Flame of Resistance

WW2 like all other historic events, even recent ones, makes for exciting books of all genres and this one is no exception! FLAME is a French resistance cell that operates like all other cells, undercover in plain sight. Tom is in the USAAF and is shot down shortly before D-Day. He is met by a Frenchman who questions him briefly about many things to make sure he is who he says he is. Once Tom passes the test, he is left in the care of an elderly woman until he heals from his wounds. All Tom knows about this grand lady is that she has hidden and cared for many Allied soldiers. Is that all there is to this lady or is there more to her story?

Since Tom resembles a German soldier he is recruited by the resistance to infiltrate and carry out a mission that has direct implications for D-Day. All Tom wants to do is get back in the air as a pilot, until he meets a woman in a brothel. Her name is Brigitte. She has inherited the house from her grandfather and turns it into a brothel as she figures it is the only means to survive since she lost the love of her life along with everyone else while waiting for freedom.

Braun is a German officer of sorts who shows his true colors later in the story in a way that is a surprise to the reader. Inside a building is where the SS takes its prisoners to extract information from them in some very torturous ways. Is there no one in France with a heart of compassion? Where is the faith and fight of the people? Keep reading the novel as there are many important characters, scenes, twists and turns to this work of fiction.

The characters are from many different backgrounds; seemingly some operate one way only for the reader to discover something else. At different times in the suspenseful telling of the story, the reader won't be able to quit reading because of the spellbinding tale presented. You will find yourself at the edge of your seat, waiting in suspense to turn the page and find out how different difficulties are handled by spies, allies, and ordinary people during the occupation.

Prepare for a rollercoaster ride when you begin this novel of suspense, mystery, and more as history unfolds in the pages of Flame of Resistance. The author does a superb job of weaving many threads together into a work of art that captures both the heart and the imagination of readers. It is a 5+ star rating from beginning to end. Well done!

Cottage by the Sea, a Wonderful Novel

"The First and the First Lady" is first and foremost a fictitious tale about how President Obama and the First Lady met and fell in love. It's a sweet love story with a strong comedic flavor, a step above the typical romantic comedy.

From the very beginning, readers are immersed in the titillating story of Barack Obama as he tries to convince the women in his life that he is worth so much more than great sex. That topic alone may have been enough for a different kind of writer but not Michael David and Sarah Box they have a few tricks up their sleeves.

"The First and the First Lady" follows a young Barack Obama as he learns to stand up for himself, speak his mind and pursue what's important to him. The story catapults to greatness with the introduction of Dr. Berry. Dr. Berry is quite funny as the quack psychologist who is obviously more in need of therapy than his patients. He gives us outrageous and bizarre characterization that leads to clever dialogue and gives the tale the edge and uniqueness that we so love and admire.

This romantic tale is not just about romance. It's about something much more important empowering yourself and going for what you really want at all costs. Barack Obama, a hopeless romantic, is convinced that the world is populated with sex-starved women. Throughout his days and nights, he is bombarded with vivacious, sultry women, visiting his apartment, even accosting him on the street. Though he shares some enjoyable moments with these women, Barack grows tired of the overwhelming attention. It has gone on long enough and he wants so much more.

When Barack finally meets the girl that he believes is like no other, we learn the true meaning of pulling out all stops. Just when we think the story has come to a successful conclusion, the writer throws us a curve, proving once again that true comedy is totally unpredictable.

Michael David and Sarah Box's story picks up hot and heavy steam in the middle and hurtles to a memorable, feel-good conclusion. With the authors' infused dialogue and charged action, Michael David and Sarah Box make it clear in no uncertain terms that they are a major new voice in the literary world.

"The First and the First Lady" is a unique story filled with quick wit and many surprises and there are no lulls in this screenplay, so get comfortable because you will read it all in one sitting. It's easy to read without being overly descriptive, and the characters are people we would love to meet. Readers will be impressed by this comedy in so many ways.

Skip Rocks Shallow by Jan Watson

The year is 1908, and the setting is in the coal mining mountains of Kentucky. At this time in history and in this area, there weren't a lot of modern conveniences and the people weren't "up with the times" according to the society at that time. Will the character adapt or run for home?

Lilly Corbett has just graduated from medical school in Boston and has agreed to a short 3-4 month stay in Skip Rock as the coal company's physician. The old doctor has passed away so she is just filling in until a permanent replacement can be found. She has her fiancé waiting for her in Boston. He is a surgeon and from a wealthy family. Lilly grew up in the mountains not far from Skip Rock. She has her life all planned out and can't wait to get back to Boston. At first, she is unwelcome by the town's people because she is a female physician and no man is going to be treated by a woman! Then, it is discovered that the man who has been working as her assistant is in fact her cousin. He lets everyone know she is his kin, and Lilly becomes much more welcome. She begins to treat more and more people and develops a love for this town and its' people.

Tern Still or is it Joe Repp? Whatever his real name is, he is a coal mine worker who reminds Lilly of someone familiar. Who does he remind her of? Where could she have met him? Why has he shown up here in this small town? Is he following her? Tern has eyes only for Lilly and begins to spend time with her in hopes that he can reveal to her the truth about himself. He has strayed from being a practicing Christian and he has no prayer life. In the midst of tragedy, does he remember what his mother taught him about God?

Lilly receives a letter from her boss asking her to commit to five years as physician at Skip Rock. The town desperately needs a physician and she is already there and begun to be accepted by the people. What should she do? Should she stay? If she stays, will her fiancé support her decision? Will they still have a relationship? How does she really feel about Tern/Joe? Will Lilly obey what she knows the Lord has put on her heart or will she follow her head and continue with her well-laid plans?

Jan Watson does a nice job showing the interactions between the characters and gives them a depth so they are not just surface characters. There is a great supporting cast of characters. I loved the character of Armina! She is sassy, but also a hard worker, and caretaker. So come and spend some time with the characters of Skip Rock.

The Hunger Games Review and Themes

The Hunger Games, most likely you have seen the movie, or maybe even read the book, but do you understand it or realize why you love it so much? For many this answer is no. They just know that the book is great and that they enjoyed reading it. This review will hopefully give some understanding to this epic book and address the many qualities and disappointments that fans had for this dominating series. Be aware for those who have yet to read this book, many spoilers will be included.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was published in 2008. Since then it has become the favorite book of many as well as a box office hit. The book starts off through the eyes of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year old living in District 12 of Panem, formally known as America. Panem is a very poor nation with all who live there suffering and starving, with the exception of the Capital where all the rich people live. To remind the 12 districts who is in control, the Capital holds the annual Hunger Games where each district must submit to children ranging from ages 12-18 to fight to the death. Only one will win. Each child gets one entry in the Hunger Game pool when they turn twelve and an extra entry each year until they are eighteen. Many children are entered in more, however, for they can enter themselves in more times in exchange for food.

Katniss, who is a known law-breaker by hunting for food, has many entries into the Hunger games, though it is not herself that she fears for. She fears for her sister Prim who just turned twelve with only one entry and her best friend Gale who is eighteen with many entries. When the time comes for to select the Hunger game participants, shockingly Prim gets selected. Katniss is overcome with emotion and will not allow for her younger sister to be shoved into an arena of death, so she volunteers herself in her sister's place. The second person chosen is a boy named Peeta who has always shown Katniss kindness. She is sad for him to because she knows that if it comes down to it, she may have to kill him.

Peeta and Katniss are then whisked away to the Capital where they are to prepare for the Hunger Games. Both participants know that they have almost no chance of winning since in many other districts the participants spend their life training for these games. Nevertheless, they try their hardest and soon learn that Peeta is very skilled when it comes to strength and that Katniss is skilled with a bow and arrow.

Peeta and Katniss then have to make their live appearance to the public, where they are the talk of the nation for their costumes make them appear as if they were actually on fire. It is then that Katniss receives the long lasting nickname of The Girl on Fire. Next, during the live interview process, Peeta makes remark insinuating that Katniss and he are star-crossed lovers who will never get the chance to be together. Though this is false, and quite frankly makes Katniss mad, it earns them many fans who will be great help during the game for they are allowed to send them supplies during many parts of the Hunger Games. It is soon after this interview that Katniss and Peeta are lowered into what is assumed to be their death, The Hunger Games.

There are many themes to this book that aid in its popularity. The first of many would be family sacrifice. There is no love that is truer than family, and this book is the perfect example of it. By stepping up to take her sisters place, Katniss is essentially dying for her sister, for she has no expectations of making it out alive. I feel that many current books focus on the romance side of love and completely forget or leave out love when it comes to family. It is very refreshing to have a book show this kind of love at its truest form and the emotions that come with it. This part of the book gets two thumbs up from me!

The second theme that I really loved in the book is female empowerment. Instead of having Katniss playing a helpless damsel in distress, she is out there with the rest of the boys kicking butt. When she found out that she was going into the Hunger Games, she had the mentality that if it comes to it, I am ready to die, but until then I am going to try my hardest to live. I know that many book characters would have the girls crying their eyes out, but instead they show Katniss as a strong willed person with the mentality to do whatever it takes. Also when she finally gets into the arena, she shows that she is just as good if not stronger than the men.

The last theme that I enjoyed in this book is being true to yourself. Katniss showed over and over again in the Hunger Games that even put in the worst circumstances, she would not let the capital change her. She had many chances to kill people to better herself in the game, but she refused to unless she was protecting someone that she loved. For example, when the little girl named Rue, who reminded her of her sister, came up to her, she had every chance to kill her, for Rue was an easy target and it would have been a quick fix to better herself in the games. Instead Katniss helped her and did everything that she could to keep her alive. Also in the last part of the book, it is only Katniss and Peeta left. When the game makers says that one of them has to kill the other, Katniss refuses and they both try to kill themselves before they try to kill one another. If that's not staying true to yourself, then I don't know what is.

Many critics of the book many say that this book is not well written and is very adolescent. In response to not being well written, is it Shakespeare? No. But it is obviously written well enough to sell over a million copies. Those critics sound a little jealous to me. And when it comes be adolescent, they are correct. It is a young adult book, so it's supposed to be adolescent. I would, however, not let anyone younger than 14 read this book because there are some very graphic parts and adult themes tied into it.

In conclusion, my review of The Hunger Games can be summed up in one word, Amazing. It gives me everything I want in a book and still brings something new to the table. For the one percent out there who has not yet read this awesome book, I beg you too. I can almost ensure you that you will love it, and if you don't then you can at least join into the conversation that the rest of the planet is having about these books.

Mission to Paris: A Novel

Alan Furst, a master story writer and best-selling author, has returned to World War II as the setting for his work Mission to Paris: A Novel. Indeed, the setting for Mission is in the run-up to World War II as the Nazis begin working their mind-games against the French.

An American star, Frederic Stahl, is on his way to make film for Paramount and the Nazi propaganda machine's secret department is cranking itself up to use Stahl - or so they think - as part of their plan to destabilize France from within and its will to win.

What they don't know about Stahl is that he, too, is an agent, working for the American Embassy against Germany. Stahl is aghast and horrified by the Nazis and what was to become known as "the final solution." In 1938, though, the Nazis could not reveal their true agenda to the world or they would have quickly been cut off by the rest of society so they had to work behind the scenes to do their deeds.

The key to his novel, though, is Furst's ability as an author. His works are called "page-turners" by the trade. Some have called him the best spy novelist in the business this generation, on a par with the master spy novelist John LeCarre. After reading him, we would have to agree.

The list of characters that Furst's fertile imagination creates and the reality you feel is amazing. Take, the Baroness von Reschke, a famous beauty, a deeply committed Nazi who is also deeply committed to the operations against France. As noted, the intimate scenes in which she is involved are well drawn and believable. Indeed, each character, as noted, is just that believable, including the Nazi thugs, Janoz and Lothar, who, though they seem just from the trees, are also quite creepy as assassins.

This work must have taken a great deal out of Furst because of the way he details the film cast and crew; members of the diplomatic community and Stahl's lovers. Like a puzzle, not only is each piece a small work of art that is meant to fit into a larger work, the whole of Mission to Paris is greater than the sum of its parts.

Whether you read it the old-fashioned way, as a standard book, or you download the Kindle version, you should be glad you did.

Hopefully, Furst will remain as prolific as other writers of this genre, as reading his work is something you should not miss.

Competing Sisters - A Summer Bird-Cage by Margaret Drabble

A Summer Bird-Cage by Margaret Drabble is a book with a hyphen in the title. This is apposite, since it presents a tale of two sisters, Louise and Sarah who, in a short but intense period of their lives, realise that there is an enduring bond between them, even if that bond may be no more than an agreement to compete.

Louise and Sarah have both been to Oxford. Louise is three years older than Sarah, who estimates that her sister is thus also three inches taller than herself. They are both beautiful, desirable young women, clearly drawn from society's existing elite and destined not to tread beyond the boundaries of their class. Sarah's first person narrative begins as she graduates, just as her older sister is about to marry Stephen Halifax. He is an awfully sophisticated author - whose books, nevertheless and by common consent, are pretty ropey - who seems permanently to roll in it, where 'it' refers to a mixture of money and whatever it is that allows an individual to claim the label 'Bohemian'. (Being born in Bohemia would not endow that status, of course. We are literary, darling, not literal!) And Louise is twenty-four, for God's sake, if we still demand His approbation in the 1960s. It is time she did something with her life, settled down, started a family, at least aspired to the respectable.

Sarah laments her sister's good fortune. For years one side of her assumed future has yearned to attach such trappings to her own life, a standpoint to which she might only occasionally admit in mixed company. There is a gentleman friend, but he has hopped it across the Atlantic for a while to do some research. She wonders if he will ever come back. In matters of the heart, the immediate is always more likely to stir the emotions.

Throughout A Summer Bird-Cage the two sisters interact and we hear Sarah's version of the envy, the bitchiness, the conflict, the resolution, the co-operation, the closeness and distance of their relationship. There are several parties where new people appear to gossip, to speculate or to provoke. Much is learned in these highly ceremonial gatherings about others.

And, as far as plot goes, that's about it. There are some flaming rows, but no-one draws a gun. There is conflict, but no-one's life is threatened. There's duplicity, but the greatest sting is committed by a taxi driver who goes off with a whole two shillings of extra and undeserved tip. But even as early as the nineteen sixties lovers would sometimes take baths together!

Via Sarah's frailties, imaginings, intellect, prejudice and eventual good sense and loyalty, Margaret Drabble presents a magnificent study in character and the human condition. If the reader were to pass Sarah on the street, not only would she be recognisable, she would immediately demand greeting. "By the way," the reader might ask her, "did you really feel such resentment at everything your sister... " And no doubt Sarah would reply at length and in detail.

In A Summer Bird-Cage the encounters are real. The events are credible. The failings of these people are purely human, rendering them completely three dimensional. Yes, the society they inhabit is rarefied, elitist and limited in its world view, but surely they existed and, via this superb novel, still do.

Book Review: Coastal Empire

Fiction/Mystery
Coastal Empire
Rocky Leonard
2012
Each Voice Publishing
329 pages

In author Rocky Leonard's debut novel, Coastal Empire, Savannah private detective Robert Mercer, finds himself in the middle of an elaborate, illegal real estate scheme after taking a job to track a suspected philanderer. What begins as a simple case soon becomes a tangled web of fraud and murder. Mercer risks his on life as he works to save the remaining targets on the criminals' list. This story has a complicated plot that moves in unexpected directions.

After receiving a thank you card from a jeweler in Atlanta, Sarah Reid hires Robert Mercer to find out if her husband, Barry Reid, a prominent local real estate agent, is cheating on her. Mercer accepts the job and spends a couple of days in Atlanta searching for the man who sent the thank you card. During his investigation, Mercer meets Kelly, a woman who originally presents herself as an employee of the jewelry store, but who Mercer later discovers is a significant figure in his case.

Upon his return to Savannah, Mercer meets Nick Mason when Nick runs out into the middle of the street as Mercer and his dog Ox are making their way home. This chance meeting turns into a partnership when Nick informs Mercer of strange real estate transactions involving multimillion dollar properties and a local attorney. When the men discover that the owners of two of those properties were killed just months after a real estate trust on their properties was set up, they investigate the key players in the scheme. Barry Reid happens to be one of them.

Leonard has created an intriguing storyline that demands the reader keep up with each twist and insertion of new information in order to comprehend fully what the characters are up against. Mercer emerges as a powerful force in the book, as he makes capturing the criminals and saving prospective victims his mission. His intelligence, military background, and compassion make Mercer an attractive lead and a solid anchor for future books in the Robert Mercer mystery series. There are many characters in this book whose roles must be defined and connected to the main plot. Fortunately, Leonard successfully connects all of the dots and doesn't leave a single loose thread as the story ends.