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A Thrilling Thriller!

12/14/2013

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Reviewed for Readers' Favorite.

Every once in awhile, a story comes along that captures a reader’s imagination from the opening pages and refuses to let go until the very last scene plays out. Flash, by Tim Tigner, is just such a read! When Troy awakens in the trunk of a car, accompanied by a dead body, his former military training kicks in and he, somehow, maintains his cool. Upon hearing sounds from outside, he shouts for help. The trunk is opened by a “pixie-like “ woman, Emmy. Together, the two blood-covered strangers surmise that they have been set up to take the fall for the grisly murder of the man whose body remains in the trunk. But, there is more, for the two have determined that they are missing years of their lives. How could they both be in the same unexpected and unfamiliar place at the same time, suffering from the same condition—amnesia? Recognizing they must run quickly so as to discover the real murderer before they end up in prison themselves, the action begins, taking one or both of the team from the Cayman Islands, to Florida, to Washington D.C., and elsewhere. All the while, Troy and Emmy are pursued by the law on one side and by the real culprits and masterminds behind the crimes on the other.

Tim Tigner has delivered, in Flash, an extraordinary thriller that has everything a reader could desire: a well laid plot, unexpected twists and turns, eventual answers to all the mini-mysteries that are set forth along the way, great character development, sincerely genuine and likeable protagonists and fully believable and despicable villains. When you reach for Flash, prepare to take the next few hours off, as you will be doing (or at least wanting to do) nothing but turning pages until you find yourself at the satisfying conclusion!

Find out more about Tim Tigner on GoodReads here and on his website here. Flash is available on Amazon here and from Barnes and Noble here.

Review also posted on GoodReads and BookLikes. Review noted on Google+, Tweeted and cover pinned.

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Keystone Cops, Who's on First, The Three Stooges—and—What's that You Say!?

12/13/2013

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What do all the things noted in my title have to do with this work? Well, of late I have read a couple of fantasy-comedies. This seems to be a new sub-genre of fantasy—at least it is not one of which I previously had been aware. In any case, kudos to those—like Joshua Grasso—who have taken to this concept, run with it and successfully created tales worthy of attention.

As The Count of the Living Death opens, Grasso introduces readers to Count Hildigrim Blackbeard. (What a great name that is! Hildigrim!) Blackbeard is an eccentric wizard, the “legendary Conjurer-Magician and Sorcerer of the Sixth Circle (whatever that means).” Feared by some, pursued by others, Blackbeard has been called to attend Count Leopold of Cinquefoil. It seems the Count’s now-deceased father is/was responsible for a comedic chain-of-events that is about to unravel. So fearful had the late Count been of the possible death of his son, he had arranged for Blackbeard to capture Leopold’s “Death” and to leave it in a chest under lock and key. (Well, three locks, to be more precise.) But, the box called out for Leopold. Indeed, the very fact that it existed “planted a seed in [Leopold’s heart], which grew year by year, watered by his dreams and the occasional nightmare.” Eventually Leopold, though repeatedly warned not go near the chest or to unlock it, was overcome with curiosity. He simply had to know what the chest held. . . . And so, the fun begins.

The Count of the Living Death is almost slapstick in its comedic ways. The story revolves largely around the Count himself who is short on patience and forethought, (not exactly dim-witted, but not the brightest of bulbs) long on his desire for the delightful Lady Mary Bianca Domenica de Grassini Algarotti. As to Mary? Well, Mary has been taught to stand like a goddess and so, we read that “[h]aving never seen one in person, she did her best impression: she stood like her mother.” (Funny.) Mary is a bit flighty, dreaming of a future with Leopold and their future children, yet in many ways she is the key ingredient to the eventual solution to Leopold’s problem.

Into the mix of characters, add Ivan (The Terrible) a half-brother (?) charged as “an assassin, a spy, a cutpurse, a highwayman, and most unforgivably, an actor.” We first meet Ivan when he is in prison. He a man whom Leopold had never before met but who over time, also falls for the delightful Mary. It is here that I find the story miss just a beat. Specifically, Leopold and Ivan—quite at odds with one another—are suddenly the closest of brothers. Yet, for me, there was not a sufficient rationale for this change in their relationship. Likewise, Mary first despises Ivan—and for good reason--yet she is able to look beyond the vilest of acts with little further thought.

Moving on, we meet Lucas, a servant to the man to whom Mary is actually promised (and who also falls for the delightful Mary!) and Philip, a terror of a child in charge of the local prison (who thinks that “[s]ometimes, toys had to be broken when they wouldn’t follow the rules”). Finally, there is Death himself, who wreaks havoc. Add in a deserted island, a dragon, a staged hanging, a prison break. . . . well, all together these make for a fun-filled tale. Along the way, readers are asked: without death, a “vital ingredient to life,” can anything give us peace, rest or fulfillment?

In general, my reading preferences are for a bit more complex characters, sophisticated relationships and a world that engages all my senses. Even so, I am fully able to appreciate the many ways to tell a great tale—and Grasso has lit upon one of them! He has done so with some clever insight and, of course, humor.

As to insight, I note Blackbeard’s comment: “If we could see all the wisdom of the universe, it would blind us.” (This line reminds me of a theory of mine that if a person could take on all the pain he will feel in his lifetime in one moment—just to get it over with—it would kill him. Thus, we should be grateful that we do not know what the future holds. . . .)

As to humor, consider Mary’s thoughts when she faces Leopold’s (?) apparent lack of interest. Concerned for her future, we read: “Suddenly ‘forever’ seemed a forbidding prospect.” Again, when Mary’s father tells Mary about his forcing her to marry a man she does not love, an act he takes by virtue of his “right of seniority,” we read his comments to Mary: “One day you will be able to buy whatever you like: love, happiness, my head on a plate.”

Yes, I believe Grasso has delivered, in The Count of the Living Death, a fun-filled, slapstick fantasy tale that readers are sure to enjoy! Well done!

Find The Count of the Living Death on Amazon here. Note: there is a sale starting December 16--just in time for the holidays! Don't miss it!

Spend some more time getting to know Joshua Grasso and his works on BookLikes here, on GoodReads here and on Facebook here. Joshua's terrific website is found here.

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Self-Help

12/9/2013

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Reviewed for Readers' Favorite.

In Healing Your Life with Water: How to Use Your Mind & Water Connection to Awaken Your Inner Fountain of Youth, Diana E. Ruiz reminds readers that water is the substance that makes up 70% of our bodies just as it makes up 70% of the surface of the earth. Ruiz explains the importance of your drinking enough water on a regular basis so as to keep your body operating at optimum health. When your body is working at its best as a consequence of drinking enough water and eating the correct foods, the groundwork is set for making other, more significant changes in life, specifically, changes to a person’s emotions, level of joy, and ability to bring joy to others.

Ruiz informs readers, in Healing Your Life with Water, about how water is the regulator of everything in a person’s body, including the body’s temperature, joint cushioning, nerve impulses and brain function. Appropriate water intake can significantly reduce the risk of serious disease. In additional to appropriate water intake, a person’s health can be significantly improved with a diet that helps the body to re-create itself in a timely and healthy manner. Ruiz then draws parallels to the health of the earth itself and to mankind in general, when people pay attention to their water intake and diet and when they strive for a positive outlook in life.

Ruiz has set out simple ways to determine correct water intake, to identify the correct foods to eat, and to create a positive outlook on life. She provides readers with simple tools for creating a peaceful and joyful state of mind. The information is simple, easy to read and easy to put into action. Ruiz is sure to empower others to take control of their lives and to make their lives more full, healthier and happier. I’ll drink (water) to that.

Find our more about the author on GoodReads here and on her website here. Healing Your Life with Water is available on Amazon here and on Barnes and Noble here.

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Patricia Reding

Posted here are a number of Patricia's reviews of the works of others.

Those reviews posted here that Patricia did for Readers Favorite are identified as such. No review of less than 4-stars for any Readers' Favorite review is posted here or elsewhere.

Those works reviewed for NetGalley are identified accordingly.

A Thrilling Thriller!

Keystone Cops, Who's on First, The Three Stooges—and—What's that You Say!?

Self-Help

Patricia Reding

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