Publisher: Grove Creek Publishing Publish Date: November 10, 2008 Format: Paperback Pages: 240
Nailed is an engrossing young adult story. I loved the realism of it.
Mandy is a down-to-earth girl who just graduated from high school and knows what she wants - to own her own construction company. The day she has waited for has finally arrived and she is about to be on her first construction crew. Since her father owns a construction company she is not new to the scene, but she is new to her crew of 4 other men. At first it's tough working for her brother and getting used to the guys, but through perseverance Mandy does it. She starts to fit in and realize her attraction for two of the crew members.
Boston and A.J. couldn't be more different and Mandy finds positives to both of them. But in a love triangle which one will she choose.
I admit I have not read any lover's triangle books so this was new for me.
I really enjoyed the plot and Mandy as a character. She's a strong female who knows what she wants. She's not overbearing and she is very feminine even working on the framing crew. I also liked how she was sure about a career but she wasn't sure where relationships were involved. She grew during the book and I enjoyed watching her journey.
The men involved all sound amazing. I was fanning myself listening to the description of them. I can definitely find wonderful qualities in both A.J. and Boston especially against the crasser members of the crew.
I also loved the scenes involving the bookstores. I love bookstores so to see them mentioned in the book was a lot of fun.
An all-around great read - it's hard to put down and very enjoyable. It was fun getting a look into the construction field especially from a female perspective. Ms. Laurens did a wonderful job on this book.
About the Book:
One girl. Two guys. Who says three's a crowd? When Mandy takes an
unusual summer job-in construction-she has to prove she's just one of
the guys. But she gets more than she bargains for being the only girl
on the job. The mixture of hot guys, sunscreen, raw wood and
testosterone proves to be an elixir she can't protect her heart from.
Brooding Boston and flirty AJ find themselves looking at Mandy as more
than just a girl who holds a hammer. Mandy soon finds herself not only
lost in a whirlwind of a male-dominated world, but also the center of
an inadvertently "constructed" love triangle. Mandy must choose between
two guys who want her heart. But what's a girl to do when she wants
them both?
Deadly Codes takes up a little while after Fatal Gamble ends with Gallagher married now to his love Kate and giving up his beloved PI business to keep Kate happy. However Gallagher is not sure he will be happy without the PI business, especially when a woman walks in with what looks like to be a simple missing person case, which he can never turn down. He's intrigued and just can't help himself and after some dilemma takes the case.
However with J.P. O'Donnell books, the simple ends up never being simple and Gallagher is on the case that keeps him intrigued and guessing as he starts making headway into something that puts him way over his head. Add in the NSA, the CIA and a widowed husband and you get the case of a lifetime.
The second novel in the Gallagher series is outstanding. It's not necessary to read the first (though you miss a great book if you don't) as enough background is given in this one that it can be read as a standalone. J.P. O'Donnell delivers again with non-stop intrigue and action. Gallagher is a great character, flawed but in a good way - he really wants to do the best for everyone involved. Some more background is given into his character in this book and it just endeared him to me further. Gallagher is one of the good guys, going the extra mile to help those who need closure on the case.
The plot, characters and dialogue in this book are just amazing. I started this Thursday morning and had it finished by that night. I was so engrossed in it that I was able to tune out my husband on the phone right next to me in our truck (which is very difficult to do). I felt very drawn into the story and I was still thinking about the story and the characters this morning.
I truly hope there is more to come in the Gallagher series because I miss Gallagher when I finish a book and just want to read more about him.
About the Book:
In the thriller, Deadly Codes, Daniel Cormac Gallagher, Jr., a Boston
private eye, is hired to investigate the death of Jennifer Clark,
tragically killed in a car bombing in her own driveway.
Gallagher
has been commissioned by Jeanne Campbell, Jennifer's twin sister, to
find a mysterious woman-Jennifer's secret lesbian lover who vanished
immediately after the bombing. While the authorities continue to pursue
their suspicions that the terrorist act may have been intended for
Jennifer's husband, Bill, who holds a top-secret position in the
counter-intelligence division of the National Security Agency, Jeanne
reveals intricate details to Gallagher that intrigue him enough to take
on the case. While Gallagher begins searching for the missing woman, he
has no idea that a bounty has been placed on his own head-two hired
gunmen are plotting to kill him. Gallagher's search takes him to
Washington DC, where he discovers that the car bombing is only a
backdrop to a complex, treasonous scheme to sell code-breaking formulas
to a hostile enemy nation.
As the violent mystery unravels,
Gallagher finds himself under deadly attack from two shocking but
powerful forces-one he knows and another he never expects.
My review of the first book in the series, Fatal Gamble (which also received 5.0/5.0) is here.
J.P. O'Donnell is also releasing Deadly Codes at Podiobooks.com soon and Fatal Gamble is already available there. Both are available on Amazon.com
***Giveaway***
The author has generously offered a copy of Fatal Gamble and Deadly Codes, both books in the Gallagher series to a commenter on the blog. Simply leave a comment and a question for the author if you have one and I'll present them to him after the contest for a interview post later in the month (please help me out - I'm always looking for good questions to ask and you are my readers) . Extra entries for tweeting, being a follower (on blogger/twitter/rss feed/email), and posting on your blog. Just let me know in the comments what you do. Contest open to US/Canada only. Ends 1/22/2010.
Giveaway Chance
I received this book from Rebecca Brown of the Cadence Marketing Group. I hope to have an interview with the author to post before the book releases so stay tuned for that and if you have any questions you would like to ask this new author, leave a comment and one lucky commenter will win my ARC of Conflicts with Interest. Open to Canada and US only, ends 1/20/10 so I can get the questions to the author.
My Review:
I have read plenty of suspense/thrillers and my fair share of legal thrillers, but Conflicts with Interest is very different from all I have read before. It's a fascinating look at lawsuits involving the construction industry and an overview of the lawyers involved and the insurance industry as well. It focuses on corruption on one case against a father and son construction company.
There are many players in the story and they make all the layers that this story entails. I did get lost a few times with some of the legal terms but most of the book flowed very well for me. The plot never lost my attention for one moment.
I liked T.R. and Ryan from the first page and enjoyed the addition of Catherine as a character and interest for T.R.
All of the lawyers had very different personalities and outlooks and that made it real and interesting. There was one lawyer I particularly liked - he really told it like it was. I also liked T.R. because he often used sarcasm to make a point and I love sarcasm.
A well-written debut entry into the thriller genre - I hope Mr. Ruddy continues what he has started and has more books in store for the future.
About the Book:
T.R. Morgan, a seasoned building professional, finds himself entangled in the combined corruption of the high profile law firm that is attacking him and the insurance companies that are supposed to defend him. Still enduring the painful memories brought on by the tragic death of his wife, he soon finds out, nothing involving lawyers and insurance companies happens quickly. Instead of resolution, T.R., unwittingly enters a world of human trafficking, drugs, and illicit sex taking place behind the scenes. And his story comes forward to an explosive climax that no one could possibly foresee, least of all T.R. himself. This suspenseful tale of contemporary fiction is packed with enlightenment and high-stakes characters; provoking thought on a new subject in a new light.
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
***Special thanks to LeAnn Hamby | Publicity Coordinator | Strang Book Group for sending me a review copy.***
My Review:
Becoming Lucy is a beautiful and exciting historical novel. At it's heart is the romance, but there is so much more to this book. After Lucinda's parents are killed in an accident, she journeys west to live with her aunt and uncle in the Oklahoma Territory. This is rough land and very different from the way Lucinda was raised in her prim and proper Boston home. But it doesn't take long for Lucinda to fall into the ways of ranch life and the love of her aunt, uncle, cousins and ranch hand Jake Starnes.
The whole story was enjoyable. I loved having the views of her aunt and uncle from time-to-time and their concern for Lucinda. I also enjoyed insights into Jake as he struggles with Christianity and what God and Jesus' sacrifice means for him. The book is thoughtfully put together and shows the good and bad of Christians. Everyone struggles with something in the book and they look to God to try and do their best.
The book also has plenty of excitement. I never found a dull moment, there always seem to be something going on. It also sets the stage for the next in the series and I can't wait to read that one. From the title of the next book (in the back of this one), I know who it is about and look forward to reading her story. I hope this series continues as their are others in the town of Barton Creek that I look forward to getting to know more. I loved reading about this community and especially the Haynes family.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Martha Rogers is a former schoolteacher and English instructor. She served as a newsletter editor for the writer’s organization, Inspirational Writers Alive! for six years and is the state president. She is also the director for the annual Texas Christian Writer’s Conference and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her novel, Not on the Menu (May 2007), is a part of Sugar and Grits, a novella collection with DiAnn Mills, Janice Thompson, and Kathleen Y’Barbo. Rogers has a Master’s Degree in Education, worked for twenty-eight years as a secondary teacher, and has worked as a supervisory teacher at University of Houston Clear Lake and as an instructor of English Composition at Houston Community College. Martha and her husband live in Houston, Texas and have worked with teenagers at First Baptist Church for twenty-four years.
List Price: $10.99
Paperback: 297 pages
Publisher: Realms (January 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 159979912X
ISBN-13: 978-1599799124
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Oklahoma Territory 1896
Jake Starnes hunkered down in his jacket. He smelled
frost in the air, but the cold in his bones came from fear, not
the temperature. A gust of wind threatened to take his hat. He shoved it down tighter to secure it.
He peered ahead at the barren landscape and the outline of the town of Barton Creek. Naked trees stretched forth to the skies against a backdrop of prairie grass that spread as far as the eye could see toward distant mountains. It bore no resemblance to the beautiful hills of Texas where he grew up. He missed them, but he'd probably never get the chance to see them again. He sighed in resignation to the life that lay ahead. A life he hadn't chosen. It had chosen him the day he chose to wear a gun.
Mrs. Haynes sat beside him and nudged his arm. "How much longer will we be? Dear little Lucinda. I pray she doesn't have to wait too long for us. I thought Ben would be done with the stock, but since he wasn't, I'm thankful you were available."
"Happy to oblige, ma'am. Won't be long now." Mrs. Haynes had talked about her sister's "poor orphan child" for the past two months. He could sympathize with the child because he lost both his parents just after he turned fifteen. She must be grieving terribly.
The pressure of Mrs. Haynes's hand on his arm brought him to the present. "Jake Starnes, you're not paying one bit of attention to me. If your mind is on the work you left at the ranch, don't worry about it. Ben and the others can take care of your chores."
"I know they will." Gray clouds covered the late October sky. "It's getting darker. Hope we get back home 'fore night sets in. That wind's coming straight down across the prairie with nothing to stop it."
"Dear me, I do pray Lucinda is dressed warmly." Mrs. Haynes pulled her shawl more tightly about her shoulders.
"You said she's coming from Boston, so she knows about cold weather." He peered at the horizon. The few buildings of Barton Creek drew closer. Another ten minutes and they'd be in town.
Jake's stomach began churning like those blue-black clouds rolling across the sky. Were it not for the little girl waiting for them, he'd have turned back home now. If the sheriff in Barton Creek recognized him or had questions about him being a stranger in these parts, he'd be in a heap of trouble.
He'd avoided going into the settlement ever since he came to Oklahoma six months ago. His wanderings ended at the Haynes's spread, where he'd stopped to ask for work. His first intention to stay only a month or so then move on changed when the Haynes showed him a kindness and love he sorely missed. They had become the family he had lost years ago.
Now the thought of entering the town caused fear to rise like bile. What would happen if the lawman in town recognized him and Ben Haynes learned about Jake's past, a past he wanted to forget?
•
Lucinda stared down at the dusty ground beneath the worn wooden bench of the Wells Fargo depot and twisted her black-gloved hands in her lap. She searched the area for a familiar face. Where were Aunt Amelia and Uncle Ben? Her escort had fallen ill in the last town, but Lucinda had been determined to come on alone despite protests, and now she sat here with no one to meet her. Doubt clouded her mind over the decisions of the past month.
With no one else to call family, she'd had no choice but to come west. Aunt Mellie and Uncle Ben could never replace Mama and Papa, but being a part of the Haynes family would help take away the loneliness haunting her days.
She swiped at something as it brushed her cheek. An insect of some kind flew away, and she shuddered. What other strange things would she see this day? Her gaze swept across the scene before her. Several buildings across from the depot included a general store. She stood and made her way across the uneven ruts crisscrossing the street, if the hard-packed ground could be considered a street. A sign advertising Anderson's General Store squeaked on its chains. Welcome warmth greeted her when she pushed her way through the double doors.
A woman behind the counter peered at her. "May I help you, dear?"
The aroma of lamp oil and peppermint mingled in the air. "I stepped in to get out of the wind. I'm waiting for my Uncle Ben and Aunt Amelia to pick me up."
The gray-haired woman wiped her hands on her white apron. "Are you talking about Amelia Haynes?"
"Yes, ma'am. I've come to live with them."
The lady beamed. "Welcome to Barton Creek. I'm Bea Anderson, and that's my husband Carl over there." A slightly bald man helping a customer grinned and nodded in her direction.
Mrs. Anderson pulled up a stool beside the wood stove. "Sit a spell and get warm. Ben and Amelia should be here soon."
A young man by the shelf of canned goods turned and smiled. Lucinda offered a small one in return. Heat rose in her cheeks as he continued to stare.
She broke her gaze and pointed to glass jars filled with a rainbow of colors. "Thank you, but I must go back over to the depot. I'll take a few of those peppermints if you don't mind."
Mrs. Anderson filled a small bag with the candy. "It's a mite colder out now. Sure you don't want to stay here until they arrive?"
Lucinda handed the woman a few coins and grasped the bag. "Thank you for your concern, but I don't want them to have to hunt for me. Maybe I'll see you again."
"If you come to church on Sunday, you surely will." The bell over the door jingled, and another customer entered. Mrs. Anderson turned her attention to the new patron. The young man smiled and nodded as Lucinda turned from the counter. She didn't smile in return. Mrs. Anderson should have introduced him. Were proper manners of no importance here on the frontier?
Lucinda crossed back to the depot that was down from the town's answer for a hotel. The only fully brick building in sight, it had grand windows, and cut glass adorned the wooden doors, but it couldn't compare to the ones in Boston. Of course, nothing in these buildings resembled the beauty of the masonry of her hometown.
She returned to the bench and popped a peppermint into her mouth. The sharp sweetness teased her taste buds as she savored her favorite candy. It brought back memories of Papa bringing a bag of treats home to her every week.
She'd be eighteen in less than six months and old enough to take care of her own affairs. Until then, however, she had to comply with the lawyer's recommendations. At least her aunt and uncle were family, and she longed to be a part of a family once again. She missed having someone concerned about her welfare. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had been kind, but they had their own affairs to tend to. Her only fear now lay in losing her own identity so far away from everything she knew and loved.
With no idea what lay ahead, one thing was sure: she would have to learn to do without the amenities enjoyed as the only child of a wealthy family. But if Aunt Amelia could come out here and live and be entirely happy, Lucinda had to at least give it a try.
A gust of wind whipped open her dark blue cloak and stirred a small whirlwind of dirt. She coughed from the dust and wrapped the thick wool tighter around her body to ward off the cold. If Aunt Amelia and Uncle Ben didn't arrive soon, she'd have to go back inside to escape the weather.
•
Mellie Haynes shivered in the frigid air. In a few minutes she'd be with her young niece. Dear Lucinda. How would she fare in this country? Amelia missed her sister and the wonderful letters they exchanged, but that couldn't begin to compare to the grief Lucinda must bear.
The Haynes ranch house may not be as elegant as Lucinda's home in Boston, but it was warm, comfortable, and large enough to accommodate her own son and daughter as well as Lucinda.
She pictured her young niece and Becky together. Surely Lucinda's upbringing would have a positive effect on her
daughter's hoydenish behavior. Of course, Becky was only twelve, but the time had come for her to learn more ladylike ways.
Mellie considered the young man beside her. Jake couldn't be much more than a few years older than Lucinda. Such a handsome face, but so full of sadness, it had drawn her to him like a moth to light when he arrived at the ranch all those months ago. He'd become more like a second son. She wanted to erase that haunted look in his eye and believed she'd succeeded until today.
When they reached the main street, her heart beat a little faster. Her precious niece huddled on the bench, staring at the ground. She would offer Lucinda plenty of comfort and love to help her adjust to all the changes in the days ahead.
•
Lucinda sat with head bowed against the wind as it blasted around the corner. She yanked on her bonnet to keep it from flying off into the street. She hadn't felt this lonely since the day after the funeral.
Wagon wheels creaked and broke the silence. Her name echoed across the street, and she glanced up. Aunt Amelia waved and called to her again. Relief flooded Lucinda's soul. She bolted from the bench and ran into her aunt's welcoming arms.
Aunt Amelia hugged her tightly. "Oh, my dear, I'm so sorry we're late. Your uncle Ben couldn't leave the ranch, so I had Jake bring me."
A young man in dusty boots and a brown hat stood waiting by the wagon. Hair the color of the wheat fields she'd passed in Kansas escaped from under his hat and brushed his shoulders. He tipped the brim back with a forefinger, and his eyebrows arched as though surprised to see her.
Aunt Amelia hugged her again before stepping back. "Oh, let me look at you. You've grown even more beautiful since we saw you at the funeral." She turned to the cowboy. "Jake, come and meet Lucinda."
The young man sauntered across the unpaved street and removed his hat. Steel blue eyes met Lucinda's gaze and sliced through her with razor sharpness. She gulped. No one had ever looked at her like that.
Aunt Amelia introduced him as Jake Starnes. A muscle twitched in his well-tanned jaw, and a gust of wind blew a few strands of hair across his face. Still, he stared. Curiosity swelled from within, but she averted her eyes. The handsome young man in dirty boots and a blue jacket was like no other young man Lucinda had ever met.
She lifted her chin into the air and turned her gaze toward the station. "My bags are over there."
He stepped behind Lucinda to survey two trunks and a mound of other pieces. He emitted a low whistle. "All that stuff yours?"
At Lucinda's nod, he shook his head, then hefted the smaller trunk onto his shoulder. With his free hand he grasped the handle of her largest bag. "I reckon it'll fit, but we'll all three have to ride on the bench." He strode across the way to a wagon hitched to a pair of horses.
Lucinda scurried to keep up. Dismay swelled in her chest as she surveyed the wooden contraption. No carriage? How far would she have to ride up on that narrow seat? "How far is it?" she asked.
"It's about an hour's drive out to the ranch. Mrs. Haynes, maybe we should have brought the bigger buckboard."
Aunt Amelia covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm sorry. I should have thought of that, but this will have to do for today."
Jake pushed his load into the back of the wagon. He turned to Aunt Amelia and offered his assistance to lift her onto the wooden plank bench. After she settled herself, he nodded toward a step on the side and reached for Lucinda's elbow.
Lucinda tensed at his touch but accepted his help. She perched next to her aunt. Not even a cushion on the boards to soften the impact, but the thickness of her petticoats and coat would ease the bumps a bit.
As soon as she was situated, Jake turned back to the station. "I'll get the rest of your things."
Jake's dark jacket strained across his broad shoulders as he lifted the final two boxes and almost staggered under their weight.
Aunt Amelia leaned against her arm. "Jake's a strong young man and a big help on the ranch."
Lucinda's cheeks again filled with heat. Ashamed to think her aunt caught her observing the cowboy, she let her gaze wander back to the street and the buildings. How different from what she expected, but then she had no way of knowing what awaited her in Barton Creek.
Before she could take time for further inspection, Jake returned to heave the last small trunk onto the wagon.
Jake frowned up at her. "'Tain't Boston, but it's growing."
His words echoed her thoughts and unnerved her even more. She clasped her hands to keep them from shaking.
He unhitched the horses and climbed up beside her aunt, then reached behind him for a heavy wool coat. Jake pushed his long arms into the sleeves and buttoned it around his chest. A flick of the reins and the team moved forward.
Wide-open range and grasslands spread across the scene with distant hills giving character to an otherwise dull landscape with its brown and pale greens. Leafless trees sent crooked fingers into the overcast sky. The land looked as though God had created it and then forgotten it. Lucinda shivered as the wind sent chilling gusts through her cloak.
Aunt Amelia grasped Lucinda's hand. "Our house isn't a big one by any means, but we have plenty of room for you, and Becky is excited to have another girl around the ranch. You'll share a room with her."
Share a room? Lucinda hadn't counted on that either. What other surprises lay waiting for her? The view of bleak land sowed more seeds of doubt in her mind. She should have insisted on staying in Boston. How would she ever fit into life on a ranch in such a lonely place?
If only Mama and Papa hadn't been so protective, she might not be as ill at ease as she was now. The sound of her name broke into her reverie. "What was that, Aunt Amelia?"
"I said Lucinda is rather a formal name for the west. How about Lucy? It's short and easy to say."
Change her name? What next? She rolled the name on her tongue but didn't care for the feel of it. If she changed her name, then she'd be giving up one more part of herself. Manners restrained her tongue from a sharp answer. "I'll have to think about the name for a while if you don't mind, Aunt Amelia."
Her aunt pursed her lips. "Of course, dear, but you can call me Aunt Mellie. Everyone at the ranch and in town does except for this young'un here." She nudged Jake in the arm. "Don't you think she looks like a Lucy?"
Jake shot her a quick look. "Sounds fine to me, ma'am," he said politely.
"Yes, Lucy is a good name." Mrs. Haynes grinned at Jake but spoke to Lucinda. "His name is Jacob, but we all call him Jake. Even your cousins have shortened names."
Love emanated from her aunt, but Lucinda would wait awhile before agreeing to change her name. She leaned forward a bit to observe Jake just as he cut his gaze to hers. A strange feeling of excitement engulfed her, but the unknown sent an icicle of fear through her heart.
•
Jake matched Lucinda's stare until she turned her head. Was that fear he saw in her eyes? What had he said or done to frighten her?
He observed Lucinda's ramrod straight back, her hands clutching a dark blue cloak around her. Raven black hair peeked from beneath a bonnet. He didn't know her age, but she had to still be in her teen years. What had led him to think Lucinda was a child? Of course Mrs. Haynes always referred to her as a little girl. Nothing prepared him for the young lady seated on the other end of the wagon bench.
Mrs. Haynes eyed Lucinda's traveling clothes. "We'll have to get you some more comfortable things for life on the ranch."
Jake swallowed a chuckle as Lucinda protested. "No need for that. Mr. Sutton thought I needed a proper traveling gown, but most of the things his wife helped me with are much more practical." More practical? Jake doubted it. A refined lady from Boston like her wouldn't know the first thing about what to wear at a ranch. A twinge of sympathy ran through him. She looked as out of place as a pig at a cattle auction.
"Here we are," said Mrs. Haynes. "Welcome to your new home, dear."
Before them the Rocking H ranch spread out across the horizon. The roof outlines of the house, bunkhouse, and barns drew near. Jake urged the horses forward, eager to deliver his unusual charge and return to his work. Lucinda's troubles were none of his business. Besides, he had enough troubles of his own to carry.
A fascinating fantasy read, I enjoyed this book throughout.
Shadow has always been just that, a shadow to the young queen who is the same age she is. She has been told to protect the queen at all costs, so she very rarely gets to move far from the queen. And the queen doesn't get to move because she has been told she will die before her official coronation. So all Shadow wants to do is explore the outside world. She cherishes moments she can spend outside, and she also treasures moments when Sir Kenway is around even though his attentions are toward the queen.
As the plot shifts and Shadow gets her wish to get away from the castle but not in the way she expects. She embarks on the adventure of a lifetime that will test her and what she thinks she wants from life. She will have to make choices on whether to put herself or others first.
It's a wonderful coming of age tale about wishing for one thing all of your life and then when you receive it, you have decisions to make and it's not all you made it out to be. Shadow has to grow up suddenly and has many decisions before her. I found her character fascinating but sometimes frustrating, but when I thought about it she acted like a child at times because she was a child. So her character was actually very well done.
The plot is mesmerizing. I read this book quickly because I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. The supporting characters were also very intriguing and added a lot to the story.
Shadow is a wonderful young adult read, full of a beautiful land, interesting characters and an amazing plot.
About the Book:
In a time of kings, queens, and conspiracy, it's impossible to know whom one can trust. . . .
In
a kingdom far away and long ago, it was prophesied at her birth that
the queen would die before her sixteenth birthday. So Shadow, an orphan
girl the same age as the young queen, was given the duty to watch her
every move. And as prophesies do tend to come true, the queen is
poisoned days before her birthday. When the castle is thrown into
chaos, Shadow escapes with a young knight, whom she believes was
betrothed to the queen.
Unsure of why she is following Sir
Kenway, but determined to escape as far as possible from the castle,
her long-time prison, Shadow sets off on an adventure with the handsome
knight who has been charged with protecting her. As mystery builds, and
romantic tension does, too, Shadow begins to wonder what her role in
the kingdom truly is. Soon, she learns, it is up to her to save her
land.
Join Linda Dahl, author of the literary fiction, Gringa in a Strange Land
(Robert D. Reed Publishers, January ‘10) , as she virtually tours the
blogosphere in January on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion!
** I received my book from the author for this book tour. **
Gringa in a Strange Land by Linda Dahl (click on cover to purchase)
My Review:
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Gringa in a Strange Land is a very interesting novel. Erica's life is shared in a series of stories all put together to see how her life is. I found it fascinating. I was born in the mid-70s so I am unfamiliar with how the 70s were so it was a true eye-opener to me. I am also unfamiliar with Mexico and learned a lot. I realize that Erica was not symbolic of everyone in the 70s, but it does show a fictional life of someone in the 70s trying to make it in art and also dealing with men and a prescription drug addiction.
At times I felt sorry for Erica, at times I cheered for her and at times I wanted to slap her. This book brings out all of your emotions and I think that makes it a very good book. This was a different type of book for me to read and I enjoy stretching my boundaries. This was a great book to do that with.
About Linda Dahl
I have always loved to write about characters, usually edgy,
little-known folks with wonderful stories and talents. I love places
too and music, above all jazz. As a girl, I dreamed of traveling around
the world and as soon as I could, I took to the road. I was fortunate
to live and work in a number of Latin American countries. After college
(Latin American Studies, University of Wisconsin), I moved to the
Yucatan in Mexico, and then made the pilgrimage to another foreign
country called New York with a suitcase and several hundred dollars.
This was in the mid-l970’s.
Finding the requisite cheap, shabby apartment (you could still do so
in those days), I started writing in earnest. I had a number of
ridiculous jobs to pay the rent, such as writing reviews of C- movies I
never actually saw (no one else seemed to be watching them either),
driving an ice-cream truck in Central park for just one day until I had
a fender-bender, and writing a history of all the world’s cheese with a
two-week deadline for a manic food editor. I managed also to produce
novels, biographies and essays about women in jazz, and quirky travel
articles about such topics as the Carmen Miranda Museum in Rio, a
priestess of Candomble, a.k.a. voodoo (interview in rudimentary
Portuguese), and a Mayan folk healer.
I am happy to say that most of my writing efforts have been
published, well-reviewed and are still in print. My latest novel, a
love-child, is “Gringa in a Strange Land,” available in January 2010.
You can visit Linda Dahl’s website at http://www.lindadahl.com/.
About Gringa in a Strange Land
Gringa in a Strange Land brings back the exhilarating and confusing time of the “counterculture” in the early 1970’s.
Erica Mason, an American woman living in Mexico, is torn between working to become an artist and the lure of the drug culture.
Set mostly in the colonial city of Merida in the Yucatan peninsula,
the story also moves among Mayan ruins, laid-back beaches and the
cities of Belize and Oaxaca.
A host of bohemian expats and Mexicans, and the complex character of
Mexico itself, infuse this portrait-of-the-artist-as-a-young-American,
culminating in an unexpected resolution.
Read an Excerpt
Night came as it did every
evening to Merida, lazily, gracefully. The final light through the
spires and towers of the cathedral, which dominated one side of the
plaza, melted into the old stones and briefly glowed on the arcades
ringing the rest of the square. The plaza, smelling of old things,
rustled with the dry sighs of the grey old trees mixed with the
whooshing sounds of Mayan and plangent Spanish of the families resting
on its benches. It spoke of an ancient harmony, and sitting to one end
on “her” bench, Erica could not imagine it would ever end.
People streamed continuously through the plaza with their henequen
bags or the more “modern” plaid plastic bags used now for shopping.
Children played, but many instead worked, as shoeshine boys, vendors of
Chiclets and one-cigarette-at-a-time; round-eyed Indian girls helped
their mothers sell the last of the produce. Taxi drivers stood with
rounded shoulders like horses waiting for a fare. And Alonso came
slowly along, in immaculate whites, absentmindedly stroking his guitar
case. He sat down heavily beside Erica, looking around him with the
mildest of interest—this was, after all, the city of his birth,
everything was perfectly routine—and then rolled his eyes to the
evening sky, a deep cobalt blue.
“You are really en la onda tonight,” Erica commented. Riding the
wave. In the groove. But then, he so often looked stoned, even when he
wasn’t.
***
Linda Dahl’s GRINGA IN A STRANGE LAND VIRTUAL BLOG TOUR ‘10 will officially begin on January 4th and end on January 29th. You can visit Linda’s blog stops at www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com during the month of January to find out more about this great book and talented author!
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
New Leaf Publishing Group/Master Books (May 8, 2009)
***Special thanks to Robert Parrish of New Leaf Publishing Group for sending me a review copy.***
My Review:
This is another set of books like the ones I reviewed yesterday and I feel the same about this set. I think it's a good set of books to teach children some of the science basics in an interesting a fun way. I will be taking this set to my son's charter school for them to check out after I do some of the experiments with my sons. The books are well-written and well thought out. Some experiments take a lot of materials, but most can be found around the house or nearby (unlike my chemistry set when I was a child which needed a lot of things we couldn't seem to find). I look forward to using these books to teach my boys my love of science.
ABOUT THE AUTHORs:
Tom DeRosa left seminary and the church thinking he was throwing away his faith, but in reality he found a new religion: evolution. In 1978, Tom accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of his life. Soon after he studied biblical creation at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and came to the conclusion that a lack of knowledge of the biblical account of creation is greatly responsible for keeping many people from Christ. His commitment to breaking down those barriers is what led Tom to form Creation Studies Institute in 1988.
Carolyn Reeves, Ph.D. and her husband make their home in Oxford, Mississippi where they are active members of North Oxford Baptist Church. Carolyn retired after a 30-year career as a science teacher, finished a doctoral degree in science education, and began a new venture as a writer and an educational consultant.
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
The Main Book Product Details:
List Price: $12.99
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Perfect Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: New Leaf Publishing Group/Master Books (May 8, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0890515603
ISBN-13: 978-0890515600
The Student Journal Product Details:
List Price: $4.99
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: New Leaf Publishing Group/Master Books (May 8, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 089051559X
ISBN-13: 978-0890515594
Product Dimensions: 10.6 x
The Teacher's Guide Product Details:
List Price: $4.99
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: New Leaf Publishing Group/Master Books; Tch edition (May 8, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0890515611
ISBN-13: 978-0890515617
Matter
Its Properties & Its Changes
By Tom DeRosa & Carolyn Reeves
Investigation #1: The Physical Side of Chemicals
Think about this. A detective collected samples of food from the table where a victim was eating when he collapsed. The detective sent them to a crime lab. A few days later, the lab called to say they had positively identified a poison in the victim’s food that was not in anyone else’s food. Have you ever wondered how someone in the crime lab could figure out what chemicals are present in food or in someone’s blood or in something else?
The Investigative Problems:
How can the physical properties of a chemical substance be used to help identify the substance?
Gather These Things:
Magnet
Iron nail
Sugar cube
Copper penny
Container of water
A piece of paraffin
Small amount of vegetable oil
Procedure & Observations
Your teacher will show you ten items. Your job is to identify one of the items on the basis of its physical properties. You should eliminate any item that doesn’t match the descriptions. These are the physical properties of the item: It is round. It is flat. You would not want to eat it. It would be hard to break. It is shiny. What is the item that has all of these properties?
Your teacher will give you some more substances to investigate, but each of these will be a pure chemical substance. They will be either an element or a compound.
Bring a magnet near each substance and observe if the magnet has an effect on it. Place each substance in a container of water and observe if it floats or sinks. Note if it is soluble (will dissolve) or insoluble (will not dissolve) in the water. Note also the color and whether it is shiny or dull. Put this information in a data table.
(sample of date table)
The Science Stuff
Physical properties are often characteristics you can see, hear, taste, smell, or feel, but may include any physical characteristics of a substance. You used some simple physical characteristics to identify one of the ten items you were first shown.
Some of the items you were shown were pure substances (like the glass), and some were a mixture of many substances (like the apple). A pure chemical substance could be either an element or a compound. (We’ll learn more about elements and compounds later.) A fragment of a pure substance would have the same properties as the whole substance. All of the basic particles in a pure substance are the same. For example, a piece of pure iron only contains particles of iron and a container of pure water only contains particles of water.
Properties such as size and shape were helpful in identifying the first items, but they are seldom considered in identifying pure chemical substances. The properties of the five pure substances listed in the chart will be present regardless of the size, shape, or amount of the substance. Scientists look for characteristics that will remain the same no matter where the chemical is found. Almost any substance can be made into a round shape, so this would not be helpful in knowing what chemical is present.
We examined physical properties of several pure substances, including the effects of a magnet, whether the substance would float or sink in water, whether the substance was soluble or insoluble in water, its color, and its shininess. There are many other properties we could have considered, such as odor, taste, density, hardness, brittleness, elasticity, melting and boiling temperatures, solubility in other liquids, conductivity of heat and electricity, and viscosity.
Making Connections
There is a huge need for methods, instruments, and trained people to identify chemical substances that are present in things. Identifying unknown chemicals is part of the study of analytical chemistry. This includes what chemical are present, their characteristics, and how much is present. There are many crime labs that hire people to help solve crimes by identifying things such as drugs, alcohol, poisons, or traces of gunpowder. Medical labs test blood and urine for the presence of many kinds of substances. Other labs help identify pollutants in the air, water, and environment. Industries must consistently monitor their products for impurities. These are only a few of the places where chemicals are analyzed.
One of the most important things any society can do is to maintain a clean source of water. During the Industrial Revolution, many factories were built next to a river so they could dump their wastes into the river. Congress eventually passed a number of laws to try and keep our water sources free of pollution. Even today, environmentalists look for better ways to prevent pesticides and other harmful chemicals from being washed into rivers and lakes after a rain.
Dig Deeper
Labs generally use both traditional methods and a variety of instruments to identify chemical substances. An instrument known as a spectroscope is often used to help analyze the chemicals in something. Do some reading about spectroscopes to find out how they work and what uses thy have.
Crime labs hire forensic scientists. What do forensic scientists do? Is there more than one kind of forensic scientist? If so, what are the different areas in which they work?
What are some of the U.S. laws that try to prevent water pollution? Do all countries have similar laws? Try to find the name of one charity whose mission is to provide clean water to people who don’t have clean water to drink.
What Did You Learn?
What are physical properties of chemical substances?
When scientists want to know what chemical substances are in an item, they seldom consider the size, shape, and amount of the item. Why is that?
Give ten examples of physical properties used by scientists to describe a chemical substance.
What is a pure chemical substance?
What are some of the things students learn about in analytical chemistry?
What are some of the main things that are don in medical labs?
How might an environmental agency use a lap that analyzes chemical substances?
Are the physical properties of pure iron the same anywhere pure iron is found?
Nailed by Jennifer Laurens
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