Red Adept Reviews

The End

Red Adept — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:00:35 +0000

The time has come to say goodbye to Red Adept Reviews.

I started Red Adept Reviews on August 14th, 2009.

The blog began as a hobby. (Special thanks to Bufo Calvin, publisher of I Love My Kindle, for suggesting I start a blog.)

If you’re interested in the history, check out this interview where I discuss the blog and my reviews with Simon Royle on The Indie View.

Red Adept Reviews was one of the first blogs to focus on Indie books published to the Kindle. Since then, hundreds of review blogs have discovered the wonderful world of Indies.

Big Al’s Books and Pals is one of my favorites. You can see the latest reviews from tons of bloggers on The Indie View.

(I encourage all review bloggers to post links to their blogs in a comment to this post as I simply couldn’t list them all.)

I would like to thank all of the readers and authors who made this blog possible. Red Adept Reviews owes its success to you.

I would like to thank the Review Staff for providing such great reviews over the past year.

Red Adept Publishing will still be offering Editing Services on our new site: http://RedAdeptPublishing.com

We will also still have the Red Adept Selects, which are books edited by RAP and ”Voted Outstanding in Genre.” Don’t forget to enter the Launch Contest during the month of March.

Sincerely,

Lynn O’Dell

*A note to authors who submitted Review Copies: Unfortunately, we found it impossible to get to all 1800+ of the remaining books. We do apologize. Your books have been deleted from our database and will not be shared or distributed.

**A note to authors who have been reviewed on this site: This blog will stay up for at least a few months to give everyone time to change any links.

What Would Satan Do?, by Anthony Miller

Red Adept — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:00:30 +0000

I received What Would Satan Do? (The Satan Series), by Anthony Miller, as a review copy for Red Adept Reviews, in Word document format and converted it to mobi for my Kindle. Formatting of the converted file was very good, so I did not check it against the mobi file available on Amazon (besides I was laughing too hard to care).

Description (from Amazon.com):

Disgusted with God’s plan for Judgment Day, Satan has quit his job and abandoned Hell in favor of a quiet retirement in Washington, D.C. But life on Earth is tricky for an ex-angel with a short fuse and no impulse control. When a parking attendant mysteriously bursts into flames and a weight-challenged woman somehow ends up in low-Earth orbit, Satan finds that he has attracted the attention of several meddlesome federal agencies. Even worse, there are signs that the governor of Texas has somehow gone ahead and started up the end of the world without him.

The Prince of Darkness heads for the Lone Star State, where he tangles with a megalomaniacal televangelist, joins the Militant Arm of the American Geriatrics Association, and wields the Flaming Shotgun of Divine Justice at a guy whose hobbies include invading churches to denounce ritualized cannibalism. Through it all, one thing is clear: Someone has to put a stop to Judgment Day. Now, having spent millennia trying to wreck the place, the Devil may be the world’s only hope.

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Plot: 5 stars

This was a totally crazy, wild, politically incorrect, vulgar read, and I loved it! The author was able to sneak in subtle, underhand references to current events and personages (and none were flattering…), find something absurd in the everyday occurrences and chance encounters that we all have, and still managed to make a fairly profound statement about Good and Evil in our current times. That’s quite a bit to pack into 5000 locations!

Who has not watched someone wearing too-tight jeans try to pull a cell phone from their pocket? Who has not been on an elevator with (or behind) a person who can’t make up their mind which floor they want? Who has not called a utility company and been told that there’s a 3-day wait for a service call – in the middle of winter when there’s no heat in the house? The author puts Satan in these situations and gives us – vicariously – the power to do something about it. And mayhem ensues! Who knew that Satan has a hidden loathing for toads and frogs? Or a weakness for fine Italian sports cars? Or an inordinate fondness for Star Wars? Our modern life is full of temptations that even the Lord of the Underworld is not immune to. And in human form, the Lord of the Underworld has to muddle through the trials and tribulations of modern life, just like ordinary folk do – only he can get even!

Characters: 5 stars

Satan was the main character, and he was drawn as a contradiction – urbane and intelligent, with a fierce temper, yet taking anger management classes. He is bored with is duties as Lord of the Underworld and wanting adventure ‘topside’, but totally out of his depth when confronted with our everyday craziness. It’s a sad statement on humanity that Satan is the most sympathetic character in the book. There are times when he shows a split personality – on the knife-edge between Lucifer, the Son of the Morning and Satan, the Prince of Darkness. Good and evil; innocence and fierce anger; wisdom and credulity all mix together and create a very human character out of a very inhuman being.

Several of the other major players were intended to be parodies or caricatures of politicians or other prominent figures and they were portrayed as exactly that – caricatures of a caricature even. Yet for all that, it was usually easy to identify who they represented. And the representations were apt.

Other major characters – Liam, Lola, Festus, Raju – seemed to be based less on a specific person than on Everyman – showcasing the good, the bad, the crazy, the vulgar, and the heroic that lies in all of us. All were thrown into situations of cosmic strangeness, where they could only stand and gape, then make the best of it according to their abilities. The author was able to capture the essence of the ordinary person’s bewilderment when confronted with events that just don’t compute – that are contrary to our mundane reality.

Writing Style: 5 stars

The author’s writing style is where I have my only quibble. He loves 4-letter words and uses them liberally. A little too liberally for my personal taste, although I do feel that in many cases, they were truly appropriate for the scene or the character. Other than that, the author’s style is a delight, and he kept me snickering, or laughing out loud, or even choking on my soda throughout the book. I just whizzed through it, only putting it down because I had to get up to go to work the next day. The author has a keen, merciless, eye for the absurd in daily life, and he makes our secret thoughts while watching the foolishness of others come alive, all the while poking fun at the fact that we are just as foolish as the ones we’re watching! This book is totally politically incorrect – but the incorrectness is spread with an even hand. No one group or idea or philosophy is singled out. We are all held up for ridicule, and such is the author’s skill that we laugh at ourselves right along with him. If you can’t laugh at yourself as well as at others’ foibles, give this a pass. But if you have a sense of humor and delight in the absurdity of the everyday, you’ll probably find this great fun. And fun it is – there isn’t as much as a hint of malice in the laugher.

******************

From the author, Anthony Miller:

How did you come up with the title?

The book is silly and absurd, but actually does have some deeper thoughts in it. A lot of who Satan is and what he does are supposed to mirror the traits and actions of the protagonists of Ralph Ellison’s INVISIBLE MAN. The title hints at that, while also being superficially silly.

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing fiction in one form or another since I was a kid. These days, most of the fiction I write is for my job as a trial lawyer.

What authors have inspired you?

First and foremost, Douglas Adams. Reading the Hitchhiker’s Guide was a formative experience for me. I also love the works of Christopher Moore. He manages to squeeze hilarious stuff on pretty much every page, which is seems amazing to me.

Where did you get the idea for the novel?

In a Bible-study class in which we were reading the Book of Revelations. It occurred to me that the Devil’s role in bringing about the end of the world and Judgment Day really sucks (the Divine Plan supposedly ends with Satan being cast into the Pit of Despair). If I were Satan, I’d say, “To Hell with this,” and go find something better to do with my time.

That, of course, raises questions such as: If Satan did retire, and the End Times failed to come about as a result, who might be really pissed off? Who’d want to fix that?

Who is your favorite character?

Dirk Gently and Zaphod Beeblebrox are pretty good. Uthred of Bebbanburg in Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Chronicles is awesome. Pointing to Satan would be kind of narcissistic, I think, since he’s basically just my innermost thoughts written on the page, but I still like him.

The Sleeping Beauty, by Mercedes Lackey

MamaSylvia — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:00:23 +0000

I purchased The Sleeping Beauty (A Tale of the Five Hundred Kingdoms), by Mercedes Lackey, from Amazon.

Description:

Heavy is the head—and the eyelids—of the princess who wears the crown…

In Rosamund’s realm, happiness hinges on a few simple beliefs. For every princess there’s a prince. The King has ultimate power. Stepmothers should never be trusted. And bad things come to those who break with Tradition.…

But when Rosa is pursued by a murderous huntsman and then captured by dwarves, her beliefs go up in smoke. Determined to escape and save her kingdom from imminent invasion, she agrees to become the subject of one of her stepmother’s risky incantations—thus falling into a deep, deep sleep.

When awakened by a touchy-feely stranger, Rosa must choose between Tradition and her future…between a host of eligible princes and a handsome, fair-haired outsider. And learn the difference between being a princess and ruling as a Queen.

Overall: 5 stars

Plot/Storyline: 4 3/4 stars

When she doesn’t get distracted into preaching mode, there are few who can match Lackey for sheer storytelling, as she demonstrates again in this book combining elements from several different fairy tales. From the fast start, the reader is never given a chance to draw breath as the plot-driven tale rocks from one danger to the next. There is the usual slight disjointedness as Lackey tends to write several sequential stories rather than a single unified storyline, but each story is enjoyable on its own, and Lily’s desperate attempts to come up with suitable trials are sheer genius. There are a few minor plot holes. It didn’t make sense that an evil sorcerer is able to hide from experienced godmother Lily but sets inept spells to control Rosa. I’m not convinced that the final great plan to protect Eltaria would be less expensive than war, although it was certainly creative! The ending was a little disappointing, but believable and consistent with the existing canon. However, these quibbles don’t change the fact that the story gripped me almost immediately and never let go. There are very few series that I will buy immediately, even by authors I generally like; the turning-classics-sideways Five Hundred Kingdoms is one of them, and this is a worthy addition to an enjoyable and satisfying collection. About the only people I can think of who wouldn’t enjoy this book would be those who don’t like fantasy of any kind.

Characters: 5 stars

The main characters are well-drawn, and their pure goodness (as well as the pure evil of the bad guys) is believable because it is required by The Tradition. But even within those limitations, Lackey was able to make them more interesting. Rosa is eager to learn self-defense. Siegfried’s thews of iron cover an actual brain, and his aid to animals is classic Hero behavior as well as foreshadowing. Godmother Lily combines Fae cleverness and human determination with a natural despair at being able to manipulate The Tradition to adequately protect her kingdom. The secondary characters include a lisping unicorn, whose dopey behavior around virgins again lends a delightful comic note, as well as obnoxious dwarves and a smart-mouthed mirror servant. Lackey also managed a character who had both good and bad qualities, and who the reader couldn’t anticipate would be a help or hindrance in any particular situation. As usual, some characters did not behave as a fairy tale reader would expect!

Writing style: 5 stars

Sentence structure is fine. Dialogue moves along well and displays distinct voices for the characters. Descriptions are appropriate and left me feeling I could see the dwarves’ hovel or find my way around the castle.

The Mountains of Mourning, by Lois McMaster Bujold

MamaSylvia — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 09:00:36 +0000

I obtained The Mountains of Mourning (Vorkosigan Saga), by Lois McMaster Bujold, from the Baen Free Library.

Description:

Count Vorkosigan assigns new Academy graduate Miles to investigate what might be the murder of a deformed baby. To succeed, Miles will have to overcome not only the hill people’s suspicion of an outsider but their misjudgment of him as a mutant.

Overall: 5 stars

Plot/Storyline: 4 3/4 stars

First, I should make it clear I am not a fan of Bujold’s Vorkosigan saga, and if I had realized before starting this short story that it was a Vorkosigan story, I would have skipped it. And I would have missed this lovely example of that rare genre, the SF mystery. The plot-driven tale starts quickly, as Miles meets up with bereaved mother Harra, claiming her right to appeal the murder of her baby daughter to the Count. Miles’ digression for a burnt offering on his grandfather’s grave slowed the plot down a bit but otherwise it moved right along, as Bujold deftly wove Miles’ background and relationship with his father’s men into gathering information on the murder. The available scientific and medical techniques of the future are reasonable, as is the hillbilly environment where the murder took place. The one unbelievable element was that such a young man, who had suffered so much from needing to prove himself, would make such a satisfactory investigation and judgment. His consideration and understanding that the local residents will have to still live with each other after he leaves are suspiciously well-developed, but it’s easy to forgive Bujold that stretch. It made me want to try the rest of the Vorkosigan books again.

Characters: 5 stars

Bujold’s familiarity with the universe and characters she created shows. Miles and Harra both feel real, although we are given minimal backstory on either of them. (We eventually learn more about Harra through Miles’ eyes, inspecting her house.) Bujold shows us details such as Count Vorkosigan trying to balance his responsibilities to his people and his son, and the local “speaker” with different priorities than Miles. Bujold excels at setting up the reader to expect one type of behavior from a character and then providing something different – a nice asset in a mystery. Even the minor characters were completely believable, from the Speaker’s excitable boys to the Count’s fussy assistant physician to Miles’ horse. In fact, it’s amazing how much character development Bujold crams into a short story without hampering the storyline.

Writing style: 5 stars

Sentence structure is fine. Dialogue is excellent and conveys much information through style as well as words. Descriptions are appropriate and informative.

Christmas Jars, by Jason F. Wright

Heather Brush — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 09:00:01 +0000

I borrowed Christmas Jars, by Jason Wright from the Amazon.com Kindle owner’s lending library, then liked it so much I purchased a copy from Amazon.com so I could re-read it next year!

Description (From Amazon.com):

Where had it come from? Whose money was it? Was I to spend it? Save it? Pass it on to the someone more needy? Above all else, why was I chosen? Certainly there were others, countless others more needy than I…Her reporter’s intuition insisted that a remarkable story was on the verge of the front page.

Rising newspaper reporter Hope Jensen uncovers the secret behind the “Christmas Jars” – glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously given to people in need. But Hope discovers much more than she bargained for when some unexpected news sets off a chain reaction of kindness and brings above a Christmas Eve wish come true.

Overall: 4 3/4 Stars

Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars

Okay, I will fully admit I’m a hard sell on Christmas stories. This was the 8th in a row I read around Christmas in the hopes of finding one I liked. They were sappy, syrupy, cheesy, unbelievable, etc. On the 7th I gave up. I had previously read the first chapter of this one, thought it sounded like another absurd story and moved to another – but I hate to not know how things end so I came back to it. Good thing I did! Turns out that while a little preachy and sappy (which is probably required for a Christmas story) it was marvelous! The story is believable, touching, and makes you want to start your own Christmas jar tradition – and tell the people you love that you care. I think if more people read this book, more people would be inspired to help others in little ways. Yes Mr. Wright, I think you wrote a book that could make your readers better people!

The opening is entertaining, though when you are burned out on sappiness it’s a bit silly. I wish I had started with this one because I think I actually would have liked the opening a lot. Pacing was very good – you always wanted to see what happened next. I loved the ending, it was the traditional, kind of cheesy, happy ending, but I didn’t really see it coming and it wasn’t syrupy sweet like some are. And yes, there is a good chance you will tear up throughout the book so keep a Kleenex handy!

There is a sequel, Christmas Jars Reunion, which I purchased as soon as I finished reading the first book.

Character Development: 4 3/4 Stars

Wright’s characters were people you would want to know. Some were a bit less interesting than others – oddly for me the main character was one of these. She felt a bit underdeveloped compared to some of the wonderful other characters. I liked her well enough, but wasn’t really cheering for her, more just going along with her story. Many of the other characters, however, made up for her.

Writing Style: 4 3/4 Stars

The author’s writing style is appealing. Dialogue is easy to follow, flows well, and suits the characters. I especially enjoyed how Wright told the story of the beginning of the Christmas jar tradition. Descriptions were vivid, especially when it came to bringing out the character’s personalities.

What Was I Scared Of? by Dr. Seuss – Oceanhouse Media

Jim Chambers — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 13:58:58 +0000

I purchased What Was I Scared Of? – Dr. Seuss, by Oceanhouse Media, Inc from Amazon.com to run on my Kindle Fire.

Description (adapted from Amazon.com):

You have to admit that it would be a little unsettling to stumble across an empty pair of green pants floating in the air on a dark night. That is the premise of the Dr. Seuss story “What Was I Scared Of?” This entertaining tale, which first appeared in the classic collection “Sneeches and Other Stories” (1961), is now available as an interactive omBook for your Android device.

Overall: 5 stars

“The Sneetches and Other Stories” is a collection of stories by American author Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, that was published in 1961. The collection is composed of four separate stories: “The Sneetches,” “The Zax,” “Too Many Daves,” and “What Was I Scared Of?”

This app is a digital version of the story “What Was I Scared Of?” You can read the story in your choice of three modes:

1. Read the book yourself.

2. Let a narrator read the book aloud, with you flipping the pages.

3. Let a narrator read the book aloud and flip the pages.

The book is rated for children (ages 9 and under), and even preschoolers should enjoy it in the narration mode. The story is simple enough for very young kids to understand. Like other Dr. Seuss stories, it’s as much fun for grownups as it is for kids.

I’ve read a number of illustrated interactive book apps, and “What Was I Scared Of?” is as full-featured as any that I’ve seen. Kids will love touching objects and having the narrator pronounce the object’s name as the spelling of the object is displayed. Another nice touch is that the words in the text are highlighted as the narrator pronounces them, which helps kids who are just learning to read to associate a word with a sound.

The developer has produced more than a dozen illustrated interactive apps of the Dr. Seuss stories. The better-known stories sell for $1.99-$2.99. Some of the shorter or lesser-known stories like “What Was I Scared Of?” are only $0.99 and are a very inexpensive way to sample Dr. Seuss stories in a digital format.

Where’s My Son, by John C. Dalglish

Red Adept — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:00:55 +0000

I received Where’s My Son?, by John C. Dalglish, as a review copy submitted to Red Adept Reviews by the author.

Description (from Amazon.com):

What would you do if your son went missing? How far would you go to get him back?

Michael Barton comes home to find his infant son gone. There is no trace of the kidnappers, and the police have no leads. Michael is driven by a promise and he will not stop.

Detective Jason Strong led the task force to find Michael’s son and has become his friend. But as Michael’s darkness grows and Jason fears he may be the only one who can stop him.

It is a race against time, as the detective tries to stop the events that will change everyone, before it’s too late.

Overall: 4 1/4 stars

Plot/Storyline: 4 stars

The storyline was one that any parent could relate to with a sense of horror. Michael Barton came home from work one afternoon, found his wife Tammy napping, and their infant son Kristian missing from his crib. The police investigated and determined that Kristian had been kidnapped, but there were few clues, and the police were baffled. Years later, Michael found a single clue that put him on the trail of the kidnappers–and his son.

Since the story was narrated from the third person omniscient point of view, I knew who the kidnappers were, so there was no suspense about that. The suspense came as Michael Barton homed in on the kidnappers, with the police on his trail. The tension cranked up steadily, and the story ended with a big climax.

I had a few problems with some of the plot details. They weren’t decisive issues, but they were noticeable. One of these was the ease with which Michael broke into homes. With no prior burglary experience, he had no problem entering homes using only a credit card. With deadbolt locks and alarm systems in many homes, that just didn’t seem realistic. Another thing that didn’t seem likely was how easily Michael obtained personal information about others, including names, addresses, and phone numbers. Granted, Michael could be very persuasive, but the police and a hospital were just a bit too cooperative.

Character Development: 4 stars

The story was primarily plot-driven, and there was not a lot of detailed development of the principal characters, their relationships, or their motivations, except for one family–Wade and Kate Duncan. With their two sons, Jack and Jesse, they were the All American family, the kind that Norman Rockwell painted for the old Saturday Evening Post magazine covers. Their lives were nearly perfect until an event from the past threatened to destroy their family.

Michael Barton was a character study of a man who had everything he loved taken away from him. His anger led to a single-minded pursuit of revenge, and it was chilling seeing him gradually transform from a mild-mannered person into a ruthless, coldhearted hunter.

Writing style: 4 1/2 stars

The writing style was quite good, with little of the awkwardness often found in debut novels. The story was fast-paced with no wasted words, dialogues were realistic, and the descriptions of people and places were enough to carry the story without bogging down with details.

Editing: 4 1/2 stars

Editing was generally good, although there were a few misspellings and grammatical errors. The most common error was repeatedly using “yea” instead of the correct “yeah.”

A Feral Darkness, by Doranna Durgin

Heather Brush — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 09:00:51 +0000

I purchased A Feral Darkness, by Doranna Durgin, from Amazon.com.

Description (From Amazon.com):

As a child, dog-loving Brenna Fallon naively invokes an ancient Celtic deity to save her beloved hound–and inadvertently anchors the new-found power at a spring on her family’s farm.

She doesn’t know she’s also left an opening for a far more malevolent force.

Years later, thanks to the actions of several angry young men, Brenna discovers the terrible potential of that gateway. With a devastating plague unfolding abruptly around her, she must depend on her wits, a stranger she doesn’t trust, and a mysterious stray dog who becomes more than just a faithful companion as she struggles to drive back the threat of a modern Black Death.

Welded by a desperate sacrifice, woman, man, and dog face the feral darkness together.

Overall: 4 3/4 stars

Plot storyline: 4 1/2 stars

I have loved reading Durgin’s books for years and this one is no exception. It’s a book that, while enjoyable to any fantasy reader, will especially draw in animal lovers. The plot is interesting and unique and keeps you sucked in and wanting to read more. As an employee of a pet store much like the one in the book, I have to say she was spot on in her portrayal of it. The ending, while sappy, will touch every dog lover – or animal lover in general.

Characters: 4 3/4 Stars

The characters were well developed, and Brenna, the main character, was very likable and strong. Durgin does an especially good job with Gil Masera, whom she gives many twists and turns, as well as depth to both his character in general and his relationship with Brenna. Relationships in throughout the book are believable and appealing. As you read you really get to know her characters and come to like them. They will make you think of people you actually know. Negative characters, while not particularly well developed, are given enough personality to carry their roles and keep the story interesting.

Writing Style: 4 3/4

I always enjoy Durgin’s writing style. You can tell she is a person who loves and understands animals and she brings that to her books. Her dialogue is always good, and character voices appealing and distinct. I especially enjoy her vivid imagery that can even give personality to such things as trees and geographical features. If you’ve ever felt the charm of a natural place before, you will appreciate her ability to call that feeling to mind. You want to see and experience the peaceful places she describes and avoid the unpleasant ones.

***********************

From the author, Doranna Durgin:

How did you come up with the title?

The original title, The Bounding Dark, was one of those things that just came to me and seemed to suit. But it didn’t play really well in my author newsgroup (at SFF Net), so we started brainstorming. I remember distinctly that it was author Anne Bishop (now a NY Times bestseller!) who came up with the word “Feral” to suit what I was looking for.

How long have you been writing?

Pretty much for as long as I’ve been able to hold a pencil. I think I was three when I wrote my first little story (illustrated!), and never did stop playing with it. I wrote my first book at 12, and after that was never without a special writing notebook (and a social label of ultimate geeky strangeness).

I don’t remember how many of those notebooks I filled…but plenty. Writing has always been my comfort.

Which authors have inspired you?

That’s a seriously hard question to answer. Some authors have inspired me through example and mentorship (John Maddox Roberts); some have inspired me with their work (Katherine Kurtz, Anne McCaffery, Jennifer Roberson), some have inspired me with their grace (Nora Roberts).

Where did you get the idea for the novel?

Some might think it was the dogs, since (in a rare moment), I did base the dog character on two behaviorially troubled dogs I had taken into my little pack–one of whom I only lost this month, and the other of whom deserved a happier ending. But in truth it was a gestalt thing. I wanted to write something with dogs; I wanted to tie it into a deeply historical belief system where dogs where important. The way the ancient celtic god Nuadha tied into the breeds involved was far too good to resist. The rest of it grew from there.

Who is your favorite character?

You know, I feel the same as when people ask me what’s my favorite book of mine. I love them all for different reasons. Brenna’s tenacity, Masera’s strength of self, and Druid for being Druid.

Here’s the official blurt, third person and everything:

Doranna responded to all early injunctions to “put down that book/notebook and go outside to play” by climbing trees to read & write. Such quirkiness of spirit has led to an eclectic publishing journey, spanning genres and form over 30 novels to include mystery, SF/F, action-romance, paranormal, franchise, and a slew of essays and short stories, the latest of which are the Nocturne Sentinels series and the single title series kicked off with The Reckoners.

But after all that, mostly she still prefers to hang around outside her New Mexico mountain home with the animals, riding dressage on her Lipizzan and training for performance sports with the dogs. She doesn’t believe so much in mastering the beast within, but in channeling its power. For good or bad has yet to be decided…

A Feral Darkness, by Doranna Durgin

The Eternal Waltz of Jacqueline Kennedy, by Kristin Elizabeth Marshall

SingleEyePhotos — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:00:07 +0000

I received The Eternal Waltz of Jacqueline Kennedy, by Kristin Elizabeth Marshall, as a review file from Red Adept Reviews.

Description (from Amazon.com):

Set in the historic and familiar context of what is arguably the most iconic American family, The Eternal Waltz of Jacqueline Kennedy portrays through elegant, lyrical prose a single ethereal day spent in eternity. Jackie Kennedy, together with her husband and children for one final treasured day, takes us on a literary tour-de-force, a spiritual journey that unfolds as she reflects on her life. She examines both her immeasurable joys and her personal tragedies, not only the loves and the losses that spring from the timeless universality of family, but those that arose from that turbulent, triumphant, and uniquely American era surrounding John F. Kennedy’s brief presidency.

The Eternal Waltz of Jacqueline Kennedy invites readers to lose themselves once more in the nostalgic legacy of Camelot by painting a picture so compelling and so exquisite that it may very well challenge us to recast the scope and the vision we have of eternity.

Overall Rating: 4 ½ stars

Plot: 3 ½ stars

This novella is the story of one day in Eternity, told in first person singular by Jackie Kennedy. Much of it is just her musings about things she sees and thinks while going through life on that day, and the memories they bring back. Eternity takes the form of a paradisiacal (pun intended, I think) tropical isle where Jackie is reunited with JFK and her dead baby. John Jr. and Caroline remain children, as they were when JFK was assassinated. The story is a paean to family life, love, and idealism, and tries to show that even in grief there can still be joy or hope. The tone is not quite sad, but more wistful – the memories of love and laugher that once were, and are no longer. The only quibble I have with the plot is that so much occurs that it can not possibly have taken place in one day – though no one sleeps, and in Eternity the concept of Time has little meaning.

Characters: 4 stars

The only real character in the story is Jackie Kennedy. The entire story is told from her viewpoint and everything is seen through the filter of her mind. The only other characters are JFK and their children, and they just play supporting roles. Their personalities are almost idealized. Maybe ‘idealized’ isn’t even the right word – they are almost made into Platonic Ideas – they lack individual personality except for what they represent in Jackie’s own mind. I really do not know how accurately they are portrayed in comparison to how they were in real life. But, based on the care and detail with which Jackie is drawn, I suspect that the others are very true-to-life as well.

Jackie is portrayed as a wife and mother first and foremost, an idealist second, and a woman of the world as a distant third. Everyone’s own little slice of heaven is different, and Jackie’s is shown as spending time in peace with her family, away from the limelight, and free to be her own self instead of a figurehead.

Writing Style: 5 stars

I would give the author’s writing style 6 stars if I could. I personally love words and reading this book felt like I was floating in a warm sea of beautiful, scented words. I could close my mind’s eye and be transported to my own small slice of Eternity. I realize that many people do not share that feeling, but for me, the writing was the very best part of this book. The author just strung together descriptions into gorgeous strands; adjective after glittering adjective painted an incredible picture.

The author was able to credibly bring the reader inside Jackie’s head and to share her experiences, thoughts, and memories. This is definitely not a book for everyone, but it carries an air of ‘Camelot’ about it in many ways. If you remember the era with nostalgia and can lose yourself in the beauty of pictures painted of words, you will most likely find this an enjoyable, though a very non-traditional, read.

*********************

About the author, Kristin Elizabeth Marshall:

Kristin Elizabeth Marshall attended Boston University where she majored in psychology and graduated cum laude, with distinction. She worked in marketing research for several of the largest advertising agencies in the world. She is married, has three children and lives in New York. The Eternal Waltz of Jacqueline Kennedy is her first novel.

The Eternal Waltz of Jacqueline Kennedy, by Kristin Elizabeth Marshall

Mistletoe and Murder, by Carola Dunn

MamaSylvia — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:00:50 +0000

I purchased Mistletoe and Murder: A Daisy Dalrymple Mystery, by Carola Dunn from Amazon.

Description:

In this 11th entry in Dunn’s cozy historical mystery series, Daisy’s working trip to ancient Brockdene is co-opted by her mother for a family Christmas with an earl. But a murder pulls Alec back into working mode, with enthusiastic help from Daisy, Belinda, and Derek.

Overall: 4 1/2 stars

Plot/Storyline: 4 1/4 stars

The leisurely start showed us Daisy arriving at lovely old Brockdene to write an article and muse on the disappointments in store for her mother, the largest of which will be celebrating Christmas with an earl’s poor relations instead of the earl himself. But once the murder occurs, the storyline switches from character-focused to plot-driven, and the pace picks up as Alec is reluctantly drafted to investigate whodunit and Daisy pursues her own evidence gathering. There were some minor but annoying elements, including Dowager Lady Dalrymple sucking up to Mrs. Norville, Belinda not only finding an important piece of evidence but having Alec recognize it as such, and the utterly predictable epilogue. I missed the plot twists one usually expects in a cozy; the feel was more of a police procedural, although it still held my interest. The story itself would stand alone if the reader had skipped the earlier books, but I don’t think it would be as satisfying a read because it relies on previous character development.

Characters: 4 1/2 stars

The characters from previous books are just as likable as ever. Daisy and Alec have settled into being happy together. Belinda is a charming little girl and clearly delighted to finally have Daisy as her “Mummy.” The new characters are much less likable. Godfrey is the worst type of history fanatic, considering everything else (including his family) less important than the antiquities he has adopted as his care. Jemima is an excellent argument for corporal punishment for children, and Felicity was so obnoxious that Daisy’s desire to help her didn’t ring true. Otherwise, the Brockdene Norvilles were believable enough. Dora and Miles were relative nonentities. Of course Calloway was thoroughly awful, as he is intended to be. Dunn pays practically no attention to the servants.

Writing style: 4 3/4 stars

Sentence structure is fine. Dialogue is one of Dunn’s strengths as a writer, ringing true and distinctive. Descriptions were perhaps a little more than absolutely necessary, but believable given Daisy’s enthusiasm for the beautiful old house.