Ray and his family have just moved into a small house beside a strange, vacant lot where another house once stood, and where a huge wide hole mysteriously awaits the brave or foolhardy. Ray and his friends consider the empty lot just an exciting playground until Ray hears tales of how the lot’s house burned down years ago, leaving a girl to die in the fire. According to the neighborhood kids, the little girl will come out at night to haunt anyone who dares to jump into the empty lot’s hole. "The Empty Lot Next Door" is the true story of a haunting that Arthur Mills, who changed his name from Ray, experienced as a child. Although his haunting experience occurred over thirty years ago, the more time has passed, the more Arthur has grown convinced that the ghost Candle Face was real. Continuing to research the haunting, he now plans to write a prequel about who Candle Face really was.

Randy Jones is a melting pot on the brink of boiling over. Jones is trying and failing to fit into racial and cultural niches, hoping his shelves of spiritual and metaphysical books will keep him from caring. Acquaintances find that asking of his ethnic heritage is an invitation to embarrassment. Even his self-employment from home is partly a retreat from the stench of being misunderstood. Then the shampoo bottle speaks to him in the shower. Soon after, his girlfriend leaves town for a week-long trip, trusting Randy to run her urban coffee house, and strange patrons challenge his sanity further with their ridiculously racial sensibilities and impossible exhibitions of power. With exotic yet primal assistance from a host of unusual characters, Jones trial in "Skinquake," by author Eric Mattingly, reveals the paradox of race's importance and unimportance. His plunge through the rabbit hole of ethnicity does for the cynical, feigned-integrated, postmodern mind what Huck Finn's did for the intractably segregated one.

Jack Summers is a regular guy with one particular hobby—or rather obsession—being a wine connoisseur. His love of wine leads him to drink at every opportunity—at home, at work, and on the road. He puts wine tasting events before everything in his life and wants to spend all his time with other wine connoisseurs. Even when his best friend, Julie, and the store clerk, wine sage Adrian, suggest he may have a drinking problem, Jack refuses even to look at how his lifestyle is affecting his relationships and his ability to function normally. Stories of alcoholics are not new, but what makes "Fermented Memories" stand out is George Kuc’s portrayal of Jack’s inner thoughts, his denials, his manipulative behavior, his addiction, and even his codependent relationship with Marci. The depiction of Jack’s faulty decision-making—to drink and to spend time with those drinking to the neglect of his other relationships and his work—provides an amazing analysis of the alcoholic mindset, as well as how loved ones end up enabling an addict even when they are trying to help.

Step into the lives of Gracie Antes and the Woods family of Eagles Mere Pennsylvania. Gracie, who decided to take control and live her life, left her sheltered family in 1925 to pursue her dreams. Crestmont was a summer job, a way to start earning money in order to follow her dream and sing. Little did she know she would find herself, friends, and a family of her own by taking a job at the Crestmont Inn. The woods own the Crestmont and spend their time keeping the dream of Mrs. Woods’s father alive. The Crestmont is not just and Inn, but a place of happiness and solitude for many guest as well as the charming staff. As you read this wonderful novel, you will be taken back in time to the 1920’s. You will feel you are part of the Crestmont and its staff. As Gracie’s’ story unfolds you are vividly aware of the decade, its people, pastimes and its trials. The book is truly engulfing. You will not want to put it down. The characters are unique and charming, giving the book a truly small town feel with a get away to dream of. I really enjoyed this debut novel. I felt I was actually part of Eagles Mere and the Crestmont Inn. The characters are charming and loveable. It makes you want to visit the modern day Crestmont, though I’m sure you would arrive and be disappointed. The book is a work of historical fiction, combined with actual history, The Crestmont is a wildly entertaining read. Everything is well presented and thought out. The descriptive nature enables you to envision life during this time. The author does a wonderful job at drawing the reader in and making them welcome, wanting to be part of the story and happenings. She has a way of making the business of running an Inn feel charming and delightful. It is a pleasure to read.

Book Review

Vierna Bates, a woman scorned, finds herself staying in a hotel the local newspaper labels “a rape den.” She decides to stop moaning her pending divorce and venture to go downstairs to the club. As fate would have it something held the elevator door opened. As she got closer, she saw the limbs of a person....

Chrysalis: Tribulations is a fantastic read as it is the second book by M. L. Lacy in the Chrysalis saga. It picks up with Aubrey, "Bree" for short settling into her new life as the "Chosen One" although her transformation to the Magical World is still many months away. Esmeralda her arch nemesis has bounties on her life to the highest bidder to get rid of her before the year's end. Bree's powers are growing as she is navigating her way through being the Alpha female of the clan. Bree not only has to contend with the jealousy of Esmeralda but also with the females within in her own clan. The newest members have pushed Madalyn the mate of the Alpha male of the clan Bradley to challenge the decision of making Bree the Alpha just cause she is the Chosen One. So instead of having her family dragged through a court, Bree and the men of her clan have pretend to agree to let Madalyn have her chance at being the Alpha female and hope that she finds out she is not cut out for that role and most likely concede to Bree. As Madalyn goes about making demands and decisions which everyone pretty much ignores, secrets meetings are held with Bree and the men of the clan on what to do to keep Bree and the clan safe while getting rid of the dark creatures who threaten everyone's existence.   Bree also has to learn how to be able to satisfy the men of her clan. Preferably she would only want to be with her one and only Steven her soul mate but with this life there are certain traditions that are to be followed. As the Chosen One she is to have seven men that she is to be romantically involved with and she struggles with the mortal emotions that go with having to share her one and only with the other women of the clan especially with Madalyn and her cohorts but sharing herself with others. She has to learn to compartmentalize each one to keep them separate. Each one brings something different to her. She defines each one as Rick being her passion, Billy being her heart, Bradley is her old romantic love, and Steven her soul mate. At least Bree has a lot of help with guardians, teachers she sees in dreams, and two of the women in the clan who adore her and give their advice to help her along with advancing magical abilities as well as the romantic relationships that have to evolve with the men. Unfortunately, she also has to deal with this nasty demon in her dreams and waking life who is so determined to bring her to the dark side which she has now realized is her ex husband Nick in disguise. Tribulations is a fitting title as Bree struggles with preparing herself to leave the mortal world behind and crossing over to the Magical World to take her rightful place as the "Chosen One" Alpha female leader of the clan. The question is will she be alive to be able to claim it?

Political scandal wrapped up in a nations past time, Let’s Play Ball is an intriguing story of sisterhood; friendship and scandal that will make you doubt every relationship. Miranda and Jessica are ambitious, successful sisters that have grown up loving baseball. Miranda, who is married, has an important government job with homeland security, a nice home and a prominent lawyer husband. Her sister Jessica is outspoken, unconventional and a sports writer, who has built her career based on her instincts and investigative journalism. She owns her own publication “Let’s Play Ball”. Her first renowned article was about her soon to be husband Manny Chavez. Manny is a baseball star that traveled to Cuba to retrieve his abducted son and bring him home. When Jessica invites her family to join her in the luxury suite to watch Manny’s championship game, no one is prepared for the events about to transpire. Manny is abducted after the game and held hostage in Cuba. Jessie trusts no one. While struggling with her own marriage and issues, corporate greed and international politics throw Miranda into a world unlike any she has ever known. The book highlights the sisters relationship along with their ambitions in the midst of international conflict, immigration issues and a nations past time. Let’s Play ball will keep you wondering who can be trusted and will justice prevail? I enjoyed this book; however I felt parts of it were a little slow, especially in the middle. It was easy to be wrapped up in the book while major events were taking place. It wasn’t as easy to keep interested during the moments of speculation, where the characters were trying to figure out what exactly had happened, along with who let it happen, with nothing but gut and speculation. I feel this book is very similar to what takes place in most of today’s political scenes. The author did a great job with the story and its “likeness” to real life. I would classify this book as political fiction and recommend it to anyone who likes politics and sports. If you’re not into politics, the book is still a good read; you will just enjoy it differently.

On a stormy night the worst tragedy of Mt. Kleven takes place on a lift bridge over the Esarno river. Many speculate and conclude the accident occurred because of two young lovers plan to elope. Nate and Laura drift apart following the immediate tragedy that they take the blame and guilt for. Nick moves away at the advice of his beloved grandfather. Nate, whose is now a top lawyer in New York City, finds himself returning to Mt. Kelvin for the first time in eighteen years. A documentary being filmed about the tragedy has Nate sent home, undercover, for a client of his firm. With deep opposition to the return, Nate goes and is faced with the past, the truth and the discovery of himself. Nate and Laura are soon thrown into remembering that fateful night and discovering that for eighteen years they have been living with guilt that might not be rightfully theirs. Through discovery Nate learns Laura has been keeping a haunting secret and both learn the truth of that fateful night. A Bridge Back is a gripping novel. It had me spellbound from the start. It will bring you through a variety of emotions, and keep you on the edge of your seat in anticipation of the truth. Mt. Kelven is a beloved town that has been hurting for the past 18 years. The truth enables everyone to be set free and finally move on with their lives for good. It was a wonderful novel from beginning to end. Many lovable characters and exciting pages! A Bridge back is a novel of the past, present and the future. It is the realization that all three make us who we are and what we will be. It is self discovery and understanding. I would recommend this book to any reader. It will capture you and you will not be disappointed.

The Renewal of Love: Nancy J. Dowdy-Adams: 978-1-4115-0845-4 Madeline Lewis should be the happiest woman in the world, but her happiness is destroyed when she tragically looses her fiancée on the eve of their wedding in a fatal car crash. After two years of intense therapy, Madeline is deemed “cured” and sent off to put her life back together. Her older sister surprises her with a three week trip to Greece in celebration. While in Greece both women find love, but Madeline resist. She is forced to confront her tragic history and open herself to love. Both women discover themselves and re-gain a normal life through their trip. This book has so much untapped potential. The story, characters and writing are all there, but aspects of each need improvement. The story felt so rushed and crammed. The book is only 133 pages and took me about two hours to read. I really wish the story was drawn out more, written in a slower pace and developed deeper. Instead I found myself flying through month’s worth of relationship in a matter of days. Most of the relationship focused on sexual attraction. The characters are wonderful, but needed some development. They are adults, Madeline owns her own company, but quite often I felt they acted quite childish and immature. The drama was a little much for me. The authors’ writing was easy to follow and read enjoyably. I didn’t like that the author put forth comments from the characters in regards to racism. A specific line in the book stated “…they were more wonderful that she had ever imagined them to be considering she was African American. She chided herself; after all, this wasn’t America. Not all people were racist. She had never dated outside of her race; in fact it had never crossed her mind…” This excerpt bothered me greatly. Racism is everywhere, and is not simply about the color of your skin. For example, she was worried about how Chryses’ people would accept her because he was royal and she was not. Racism can also come in regards to the class system. I also feel America has come a long way in regards to racism, for a romance novel of today to make it seem race is still a huge issue. For many Americans there is not racism, we have many different races in the United States. We have many inter-racial relationships and marriages. Just because one might live in the U.S. does not mean that the person is automatically racist. The character also contradicts herself in the next line. She has never dated outside her race and has doubts about doing so. Why is that? Couldn’t that thought be at least partially considered racist? If you are truly not racist why would it cross your mind as an issue once confronted with the attraction to another race? Overall, I enjoyed this story, but feel is really needed to be longer and less dramatic. The characters needed to act like adults and not revert back to their childish manners and then decide to be adult again. It started to be annoying because it was too rushed and dramatic. I felt there was so much story to be told that wasn’t. The story didn’t feel real, as if it actually happened, because it was too unrealistic. I appreciated the moral that the book put across. Love is there, it can be found. If taken away it can come back. Love never leaves us; sometimes we just fail to realize its form. “The Renewal of Love” is a quick easy read that any reader can find some pleasure in.