Seven Tales From King Arthur’s Court by John Erskine, Albert Seligman (editor)
Publisher: Markosia Enterprises Ltd.
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Romance, Action/Adventure, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe
These “Seven Tales” were published in 1940 in The American Weekly Sunday magazine and have never been seen since. They showcase watercolors by English artist Edmund Dulac, who was one of the Golden Age illustrators. The texts were written by noted American author and musician John Erskine.
Archives for June 2023
June Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Seven Tales From King Arthur’s Court by John Erskine, Albert Seligman (editor)
June 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment
Honey & Ice by Dorothy F Shaw
June 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment
Honey & Ice by Dorothy F Shaw
Publisher: Red Queen Publications
Genre: Contemporary, Erotica
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by NymphaeaDesi Profit has had her eye on the tall and delicious biker, Griffin Sinclair, for a while now. A little too tipsy one night, Desi confesses her obsession to a mutual friend and asks him to relay her fantasy to Griffin.
Having no idea if the message was delivered—and half praying it wasn’t—Desi runs into Griffin a week later. And when the hotter than hell biker puts her on the back of his motorcycle, Desi has no idea she’s in for the wildest, most exciting ride of her life.
Hot, quick and sexy.
I picked up this story because I wanted something for a lunchtime read that would be hot, quick and had a bit of raunch to it. I mean that in a good way and this short story delivered. The writing clipped along nicely and there was just enough story to keep my interest while being hot and fun.
Desi wants to be with Griff in the worst way. She’s just gotta have him. Griff wants her, too. This isn’t a romance, per se. It’s an erotic story, but that’s fine. It’s a snippet of their story and I know there has to be more, which is good because it made me crave more. I wanted to know what would happen to these people after this. That’s pretty great. I liked that this was hot, too. It hit the right points.
If you’re looking for something hot and short for a break or lunchtime read, then this is the book for you. I recommend it.
A Lesson in Woo-Woo and Murder by David Unger, PhD
June 30, 2023 By Leave a Comment
A Lesson in Woo-Woo and Murder by David Unger, PhD
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Recent Historical (1985), Cozy Mystery
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by LavenderDavid’s chakras are stimulated and he takes a skeptical step into the unknown when he’s asked for support at the Santa Monica Whole Life Expo – bad juju is coming, and positive therapeutic auras are required.
Murder soon spoils the cosmic karma, and with the posse on hand to spice up the mystic mix, David’s sleuthing leads him to places he’s never been before, and most likely won’t return to.
But David is distracted – Nova, the Love Doctor, puts the “oo” in his personal woo-woo, and when a psychic foretells of romance in his future, he all but enters a different dimension.
David’s special brand of voodoo-therapy-magic has never been more at home, but can he overcome his super Nova distraction for long enough to unmask the killer before anyone else gets hurt?
This is a clever way to present a murder mystery…with a bit of the paranormal, or rather, paranormal practitioners. Dave is a psychologist at an event with booths and people featuring such things as tarot readings, psychics, and tantric sex. While there, someone is murdered and then someone else loses their life.
Dave wants to figure out who the guilty party is. He is friendly with the others at this convention and follows people in order to see what they are up to. As this is going on, there is a romantic subplot, kind of. He’s interested in a woman in this group.
Dave talks to these believers with respect, but he doesn’t really believe himself. This gives the conversations between him and the others a slightly humorous feel. Is he being sarcastic after all? It’s set in the 1980s. Perhaps, it could have used more emphasis on this time because really, it could have been modern day.
It’s a quirky tale that will have readers wondering who did the evil deed. Why not follow along and try to figure out the case for yourself?
Friday Five Writing Prompt Challenge for June 30, 2023
June 30, 2023 By 1 Comment
Each Friday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly five word writing prompt. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
Today’s five words to use as your prompt are:
slam, moral, summit, calm, eliminate
Blood On Snow by Jo Nesbo
June 29, 2023 By Leave a Comment
Blood On Snow by Jo Nesbo
Publisher: Penguin Random House UK
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by FernOlav is a fixer for a high-profile crime kingpin in 1970s Oslo. He easily takes care of anyone who causes trouble for his boss. But he is more complicated than he seems. Olav’s latest job puts him at the pinnacle of his trade, but it may become his greatest mistake: It turns out that the more you know about your boss’s business, the more your boss might want you fixed yourself—especially if you’re falling for his wife.
Olav lives a solitary life as the “fixer” for one of the two main heroin drug lords in Oslo, Norway. He’s used to fixing the problems of his boss, but suddenly he’s given a problem he can’t bring himself to fix. Olav is hired to kill his boss’s wife. Olav finds his problems quickly spiraling and all too soon his solitary life is quite crammed with people – most of them his enemies.
I really enjoy Scandinavian noir books, and this one was no exception. Jo Nesbo (and Scandi noir in general, in my opinion) is a somewhat acquired taste. I personally feel most of the writing styles of the Scandinavian authors is slightly different to UK and US authors – usually a bit grittier and more bare in style, but also a lot of the themes and cultural aspects are somewhat different too. This all adds up to mean I fully recognize frequently Scandinavian written books – especially noir style stories – are not to everyone’s taste. This book most certainly falls into that category.
Readers looking for a different sort of thriller, or assassin book, or even a gritter style of mystery should definitely find this fits the bill. I thoroughly enjoyed Nesbo’s writing and Olav’s voice, finding it different and more hard boiled than I’m used to, but I also really enjoyed how despite the cleaner style of writing there were ample twists to the plot and quite a few curves I personally didn’t see coming. I found my attention quite riveted to Olav and his story and even as I was trying to guess exactly what was going on I was drawn deeper into the mess he found himself in.
Readers should also be quite aware that this story does not have a traditional ending. I personally found it interesting and thought-provoking, but readers expecting a certain style of conclusion might not find this suits their tastes or needs. That said, I found the whole book really interesting and with enough plot and twists to easily capture my attention. I was happy with this quick read and enjoyed all the differences from the more normal mysteries out there on the market.
The Script is not Enough by Jamison LoCascio – Cover Reveal and Giveaway
June 29, 2023 By 2 Comments
This post is part of a Cover Reveal organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. One randomly drawn commenter will win a $10 Amazon gift card. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The Script is not Enough takes a unique look at the making of four different independent feature films. The author takes you through every stage in development from writing, to financing, and to distribution and marketing. Find out how you can learn from the hard experiences and challenges that face the filmmaker along the way.
About the Author:
Jamison LoCascio is an award-winning feature film director. In 2012, Jamison LoCascio began to write the screenplay for his first union short, “Midnight Catch,” which garnished much acclaim at the New Jersey International Film Festival and Manhattan Film Festival. LoCascio decided to form his production company, Halcyon Valor Productions Incorporated. Graduated from Montclair State University with honors winning the “Excellence in Filmmaking” award for his numerous successful productions which premiered in film festivals around the world. LoCasio’s short films have since been honored by the Screen Actors Guild and screened at such festivals as the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival, Montclair Film Festival, and NewFilmmakers New York. LoCascio’s shorts “Track 3,” “A Stranger’s Confession,” and “Powerless” were all official selections of the Festival de Cannes Short Film Corner. His films have been anthologized in the prestigious Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan, distributed worldwide on DVD, picked up for online distribution by Film Bay. DIRECTV & AT&T distributed 6 of LoCascio’s short films on their new International short film platform. LoCascio’s first feature film, “The Depths,” starring Michael Rispoli and Patch Darragh won Best Feature Film at the 2017 Manhattan Film Festival and had a strong critical reception. The film also won Best Feature Film and Best Director at the 2017 Los Angeles Film Awards and received domestic distribution with Sony Pictures and The Orchard releasing on all major platforms including Amazon, Itunes, DVD and more. LoCascio’s second feature film “Sunset” starring acclaimed actor Austin Pendleton received rave reviews and won multiple awards including Best Dramatic Feature Film at the 2018 Manhattan Film Festival, Best Ensemble at the 2018 Los Angeles Film Awards, Best Leading Actor (David Johnson) International Independent Film Awards. “Sunset” also received domestic distribution with Sony Pictures and The Orchard. LoCascio and Adam Ambrosio have recently launched their latest initiative by filmmakers for filmmakers called Film Valor, a youtube channel with over 3,000 worldwide followers and over 250,000 views, a behind the scenes look at their filmmaking process. “Know Fear,” his latest feature film, received critical acclaim and stars Amy Carlson. The film had a limited theatrical release. His next feature film “How Dark They Prey,” a unique horror anthology, has been released on major streaming platforms including Amazon Prime, Tubi, Plex, Udu, Mometu and many more with critics hailing the film as “Horror at its best”. His latest feature film release “7×7” is a collection of many of LoCascio’s award-winning short films brought together for one viewing experience on major platforms including Tubi and Amazon Prime.
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for June 28, 2023
June 28, 2023 By 1 Comment
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
Today’s topic is: Recent Song I’ve Loved
Mo : A Woman’s View of Watergate by Maureen Dean
June 28, 2023 By Leave a Comment
Mo : A Woman’s View of Watergate by Maureen Dean
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Non-Fiction, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Political
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by NymphaeaMaureen Dean’s experience of Watergate centers on what clothing to wear according to the configurations of the stars (though she says she doesn’t exactly believe in astrology), and how a woman can spend time alone with her increasingly preoccupied, sleepless, and near-alcoholic husband. It is the extreme “”Penelope”” view. One she regrets in hindsight, for Maureen thinks the Watergate cover-up could never have become so dense if only the Nixon men had confided in their–presumably more moral–wives. As it was, what else was there for her to do but worry about knit dresses as she followed the incommunicado John Dean from Key Biscayne to San Clemente to Las Vegas to Camp David on the peregrinations that were supposed to save a government but finally toppled it? No one in politics talked to her, except politely, as a duty, or crudely, as a tomato; the power sincerely bores her; she thinks the pomp is childish–she’d rather be alone with her husband. Her book is actually a love paean to John Dean whom Mo sees as witty, supportive, loving and principled (we have to take it on faith since in this busy period he was rarely around); the “”collapsing world”” she is forever talking about is her home and expectations, not the country which she’s glad is purged of Nixon. It is a sentimental book by the unliberated housewife, but then, bourgeois sentiment may be a better emotion than the lust for power among those who ran the country: we cannot depend on nightwatchmen with astute eyes to catch all our criminals.
One woman’s view of the whole Watergate ‘thing’ and how it affected her life.
I call Watergate a ‘thing’ because it’s more like a moving, crawling being in this book. It’s a looming monster and it takes a strong person to withstand such events. Maureen Dean is one of those people. I blew through this book in the matter of a few hours and loved every second. It was like reading a book by a dear friend or reading their diary. It flowed well and kept me captivated.
Maureen Dean is the wife of John Dean, the man who (among others) blew the lid off the Watergate scandal and helped bring down President Richard Nixon. This book isn’t so much about the case itself, but rather her dealings with the peripherals. How she helped her husband with testimony prep, the fear of being attacked, the confusion over what happened (and what she didn’t know about), and how it all made her life a bit miserable, but she still persevered.
I liked that this wasn’t a strictly political book. There is raw emotion there. She’s not a perfect person, either, and that shines through. That’s what I liked the most about it, her realism and personality.
If you’re looking for a book that’s part politics, part historical but mostly emotional, then this might be the book for you.
* Remember Me by Mary Balogh
June 28, 2023 By Leave a Comment
* Remember Me by Mary Balogh
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by LarkspurCan Lady Philippa Ware forgive the man who once shattered all her youthful dreams? Discover the passionate and heartwarming new novel on the redemptive power of love from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh.
Philippa, elder daughter of the Earl of Stratton, grew up eagerly anticipating a glittering debut and a brilliant marriage. Then her brother caught their father out in a clandestine affair and denounced him publicly. The whole family was disgraced, and Philippa’s hopes grew dim, then were fully shattered when she overheard the dashing, handsome Marquess of Roath viciously insult her upon learning of her father’s identity. Only years later does Philippa find the courage to go to London at last to meet the ton. She is an instant success and enjoys a close friendship with the granddaughter of a duke. Only one man can spoil everything for her, but surely he will not be in London this year.
The Duke of Wilby is nearing death and has tasked his grandson and heir, Lucas Arden, Marquess of Roath, with marrying and producing a son before it is too late. Lucas, who usually shuns London, goes there early in the Season in the hope of finding an eligible bride before his grandparents come and find one for him. He is instantly attracted to his sister’s new friend, until that young lady asks a simple question: “Remember me?” And suddenly he does remember her, as well as the reason why the daughter of the Earl of Stratton is the one woman he can never marry—even if his heart tells him she is the only woman he wants.
Unfortunately for Philippa and Lucas, the autocratic duke and his duchess have other ideas and believe them to be perfect for each other. They will simply not take no for an answer. Telling Philippa the full truth is the hardest thing Lucas has ever faced, and the discovery of it will change them both before they discover the healing power of love.
Remember Me is a delightful and entertaining historical romance set in the 1800’s. This story has all the elements I love in historical romance. The two main characters have large families who love to meddle and offer unsolicited advice. Also, we are thrown into the glittering world of the London season and it is fun imagining what it would be like living during these times. The story is well written and easily transported me into their world and the two main characters, Lucas and Philippa are likable and easy to relate to.
Things do not go well the first time Lucas and Philippa meet and there is confusion and misunderstandings between them when they meet again, several years later. However, when Lucas and Philippa are continually thrown together during the London season, their feelings for each other slowly change. Lucas tries to show Pilippa that he is a nice guy, but Pilippa can’t forgive him for the harsh words he uttered years ago. I enjoyed all Lucas and Philippa’s encounters and I could feel the sparks igniting between them whenever they were together. I thought they were perfect for each other and wanted everything to work out between them.
What I love about Mary Balogh is she knows how to paint a picture and write an intriguing plot and a beautiful story. She does a great portrayal of the characters in this story and was able to make them sympathetic, vulnerable and easy to connect with. This story is full of richness and depth and kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next.
National Geographic Kids Everything Mythology: Begin Your Quest for Facts, Photos, and Fun Fit for Gods and Goddesses by Blake Hoena
June 27, 2023 By Leave a Comment
National Geographic Kids Everything Mythology: Begin Your Quest for Facts, Photos, and Fun Fit for Gods and Goddesses by Blake Hoena
Publisher: National Geographic
Genre: Historical, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Paranormal, Childrens (10+ yrs), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by NymphaeaNational Geographic Everything Mythology is jam packed with fascinating facts and awe-inspiring imagery that brings your favorite fierce mythological heroes to life, introducing kids to gods of ancient worlds, including Greek, Norse, Chinese, American Indian, African cultures, and more. Packed with facts, colorful illustrations, and infused with humor, this fun journey through ancient lore will keep kids fascinated with every turn of the page.
Want to know something about mythology in bites and bits? Then this is the book for you!
I picked up this book because of the impressive art on the front. Who doesn’t like Poseidon? He drew me in, but the text and the storytelling kept me riveted. I blew right through the book and couldn’t get enough. The author doesn’t hit the high points mythology, but also includes more inclusive myths and characters, which I loved. It wasn’t the usual, so every reader will find something new in these pages.
The illustrations and art are fantastic. The factoids are as well. There is a lot to learn in this book. If you’re simply researching mythology, want to start learning about a particular myth or want a point of discussion for you and your reader, then this is the book for you. Check it out!
