Thursday, August 26, 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 - Universal Monsters #3 Anatomy of Terror: Frankenstein




I stumbled upon this book at a thrift shop. I didn’t even know that there was a book series out about the Universal Monsters that I grew up watching. Even though this is the third book, you can easily catch up as the characters Nina, Joe and Bob explain what happen in the previous installment.

While visiting Universal Studios Theme park, Nina, Joe and Bob accidentally release the monsters from the remastered Universal film when lighting struck. The monsters don’t take the bodies form the movies, they take new ones. In book one, they battled Dracula and in book two the battled the Wolf Man.

Review - Fear Street Super Chiller: The New Year's Party

The New Year's Party (Fear Street Super Chillers, No. 9)Fear Street Super Chiller: The New Year’s Party
By: R.L. Stine
PUBLISHED BY: Parachute Press, Inc.
PUBLISHED IN: 1995
ISBN: 0-671-89425-0
Pages: 193

The book starts out in the early morning hours of 1965, two teen siblings, Jeremy and Beth, are killed in a car accident. The book then skips to the present day where Reenie Baker starts dating P.J., the new shy kid. Reenie also makes friends with the new girl in town, Liz.

At a Christmas party, a terrible prank goes wrong. Reenie and her friends believe that P.J. has died of a bad heart. They soon discover that his body is missing. Is P.J. still alive, or is someone out for revenge from the grave?

“The New Year’s Party,” is a fun read, but it does have some violence in it. Just like real life, the teens in this book can be cruel to others, but R.L. Stine throws in a supernatural twist towards the end. If you’re looking for a good thriller, check this book out.

Review - The Rest is Illusion


The Rest is Illusion
By: Eric Arvin
PUBLISHED BY: Young Offenders Media
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 0984510907
Pages: 188

“The Rest is Illusion” is told from the point of view of the main character (Dash) who is a dying protagonist. Dash is an openly gay college student with a dangerous disease that has already claimed his father.

While Dash still has time, he tries to help his friends, Ashley, Sarah and Tony with their own problems. He tries to save their lives, but he can’t save his own.

At times this book was difficult to read. There is no happily ever after here. This is a dark college story about hope, and it has a hidden spiritual message. “The Rest is Illusion” is an emotional haunting novel.

Review - Orphan's Quest

Orphan's Quest Book One of The Chronicles of FirmaOrphan’s Quest
By: Pat Nelson Childs
PUBLISHED BY: Glynworks Publishing
PUBLISHED IN: 2007
ISBN: 097959121X
Pages: 332
Reviewed By: Billy Burgess

In this fantasy adventure quest, the orphan hero, Rokey, was raised in a monastery. After an accident occurs, Rokey leaves his home and explores Firma. He is almost robbed when a elf named Flaskamber saves him.

Rokey joins the Elf’s group of friends led by Stanford. There is also Fia the bard and Lorq the giant. Soon they are attacked by ratmen, who are after Rokey. Why would they be after this orphan?

The Orphan’s Quest is your typical fantasy with all the clichés that go with it. The only thing that stands out is that the main hero, Rokey, is gay, and there is a romance between him and Flaskamber. I’m sure that fantasy fans will like this novel, but it really didn’t interest me. Many of the questions that rises in the book are unanswered by the disappointing ending.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Review - Love, Charleston

Love, CharlestonLove, Charleston
BY: Beth Webb Hart
PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Nelson
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59554-201-4
Pages: 312
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

"Love, Charleston" chronicles the lives of Anna Brumley, her cousin Della Limehouse and her sister Dr. Alisha Sutton, as they all deal with different life changes.

Rev. Roy Summerall, a widow, is called upon by the Lord to move to a Charleston with his daughter. Roy recalls the Charleston being superficial. Why would he move there?

Anna is getting closer to 40 and has just moved to Charleston to find a fresh start and hopefully a husband. Her sister Alisha struggles with her husband’s problems, and tries to raise her children.

And her cousin Della has lots of problems of her own. Della’s husband is unemployed. She has to go back to teaching to pay the bills and give up on her dream of being of writer.

This was a delightful read for me. All of the characters seem real. They had day-to-day problems like everyone else. Anna, Della and Alisha stay close to each other, and support one another in time of crises. My favorite character would have to be Della. No matter what setbacks she had, she continued her dream of writing a novel. I recommend this book to all readers.

* I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for sending me this copy to review.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Review - The Thyssen Affair

The Thyssen Affair
BY: Mozelle Richardson
PUBLISHED BY: Mount West Publishers
PUBLISHED IN: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-61658-244-9
Pages: 460
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

The Thyssen Affair is a cold war novel set during the year 1980. Russians steal a skull from a World War II grave in Colorado. A retired OSS operative Canyon “Cane” Eliot is called back in to help the CIA solve the mystery. The CIA isn’t the only ones interested in the skull, the Israeli Mossad wants it too.

Cane must travel around the world to Munich, Italy and Germany to try to figure out what is going on. While in Germany, he crosses paths with ex-Nazis. Everyone wants the skull. There are several twists and turns.

The author, Mozelle Richardson, is 96 years old and received her BA in Journalism at the age 90. That’s a major accomplishment.

I felt that the book had too much dialogue at times. There should have been more descriptions of the surroundings. The plot takes Cane to different countries, but I never felt he left Colorado. There are several twists in the story, and at times I found it very annoying. The plot was original and it kept me interested in it. The book is over four hundred pages, but it’s fast paced. If you enjoy spy thrillers, you might want to check this out.

* I would like to thank the Cadence Group for sending me a copy to review.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Review - My Sparkling Misfortune

My Sparkling Misfortune
BY: Laura Lodd
PUBLISHED BY: Dream Books LLC
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
Pages: 187
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Normally a fairy tale is in the point-of-view of the young princess or prince, but not in “My Sparkling Misfortune.” The main character is Lord Arkus, the villain. Lord Arkus, along with his sidekick Shork, captured a gormack - an evil spirit to help him destroy his enemy - Prince Kellemar. To Arkus’s surprise, he didn’t catch a gormack, but he caught a sparkling - a good spirit.

When a sparkling is caught, they are bound to their owners for 6 years. Lord Arkus was stuck with it.

Lord Arkus asks for a new castle, supplies and a army, so he could be ready to battle with Prince Kellemar and his men. Soon, he is befriending King Osmund because the king believes only a good man would have a sparkling.

The King gives Lord Arkus his own castle and men. Arkus becomes engaged to the king’s daughter. Everything is going his way - he has own castle and army. He is read to battle Prince Kellemar, but Shork thinks Arkus is becoming too nice. Will Arkus become a hero?

This is a cute fairy tale with a twist. Each chapter has a wonderful illustration. Both girls and boys will like reading about Lord Arkus and the sparkling.

* I would like to thank Dream Books LLC for sending me a copy to review.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Review - Yalu and the Puppy Room


Kid Konnection is a weekly meme host at bookingmama.


Yalu and the Puppy RoomYalu and the Puppy Room
BY: Brian T. Yates
ILLUSTRATED BY: Tielman Chaney
PUBLISHED BY: Mystic Publishers
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-1-934051-42-9
Pages: 55
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Yalu is a young female golden retriever. Her and her siblings are staying at a kennel, waiting to be adopted by a loving family. All the puppies go to a special place called the Puppy Room. This is where they meet the families looking for a dog.

Yalu is all excited when a family wants her to come home with them. When they pick her up, they are disappointed. They wanted a male dog instead of a female. Yalu goes back to her cage, and her brother is chosen by the family.

One by one, her siblings are adopted. Now, Yalu is the last golden retriever at the kennel.

When a young couple arrive at the kennel looking for a new puppy, Yalu is ready to pick them as her family. But will they pick her?

This is an adorable book for children. Yalu is a sweet and loveable character. The illustrations in the book are colorful. You’ll enjoy reading about Yalu and the Puppy Room.

Review - Patton: The Pursuit of Destiny

Patton: The Pursuit of Destiny (The Generals)Patton: The Pursuit of Destiny
BY: Agostino Von Hassell and Ed Breslin
PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Nelson
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-1-5955-5056-9
Pages: 193
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

Honestly, the only thing I know about General Patton is what I saw in the movie “Patton” staring George C. Scott. After reading the introduction to this book, you learn that the way Patton was portrayed was not correct. Patton’s rival General Omar N. Bradley worked as the film’s chief consultant, so all of the facts were not correct.

George S. Patton Jr. was born on November 11, 1885 in Los Angeles, California. Most of his ancestors were military heroes. At an early age, George wanted to continue the tradition. He learned to ride a horse and shoot guns, but he didn’t learn how to read and write until he was twelve years old. This caused a bit of a challenge for him when he started school in 1897. Despite his educational setbacks, he entered VMI in 1903 and later he would attend West Point. Patton studied all of the great military books.

After graduation, Patton joined the Army. Through the years he quickly went up the ranks. First as a Tank Commander and later as a General during WWII.

I enjoyed reading the book. I never knew that Patton was obsessed with perfection. I also never knew that Patton studied and kept track of new technology being developed. Patton was a respected man, who loved his family, his fellow soldiers, his country and God. I recommend this book to historical and military buffs.

I would like to thank Thomas Nelson for sending me a copy to review.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Review - Pinesport Divide


Pinesport DividePinesport Divide
BY: Charles Matthews
PUBLISHED BY: Metal Lunchbox Publishing
PUBLISHED IN: 2010
ISBN: 978-0-984337-9-9
Pages: 372
Ages: Young Adult
Reviewed by Billy Burgess

In the world of “Pinesport Divide,” you are either a Normal, Lectrol or a Loor. The main character, Greyson Hill, is your typical teenager. He is in love with his best friend’s girlfriend. He starts hanging around with a group of super human strength teenagers - the Lectrols.

The girl Greyson has a crush on, Leara, has been keeping a secret. She is a Loor, a mentally enhanced person. The Loors are the enemies of the Lectrols. The three different races begin to collide with each other. Greyson must make a choose between the Lectrols and his friends.

“Pinesport Divide” has a great premise, but doesn’t go beyond that. The book is too long at almost four hundred pages, when the story could have been told in under two hundred. The dialogue makes the characters seem cartoonish. I couldn’t connect to the main character, or any others. The book is confusing at times, and suffers from too much telling and not enough showing.

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