at the American Embassy, agrees to help but his desire is to win Liz’s heart. Following his traditional customs, and much to her surprise, he proposes within days of their meeting.

Will the Wright’s be found? Can Rayhan and Liz’s love withstand an inevitable collision of cultures and customs? Or will it all end at the hands of a nomad insurgent named Ahmad?

About the Author:Victoria Pitts Caine is a native Californian and lives in the central portion of the state. Her varied interests include genealogy and exotic gemstone collecting both of which she’s incorporated into her novels.

The author has received recognition in both fiction and nonfiction from: Enduring Romance top 10 picks for 2008, William Saroyan Writing Conference, Byline Magazine, Writer’s Journal Magazine and The Southern California Genealogical Society. Her first novel published in 2007.

Victoria is a former staff technician in air pollution control. She is the mother of two daughters. Victoria and her husband enjoy travel, cooking, and are self-appointed “foodies”.

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From a Poison Pen by B.P. Smythe

PEN
From a Poison Pen by B.P. Smythe
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Genre: Suspense/Mystery, Historical
Length: Full Length (265 pages)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Stargazer

From the extraordinary mind of B.P.Smythe comes a collection of ten short stories.

What happens when a member of the Hitler youth ends up in a concentration camp?… How does a beach side cocktail get in the way the way of one woman’s scheming?… What leads a teenage girl to reign down fire and brimstone?… Can a killer find a victim’s diary that incriminates him?…

This collection of dark, humorous and macabre tales explores the disturbing side of human nature.

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From a Poison Pen is a book full of ten very different stories covering lives of very different individuals. The short stories cover everything from wartime to peacetime; severe insanity and unbalanced personality disorder to the unhappy marriage.

B.P. Smythe does an excellent job developing characters that resonate with the reader, yet are always just a touch outside of reality. While events might be plausible, the author finds an interesting way to place a humorous spin on the various situations. Utilizing dark humor and heaping amounts of irony, the author creates a fascinating dark world in which anything is possible.

One of my favorite stories was the very first, Constricted Love. The whole situation at one point was so far-fetched and then reined back in by the author that by the end of the story my head was spinning with the plausibility but still confused on what just happened.

The story, Girls of the BDM, was a story that dripped historical events and made the reader wonder throughout the whole story whether they were rooting for a character that was ultimately evil. Again, by the end of this story I was quite amazed at how the author had tied the loose ends up.

Some of the stories might be a little strong for some readers. The author descriptively explains the acts of torture and the homicide of some characters. Crime scenes descriptions as well as the thoughts and feelings that the characters’ experience right before death may be unsettling for some.

I found that the stories in the book, From a Poison Pen, were well researched, strongly written and a great experience! I am glad that I was able to experience the mind of B.P. Smythe first hand. I will definitely be looking for his other work in the future!