Sunday, May 23, 2010

Review - Buying Time

Buying TimeBuying Time
BY: Pamela Samuels Young
PUBLISHED BY: Goldman House Publishing
PUBLISHED IN: 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9815627-1-1
Pages: 419
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

“Buying Time” is author Pamela Samuels Young’s fourth novel. Waverly Sloan is your typical nice guy being disbarred from his job - a lawyer. Afraid of losing his high-matinance, younger wife, Deidra, he takes a job as an insurance broker at Live Now, a new insurance company.

At his new job, Waverly signs on terminally ill people in exchange for quick cash to pay for medical bills, house payments, and other expenses. Investors, some of them doctors, advance the cash, and then those investors become the sole beneficiary of their life insurance polices when the client dies.

Waverly gets a broker’s fee for every deal he makes. Within a few months, Waverly has paid off all of his debts, and he has finally gotten the home that Deidra has always dreamed of. Life is good, until his clients starting dieing off, one by one.

Angela Evans, a U.S. Assistant Attorney, starts investigating Live Now and Waverly Sloan.

Waverly starts questioning his new job and wants to find out why his clients are dying so fast.

“Buying Time” is fun thriller to read. The plot is cleverly written, and the characters are entertaining enough to keep you turning the pages. The main character Waverly Sloan is very likeable, but at times can be a little annoying. He’s suppose to be an ex-lawyer, but he had no clue what was happening to clients at the insurance company. Why would an ex-lawyer join Live Now to begin with is beyond me? Besides this little silliness, I enjoyed the book. If your into thrillers, you should give this book a look.

Note: I would like to thank the author for sending me a copy to review.

Friday, May 14, 2010

Book Blogger Hop

Jennifer from Crazy for Books has created this meme.

If you'd like to participate, here's Jennifer's instructions:


Every day I seem to find another book blog that I start following. In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blog Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on! It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!


So, if you'd like to participate, just repost this on your blog, sign MckLinky and check out other blogs in MckLinky! Let's connect and make new book bloggy friends!! So, if you consider yourself a book blogger, come join the fun!

Review - The Ranks of Jody Brae


The Ranks of Jody Brae
BY: Jonathan Michael Cullen
PUBLISHED BY: Block Island Books
PUBLISHED IN: 2009
ISBN: 978097681691
Pages: 294
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Long before cell phones, computers and other electronics, police officers used only their know-how to solve cases. In “The Ranks of Jody Brae,” a Boston cop, Jody Brae, is one of those officers. Set during the 1960s, abandoned buildings are being burned by an unknown arsonist. The Arson Squad has determined that the fires are accidental, therefore the media is ignoring the incidents.

Detective Jody Brae, a Korea war veteran, begins investigating the fires on the same day he gets up the nerve to ask out the lovely Ruth. He’s assigned a new partner, a black man, Detective Harrigan. While Jody relationship with Ruth scorches, so does the streets of Boston. The arsonist strikes again, this time taking innocent lives.

Soon, Jody is abandoned by his own police department. He must go into the dark underworld of the Boston streets to solve the mystery of the fires, and his own past.

Jody Brae is your typical hero character with a troubled past. Unlike other mystery novels, this is set during the 1960s, and just like I mentioned before, there are no electronic gizmos to help Jody out. The dialogue is cleverly written, and so is the descriptions of the Boston streets. I didn’t care much for the love story, it’s been done to death. Overall, this is a entertaining read from a debut author. I recommend reading it.

- I would like to thank the author for sending me this copy to review.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Thursday Ramblings



I'm disappointed to hear that the new television show, Happy Town, is probably being cancelled after three shows aired. The show is a cross between American Gothic and Stephen King's Needful Things. The show isn't perfect, but I like the mystery of it. Hopefully ABC will air the final five shows.

Buying TimeThe Ranks of Jody BraeI'll be posting a review later tonight for The Ranks of Jody Brae by Jonathan Michael Cullen. I currently reading Buying Time by Pamela Samuel Young. Keep an eye out for the review on here.



Hearts AwakeningSixteen BridesI received the books Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson, Hearts Awakening by Delia Park, and Somewhere to Belong by Judith Miller last Saturday. I'll start reading them as soon as I finish Buying Time.
I also got the books Blue-Eyed Devil and Dead in the Family in the mail this week.
Edge of DarknessTooth FairyI bought the DVDs of a Tooth Fairy and Edge of Darkness. The Tooth Fairy was a cute family film. Edge of Darkness is a good movie, but I didn't like the ending. Looks like I'll be buying more movies. My local video rental store (the only one in town) is going out of business. I'm not surprised. In January, the store raised it's rates and quit offering coupons.

My local Walmart Super Center (the only one in the county) is getting rid of their fabric section. Everything is half off. It's a shame, and stupid if you ask me. I don't sew, but my mother does, and I know other people who do. There's even a Mennonite community in the county. Now they have nowhere to go to get fabrics for their quilts. I'm still pissed that Walmart got rid of their DMC thread a few years ago.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Review - The River Between

The River BetweenThe River Between
BY: Jacquelyn Cook
PUBLISHED BY: Belle Bridge Books
PUBLISHED IN: 1985
ISBN: 978-0-9843256-0-3
Pages: 166
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Set in Alabama in the year1859, Lily Edwards is awaiting the arrival of her cousin, Green Bethune. She will wed him through an arrange marriage. At least that is what her family has planned. Lily meets Harrison Wingate, a captain of a steamboat. Sparks fly between the two. When he leaves the shore for the river, he sends her letters. Now Lily must choose between her cousin and the captain.

This is my first review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers. “The River Between” is a simple love story with a Christian edge to it. The book is well-written, the historical scenes are great. I recommend this book to fans of romance novels.

Review - An Army of Ordinary People


An Army of Ordinary People
BY: Felicity Dale
PUBLISHED BY: Barna
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4143-2279-7
Pages: 280
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

“An Army of Ordinary People” is an inspirational novel aimed at believers and nonbelievers. This is a collection of true stories about everyday people who practice “simple church” in their lives, homes, neighborhoods and workplaces.

A church is not to be referred to as a building, but is meant for you to share your faith with others. Simple men and women have started their own churches in their homes, coffee shops, colleges, hospitals, retirement homes and even prisons. Some have even started dozens of churches at one time.

I was hesitant about reading this book, afraid that it would preach too much. After reading the first story, that all changed. There was no preaching in it. The stories are heartwarming and inspirational. You don’t have to have a degree in theology or religion to start your own church. All you need is your faith in God.

Note: I would like to thank Tyndale House for sending me this complimentary copy to review.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Review - Plan B

Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn't Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?Plan B
BY: Pete Wilson
PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Nelson
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8499-4650-9
Pages: 243
Reviewed by Billy Burgess


“Plan B” is written by Pete Wilson, a pastor of the Cross Point Church in Nashville, Tennessee. This is an inspirational book for anyone who has had some kind of disappointment in their life.

Everyone has plans/goals for their life, but do they come true for you? Whether it’s a career, marriage, or starting a family, all of us have Plan A. What happens when your Plan A is failure. God is testing you with these catastrophes. This is where the “Plan B” comes into your life. Learn how to move past your feelings of being letdown, and learn how to control your fear. Picture God in your circumstances, and learn to start over again.

I don’t read very many books in this category, but I found myself being connected to this book. I’ve had many disappointments in my life, and had to make a “Plan B.” This book is inspirational, and I recommend it to everyone.

Note: I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for sending me this complimentary copy to review.