Book Review: Waves of chances by Sonja Gunter

Review:

Professor Caresse Deveau is in a league of her own. I must admit that I didn’t like her much in the beginning. Her self-righteousness and aloofness did nothing to warm me towards her. But as the story developed, I got to know the woman behind the facade. She is intelligent, straight shooter with a love for history.

Caresse’s refusal to see what is happening in front of her, always thinking of her mother, had something to do with the setup, annoyed me. As if she was waiting for her mother to reveal herself, but the story turned out differently than expected.

The yearly mother-and-daughter cruise changed at the last minute when her mother excused herself from the cruise. Her father, instead of just leaving it alone, send her a text message to explain that her mother wasn’t sick. This seed of doubt resurfaced throughout the plot.

With Dennie Lang, I had a distinct feeling and liked him from the start. His genuine character and flawless manners made him the perfect candidate for a romantic novel. Add his job description into the mix and the blend and aroma of a unique story unfolded.

The meeting between the two was a casual introduction, and I could see the scene playing off in my mind’s eye. That encounter promised to have me glued to the book, wondering when and how they would find that moment of realization.

Another facet that made this story interesting was the ghost-child that kept on appearing in the most inconvenient times. This puzzled Caresse, as she could not understand the reoccurring dreams or the ghosts. The more she dug into her past, the more the answers eluded her. But an interesting twist revealed it all and led to a significant find.

Dennie himself struggled to get past his feelings of guilt against his deceased wife. And the growing feelings that stirred for Caresse. Soon we have a story that brings the reader a wonderful taste of romance with a touch of mysticism as they cruised the Mississippi. Until it came to a halt, and this is where the plot come into its own.

Kaimi added another element to the story. With a clever ploy, she tried her best to break them apart. Lies and deceit followed her like a shadow and for a time, I too thought she was telling the truth. But lies have a way to catch up with you, especially when jealousy rears its ugly head.  

A book I can recommend to all romance readers with a touch of the unnatural to spice up the evening. The dialogue between the two flowed with a comfortable ease and the writing was clear and concise.

 

Synopsis

Professor Caresse Deveau is all about work and trying to solve the meaning behind her reoccurring dream. Her mother’s interference of getting a son-in-law and a grandbaby is non-stop. Hoping for some rest and relaxation on their mother and daughter cruise, her mother cancels at the last minute.

Was this a ploy on her mother’s part to see her find a boyfriend?

Dennie Lang, owner of several vineyards in the US and England, is onboard to train the crew to serve his wines. From the first moment he sees Caresse, he is attracted to her and with the help of the Captain Neil Becker, his ex-brother-in-law, arranges to be seated at a dinner table for two.

When unseen forces worked to bring them together, there is someone trying to make sure it doesn’t happen and sets other events into motion. Will their new-found love at first sight be enough to keep them together?

Book links

Goodreads / Kobo / Amazon.com / Nook / Smashwords / Apple 

Excerpt

Clenching her teeth, she took a deep breath. How stupid she’d been for not picking up on what her mother had been doing in the first place. Caresse weighed her options. Canceling at this point would invalidate her mother’s well staged plan. Or, if she played along, went on the cruise alone, knowing her mother had alternate plans once she was on board, would she be endorsing the pretense?

“Are you there, honey?”

“Yes, mother.”

“I’m sorry I got sick.” Her phone dinged again. Another message from her father. She means well. Her father was right. Her mother was only being a mother. One who wanted her only daughter to marry. When she returned home, her mother’s meddling was going to stop. This was the last straw. A week by herself sounded pretty damn good.

“Okay mom, I’ll go alone. I’m sure Dad will do a wonderful job of taking care of you.”

“Oh, great—oh, he will...” More fake coughing.

“Love you. Bye honey.”

“Love you too. Bye.” She ended the call and sent her father a text. Tell her I know she was faking. His reply. Will do. XO

“Where to, ma’am?” Caresse looked at the driver.

“Sorry. The Port of Call, please.”

“Right away,” he stated and merged into traffic. Before the Port of Call came into view, a billboard caught her attention, advertising French Quarter Phantom tours. She made a mental note to contact them when she returned. They might be able to help with her dream and ghost.

At this point, she had nothing to lose. The taxi maneuvered through the heavy traffic of vans and cars to the unloading area. Finally, the line of vehicles moved. The driver set her luggage on the curb and a ship porter came and took them.

“Ma’am, enjoy your trip.”

“I will. Thank you.” Caresse handed him her business card and a ten-dollar tip.

“Email me your wife’s jambalaya recipe. I’d love to try it.” The taxi driver grinned.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Her stomach did a couple of flips as she glanced at the Vision of the Seas. This was a break from students. No stacks of final exams to grade. And now, no nagging mother commenting on her single status. Only peace and quiet waited for her with daily visits to the ship’s library and the spa for massages.

If I can handle over a hundred students in my lecture classes, I can manage a vacation by myself. With purposeful strides, she moved to the end of the line for early-boarding, a perk of having cruised often. A pleasant agent checked her passport, took her picture, and gave her the all clear to board. The excitement in the air was infectious and Caresse wasn’t immune and smiled.

The moment she crossed over unto the ship, her breath caught in her throat. After a dozen or so cruises, it never failed to be impressive. The openness, the grandeur of the whole entrance. “Welcome aboard the Royal Caribbean, Vision of the Seas.”

“Thank you,” Caresse nodded, turning her attention to the crewmember.

Excerpt 2

Behind the protection of his Maui Jim’s, Dennie studied the woman who was presenting her assets for anyone to view. He clamped his mouth shut and ran his hand over his chin, fearing it had fallen open.

“It’s okay, but I would like some sun.” This time, the woman’s voice held a sharp tone of irritation. How had he missed her when he’d come up a few minutes ago? Her flowered bikini swimsuit top displayed the swell of her breasts, that were not too large and not too small, but enough to make it appear as if they were overflowing the material. It was a sight for his deprived eyes. He swallowed and took two steps to the right. The mid-afternoon sunlight cast a golden glow on her skin. His eyes traveled the length of her body. Her burgundy shorts came to the middle of her well-shaped thighs, baring long, shapely legs.

“Thank you.”

He tore his gaze away from her body and focused on her face. Her short brown hair was pushed behind her ears, but some strands had come loose allowing the wind to move them freely. He couldn’t see her eyes because her own sunglasses hid them but imagined them to be brown.

He watched as she put down an electronic device revealing no ring on her second finger. Could Michele be trying to tell him to move on? Why would he see a woman in the same spot he’d been thinking about? They didn’t look alike at all.

“I’m sorry,” Dennie repeated and stepped further to the right allowing the sun to hit the woman. She only smiled.

“Is this chair taken?” He pointed to the empty chair next to her. She looked to her left and right. He did the same and saw his mistake. There were numerous vacant lounge chairs. His attempt at small talk had been absurd.

 

Jim's Revenge by Andrew R. Williams, a witty story filled with humourous moments.

Although retired, Jim Godwin takes a lowly part-time job at Slobend, Fleecem & Skinnem out of boredom and the need to eke out his pension. Unfortunately for Jim, he's had a prior altercation with two staff members. Worse, Jim knows that they are drug dealers on the side.

The two main drug-dealing ringleaders at Slobend, Fleecem & Skinnem try to get rid of Jim by playing pranks on him. However, Jim is made of steamer stuff, refusing to leave. He then realizes that Moira Buckle, another staff member, is also being bullied and coming to her aid. Poor old Jim. He just wanted a part-time job, but finds himself dragged into the local underworld, bullying, drug dealing, and race-fixing. What else could happen?

©2019 Andrew R Williams (P)2023 Andrew R Williams

Audible / Amazon 

Review

I bought the audible format of this book and enjoyed it immensely.

The narrator, Anne-Lise Kadri’s clever voice variations, helped to distinguish the unique characters, each with their own quirks and distinct mannerisms. I think she really captured the mood of the book perfectly. The ease of her narration really made this a likeable story.

Jim’s Revenge is a witty, cleverly planned plot with so many happenings you must keep up. With this book, details made the story and the dialogue’s realistic flow keep your attention. Through it, you really get to know the characters, some were likeable and some a real menace. Jim’s character was perfectly verbalized to one who can think on his feet. Despite a few disadvantages, he was the unwilling hero of this story, and the outcome was a perfect end. 

Jim, the main character, is a pensioner that knows nothing about modern technology. Cell phones, WhatsApp and cameras, but common sense and a keen interest in his surroundings made him the natural hero. 

To curb the boredom, he applied for a job across the street where he lived, at Slobend, Fleecem & Skinnem. Without adding some spoilers to the review, it is good to know, because it centered the plot neatly. The entire plot involves the employees of this company and Jim learned quickly. 

The connection between him and Moira was very sweet, and like a father, he tried to help her. Especially when the bullies bully became adamant to hurt her. All I am willing to mention is that practical jokes have a way to catch up to you. Watch out who you play with. Jim might be old, but not senile or stupid. And having a team of young men with their own agendas helped. 

The supporting characters were a mixture of sweet and sour, with a tangy twist which made it surprisingly witty. From drug barons to the damsel in distress, each character forms part of the suspense filled plot.

Other books by Andrew R Williams

Science Fiction: Arcadia’s Children Series

Samantha’s Revenge 1 

The Fyfield Plantation 2

Pushley’s Escape 3

Samantha’s War 4 

Marooned: Prequel

Technical

Domestic Building Surveys ISBN 0 419 178000 7

Practical Guide to Alterations and Extension ISBN 10: 0-415-43426-2

Spon’s Practical Guide to Alterations and Extensions.

 Excerpt

Jim and Moira

After searching for a pencil, Jim Godwin put a ring around an advertisement in the sit’s vac page of the Tipham Star. Reading further, he found another possible job and circled that too. By the time Jim had finished, there were six rings on the page. He started re-reading. Within seconds, he put a line through four of the circles; he didn’t want to work anti-social hours and he didn’t want to travel far. Ideally, the job would be part-time.

He was just about to reach out and call one of the numbers when his mobile rang and startled the life out of him.

Answering it, a high-pitched voice shouted, “Hello Grandpa Godwin!”

Jim smiled, “Hello, Sam.”

Sam’s voice was suddenly replaced by Amanda, his daughter-in-law, “I’m going shopping. D’you want anything?”

Jim raised his eyebrows at the brusque tone in Amanda’s voice, but he ignored it because he had no desire to lock horns with her. Instead, he reached for his list of special items he’d written out the previous day and read them out.

“Is that all you want?” Amanda demanded.

“That’ll do,” Jim confirmed. “Thank you.”

“Okay, I’ll get Tommy to bring them over later.”

 “That will be nice,” Jim replied. “Will Sam be coming too?”

There was a silence but instead of the line being cut as it usually was, Jim heard Sam protesting, “I want to speak to Grandpa again.”

A moment later, Sam came back on the phone, “Hello Grandpa!”

After talking to Sam and listening to his football exploits in the local junior team, Jim eventually terminated the conversation and went back to his paper, but swiftly grew bored with sit’s vac and the local news. Finally, he decided to visit Cunningham Park and feed the ducks; it was one of those rituals he did practically every day to waste away a few hours.

Picking up the specially bought bird food instead of the stale bread he’d given innocently for years but which he’d recently learned was potentially lethal for them, Jim left his flat and set off towards the park. He noticed that Adrian Drinkwater was already sitting in his usual position.

Moving towards the bench, Jim sat down beside Drinkwater and said, “I hope you’re not going to accuse anyone of being a drug dealer today.”

Drinkwater frowned, “And why would I do that?”

“You did yesterday.”

“Did I?”

“You did,” Jim replied opening the bag he was holding. The slight rustle was enough to spark the local wildfowl into a frenzy; the lake emptied, and the air filled with the sounds of quacking and honking.

After throwing some food to the thronging masses and watching them gobble it up, Jim glanced at Adrian and said, “So how’s things today?”

Adrian shrugged and said what he usually said when Jim fed the birds. “They’re going to ban people feeding the ducks y’know, Jim. They say it attracts rats.”

Jim ignored the comment and responded with, “How’s your family?”

“Never see ‘em,” Adrian replied dismissively but Jim suspected the comment was untrue. In all probability, his children had visited Adrian but his Alzheimers had wiped away all memory of their visit.

Adrian added, “How’s your family?”

“Tommy’s coming around with Sam to deliver my special items shortly,” Jim replied.

Adrian frowned, “Special items?”

“I’ve told you about the special items before,” Jim replied. “I ask for them every week so Tommy has an excuse to come around and see me.”

Noting the blank expression on Adrian’s face, Jim concluded Adrian’s Alzheimer’s had once again wiped his memory banks.

“Tommy is my son. Amanda is his wife. Amanda and I fell out a few years back and she’s not the sort to forget a grudge.”

“Tommy,” Adrian said. “Which one’s that? Is he the one you said would regret marrying again?”

Jim only had one son but he didn’t correct Adrian. “That’s the one.”

Adrian responded with, “Is he the one like Henry the Eighth?”

“That’s the one.”

Partially recalling one of their previous conversations on the subject, Adrian said, “Tell me how it goes again.”

When Jim didn’t respond, Adrian said, “Go on.”

“Okay,” Jim said. “Tommy has a typical English family. Like King Henry the Eighth, Tommy has gone through several wives and has children by most of them.

Unlike Henry’s spouses, none have been beheaded. In Tommy’s case, the sequence is divorced; buggered off with another man; died in car crash; remarried.”

Amused by the description of Tommy’s family, Adrian let out a cackle. He said, “So who is Tommy married to now?”

“Amanda. She’s Tommy’s fourth and twenty years younger wife. Sam is the fruit of her loins.”

After talking about his family for a while longer, Jim was surprised when Adrian remembered something from a previous conversation.

“Have you found a job yet?”

Jim shook his head, “I’ve contacted a few firms but I’ve begun to realise no one wants to employ someone of my age. It’s as if I have ‘supplanted’ tattooed on my forehead.”

Adrian eyed him thoughtfully. “I’m surprised you want a job at your age.”

“That’s what Tommy keeps on saying,” Jim replied tartly. “But there are times when I get really bored. Having a part-time job, something light would break up the day would do me fine.”

After giving the ducks the remainder of the food, Jim bid Adrian adieu and went back to his apartment.

Introducing Emmanuella Hristova, author, award winning artist, and traveller. The Other Crown is available on pre-order.

 

Please introduce yourself to us in about 200 words.

I was born in Oakland, California and grew up in the Bay Area. I’m the third daughter born to Bulgarian parents who immigrated to California shortly before I was born. I began drawing at the ripe age of four and studied the fine arts for five years in high school. There, I received many art accolades including a Congressional award for my piece Boy in Red in 2009. In 2015, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics from the University of California, Berkeley. I began writing poetry at age twenty-four when I was in graduate school. I earned my Master of Education from the same alma mater in 2017. I spent two years as an English teacher in Richmond, California. During that time, I self-published my first poetry collection: The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder. My poems have been published in For Women Who Roar Issue 2: Power, 365 Days of Covid, and She Rose Issue 3: The Goddess. My second poetry collection The Other Crown is available for eBook pre-order on Amazon and other online bookstores. Currently, I’m writing my second novel while seeking literary representation for my first. I speak English, Bulgarian, Spanish, and now reside in Paris, France, where I’m teaching English and learning French.

 

Please fill out the answers to these Interview questions:

1.      What makes you proud to be a writer from the San Francisco Bay Area?

The Bay Area has such a unique cultural and artistic history. Throughout my life, I’ve been reading works by fellow Bay Area authors like Ursula K. Le Guin, Lemony Snicket, Mark Twain, Philip K. Dick, Isabel Allende, Khaled Hosseini, Amy Tan, and many others. You can see the Bay Area reflected in my own work as well—especially in my upcoming poetry book The Other Crown. The short poetry book has two settings, the Bay Area and Paris. As I traveled between the two cities looking for love and purpose, their respective settings made it into my writing.

2.      What or who inspired you to become a writer?

When I started writing poetry again in my twenties, it was purely an emotional reaction to an extremely turbulent time in my life. However, it was my coworker-turned-writing coach, Maria Ciccone, that turned me into a writer. Not only did she introduce me to National Novel Writing Month (which after participating in a few of those, I was able to finish my first novel), but she also edited my first poetry book The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder prior to publication. She encouraged me to submit my poems to journals, and anytime I faced a publishing rejection, her advice was always the same. “Just keep writing!” she’d say. Even though we now live thousands of miles apart, her voice still plays in my head to this day, anytime I want to give up on myself.

3.      When did you begin writing with the intention of becoming published?

When I wrote my first poetry book The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder, I wasn’t writing a book. I was writing in my diary. The book encompassed nine months of love, heartbreak, death, grief, and feminist reckonings. But after I finished, my poems sat collecting dust in the notebook I wrote them in. It wasn’t until Maria Ciccone introduced me to National Novel Writing Month back in 2017 that I started writing with the intent to be published. I started writing my first novel. A few months later, after encouragement from some of my friends, I published my diary-turned-poetry book. Following the publication of my first self-published work in 2018, I kept working on my novel. As part of that writing process, I also wrote poems that corresponded with the scenes of the novel. However, when I edited the manuscript in 2020 I had to remove them due to the large word count. These poems were left without a home, but they eventually turned into the manuscript of my second poetry book The Other Crown. These I wrote with the intent of publication, and of continuing to share my words with the world.

4.      Did your environment or upbringing play a major role in your writing, and did you use it to your advantage?

I grew up in a very religious environment where we read the Bible a lot. As a matter of fact, I started reading the Bible (starting in the book of Job, mind you) in the third grade. By the time I was in my twenties I had read the whole thing cover to back, five times. I also read novels profusely. Through my extensive reading of the Bible and other books, I developed a sense of effective story devices and purposeful prose. Although I’m not a fundamentalist anymore, the Bible itself does inspire my work in that I often refer to biblical stories or characters as allegories for current-day injustices.

5.      Do you come up with your title before or after you write the manuscript?

Most of the time, I come up with the title before I start writing. In the case of The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder, however, I wrote the manuscript and then the title came to me from two poems and the general format of the book. For my second poetry book, I titled it The Other Crown because it was easily translatable to Bulgarian and sounded cool in both languages. I had touched on fairy tale allegory in my previous work, and I wanted to build on that in my second poetry book.  

6.      Please introduce your genre and why you prefer to write in that genre?

I never chose to be a poet, so I like to say that poetry chose me. What I do enjoy about the genre is the ability to play with language and format. I’m a linguist and an artist so poetry is like the best of both worlds. I make up my own words and break up lines the way I want, essentially manipulating the language as I see fit. Plus, being able to space out the words and lines, and bold certain parts, allows me to create a visually pleasing experience for myself and my readers.

7.      What has been your most rewarding experience with your writing process?

The most rewarding process of my writing journey has been seeing what I’m capable of. I wrote my first poetry book at 24-25 years old and my first novel at 27. Now, at 32 years old, I have 1.5 novels finished and a second poetry book due to be published. I’m still only at the start of my writing career and that exhilarates me!

8.      Have you had a negative experience in your writing career? If so, please explain how it could have been avoided.

All writers have had plenty of negative experiences in their writing careers. Looking back at it, I should have taught myself more social media marketing from the beginning. I’m learning now, but I feel like I’ve missed out on five years of just posting random content and hoping that it worked in promoting my book. I could have been more strategic and consistent this whole time. Now, it’s almost like I’m starting from scratch.

9.      What has been your most rewarding experience in your publishing journey?

My most rewarding experience has been publishing my first poetry book, and being able to hear from readers who bought my work and were touched by my words. It’s what allowed me to keep going despite not seeing the initial success I wanted to.

10.  What’s one positive piece of advice would you give to other authors?

As my writing coach Maria would say, “Just keep writing!”

11.  Who is your favorite author?

I really look up to Georgi Gospodinov. He’s the most famous contemporary Bulgarian author and he writes magical realist novels about life in Bulgaria post-communism. His work is ethereal and touches on things Bulgarians and other Europeans feel in both a personal and global way.

Purchase links:                                      

The Other Crown eBook pre-orders: Amazon / Books2Read / Barnes & Noble / Play Google Books

The Day My Kisses Tasted Like Disorder eBook: Amazon / Play Google Books / Lulu

Print: Lulu.com

Website Links to connect with the author:

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE 

INSTAGRAM / PINTEREST / TIKTOK

Personal Questions:

1.      What is your favorite colour?

Turquoise!

2.      Are you a sweet or savoury person?

Sweet

3.      What time do you write best?

I write best late at night, when the world quiets down and I’m alone with my thoughts.

4.      Favourite music or song?

Pop and rock through the ages. It’s so hard to narrow down a favorite song, but “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” does hit different for me.

5.      How do you manage writer’s block?

I find that my writer’s block is usually due to too much technology use and phone notifications. Going on a walk or even a vacation and limiting technology use almost instantly cures this for me.

6.      What social platform do you enjoy most and why?

I got on TikTok this year (after years of fighting it)…and I love it! I wish I had got on sooner. It’s a great, user-friendly app that I use to share videos of me reading my poetry. There’s a lot of user engagement on there and I feel so satisfied when listeners connect with my words.

7.      What artist’s date do you do where no one else is allowed except writing?

8.      What is next on your To Do List?

Posting another TikTok video before going to bed and maybe emailing some book bloggers to ask if they would ARC review my upcoming poetry book The Other Crown.

9.      Where do you like to go on holiday?

So many places! I’ve really got my eye on Turkey, however. I’m Bulgarian, so I love the food, and the proximity has always intrigued me.  

Book Blast: Before the SHUTDOWN by Mack J. Lou

 

 

Series: NOUSOPOLIS

Genre: Science-Fiction, Graphic Novel

Number of Pages: 156

 

Synopsis:

It's around mid-22nd century. Earth is utterly uninhabitable. Moreover, frequent environmental / physical anomalies occur that cause critical technological failures and destruction. The city-state Nousopolis, which must constantly sustain a vital artificially sustained urban habitat, is organized around an interconnected network of citizens and infrastructures based on an advanced ‘neural-control interface’ computing system. It allows ultra-fast remote thought-based communication among citizens and between citizens and technology. The alpha-officers of the PEXECUTIVE (government) are at the forefront of protecting the city. Although based on the world of "NOUSOPOLIS", "Before the SHUTDOWN" tells its own independent story. It focuses on three alpha-officers of the PEXECUTIVE's Department of Facilities, Automations, and Infrastructures. The story provides a closer look at the city's predicament and highlights the treacherous challenges that Janet, John, and Rob must face on a daily basis.

 Book Purchase Links

Amazon / Apple iBooks / Blurb

 

Author Bio:

Mack J. Lou is a life explorer, wannabe wisdom-lover (philosopher), artist, and author. He has a science background and he’s fascinated by science and technology. He appreciates thought-provoking sci-fi works and has spent a great deal of time delving into the worlds of science fiction. He enjoys discussing the latest sci-fi films and novels. He often debates philosophical issues with friends and colleagues but, usually, loses every argument. He’s also intrigued by the world of arts. Whenever the opportunity arises and his time allows, he tries to immerse himself in a variety of creative arts. This is especially true for visual arts and graphic design.

 

Contact Links:

Goodreads / Facebook

 

Email: mac_lou@ymail.com

 

Book Review: Marooned by Andrew R. Williams. A great audible experience.

 

Synopsis

My name is Bee Bee, well, at least that’s what everyone calls me, and I’m 15, nearly 16. The last year has been tough, and I’ve found myself on the Empress of Incognita, travelling through the stars toward a new life with my dad and step-mum. Or at least that’s what should be happening.

When the Empress hits a mine in deep space, things go from bad to worse. Not only are some of the other passengers a threat, once we leave the Empress and end up on ‘Arcadia’, we realise that its occupants, the Great Ones, are going to make life extremely difficult for all of us.

Find out how we get Marooned! 

Excerpt

I could immediately sense that Dad didn’t want me there cramping his style, but Ed Fyfield gave him a sharp look and said, “We need to get your documents sorted out.” The expression on Dad’s face suddenly changed, “Ah! Right. The documents.” As Ed Fyfield finally walked away, Dad gave me a nudge, tapped the side of his nose and said, “Don’t say anything to Mary about this, okay!” When I remained silent, Dad became more aggressive, “Okay?” I was tempted to ask for clarification. Did Dad mean about being told off for going into a restricted area, bribing Carl Whyler, or was he asking me to stay schtum about his alleged relationship with Suzanna Fyfield? When I didn't reply, Suzanna overcame her apparent dislike for my scars and went on a charm offensive. She gave me a winning smile, “I’m sure your Dad doesn’t want to worry your stepmother about any of this. Despite what my brother implied, your dad and I are just friends. You won’t say anything, will you, Bee Bee?” Falling under Suzanna’s spell, I nodded, “Okay. I won’t say anything.” “Promise.”

“Yeah!” Dad cracked a smile and patted me on one shoulder, “Thanks, Bee Bee. I appreciate it.” But once we’d left Carl Whyler and Suzanna Fyfield and began walking back to our apartment, Dad became more forceful, “You don’t say anything to Mary when we get back, right! If you do. I’ll make you regret it.” “I said I wouldn’t.” “Well, don’t!” Although I kept my promise, I felt very guilty. Deep down, I knew Dad was lying, and I didn’t want to be disloyal to Mary.

~*~

A few hours later, Dad took Mary and me to the recreation area, and I was amazed at how crowded it was. As some people were wearing ships colours, I guessed they were crew. The rest were passengers. Seeing us, Ed Fyfield unwound himself from an exercise machine, came to greet us and said, “Glad you could make it.” I expected him to take us straight to the shooting range, but instead, he led us to a side office. Glancing at Dad, Ed Fyfield opened one hand. It was the same action he’d used when confiscating Carl Whyler’s bribe. Dad responded by handing over a large envelope. Ed Fyfield retreated behind a cabinet.

As I could hear money being counted, I guessed that Dad had just handed over the last payment for our new identities. I heard a safe being opened, the money swapping for documents, and Ed Fyfield returned. However, before handing over our new IDs, Ed Fyfield told Dad to give him the forged documents that allowed us to board the Empress of Incognita. Once he was satisfied, he then presented us with our official IDs. 

When Dad started inspecting what he’d been given, Ed Fyfield said, “Don’t worry. They’ll pass muster, and once the ship reaches the Kepler-452 system, I will make sure that you and your family are well looked after. It’s all part of the service.”

When Dad nodded, Ed Fyfield then said, “Right! That’s that complete; I’ll take you down to the shooting range.” Once there, Dad introduced me to a rifle, showed me how to use it and then let me pump away at a target in a well-padded enclosure. Once I’d finished, Dad began instructing Mary on the art of gunmanship.

I sat down, but I wasn’t on my own for long because Chas Foony saw me, gave me a wave and came over. I was pleased to see him because there were very few people of my age on the Empress of Incognita, or if there were, they must have been in different suspension groups.

After slumping down beside me, Chas said, “So what are you doing here?” “Ed Fyfield invited us,” Chas replied. “And you?” “The same,” Chas said. He let out a slight laugh, “I think he uses the same invitation for everyone when he has documents to hand out to rat liners.”

“Rat liners?” Chas shook his head, “You’re very naive, you know that, Bee Bee. Or maybe it was the bang on the head that made you that way.” The comment annoyed me slightly, and I half regretted telling Chas about the car crash.  Referring to my accident as a bang on the head was flippant in the extreme, but I let it pass. Instead, I said, “Go on. Educate me, Chas. What’s a rat liner?”

“The Earth security authorities unofficially refer to the likes of my parents and your Dad as rats,” Chas replied, “The escape routes used by rats are ratlines.”

“Why do they call them rats?”

Goodreads / Audible

Review

The recent addition of the Arcadia series was marked with these human behaviours, but only unity and one young man’s ability to listen could save the day.

Being in space on a ship would have been perfect for most people. But for Bee Bee and his fellow travelers, it was an entirely different thing.

Bee Bee (James) Kinfrank was a typical teenager that asked a lot of questions, to everyone’s chagrin. Left disfigured after a gruesome accident, the scare in his face didn’t make him a favourite. But this was also the reason for him to connect with people differently, which made him more acceptable, even a leader in his ‘tribe’.

As an oracle, he took to his role like it was second nature. It raised his status in the community. It did not make him very popular at first, but as he began to prove himself, people started to accept him and the value he brings to the community.

His father was a genuine piece of work which showed his true colors at the end. And Mary was his only support when things really became difficult, even though she was only his step mum.

To be stuck into deep space without knowing if you would be saved created all sorts of problems and soon to be sixteen-year-old Bee Bee had to grow up.

Not only were there enemies in the wormholes, but there were enemies inside. And he had to listen to the inner voice for guidance.

Lack of space, oxygen and food added to the tension as the depilated ship tried to stay on course.

This is the prequel to the Arcadia series and because I have read most of it, I struggled to understand where the new characters fit into the bigger plotline. But in the author’s typical writing style, it became clear, and it was worth the read. It gives the reader a better understanding of where it had all begun.

Chas Foony knew too much but was a good informant/friend to Bee Bee. Then there was the Whiston family—the bain in everyone’s life that caused havoc wherever he and his gang of misfits went. Charl Whyler was thrusted into a leadership position and way over his head. Mary became Bee Bee’s support and protector while he became her purpose for being in the ‘tribe’.

The fast-paced plot quickly takes you from one suspenseful scenario to another while the group tries to survive. First on the ship, then on the new planet, where more twists made for adventurous moments.

When an alien appeared on the ship, killing everyone on its path, it left Bee Bee a strange message. This was where the story escalated and became very interesting. With flashbacks from Mars and his mother’s death, you could sense the building tension. 

Especially the secretive ‘Great Ones’ no one knew about except for Bee Bee and his dreams. A force that added a layer of tension to the entire plot. 

“The Great Ones were sent to this planet for security reasons. This planet is far from the rest of our culture. Under our laws, execution is not possible. So sending them here seemed a sensible solution; they were banished to repent for their war crimes.”

These parasite creatures or beings controlled the new planet, and the survival game has stepped up a notched. Adding more drama, mystery, and suspense. Especially when Suzanne Flyfield stepped into the picture.

Except for a few grammar problems, this was a good read that every science fiction reader would enjoy. The story touches on primal behaviours and how humans would cope when put in a strange environment where the only aim is to survive. Not only as a human, but as a race.

The character of Bee Bee became the centre of their survival, which made this a good plotline. In the end, his own struggles and how he had to overcome them were woven into the many layers and a race was saved. 

Since this was an audible book, I enjoyed the narrative. The different characters were beautifully portrayed through the voice of the narrator, making this story so endearing and easy to follow. A great edition to the enfolding series. 

 

 

 

Book review: The vengeance of Samuel Val by Elyse Hoffman

 

Black Coffee Book Tours

September 05-08

Samuel Val is blessed with a loving family and a tight-knit community in his Jewish village of Khruvina. He dreams of becoming Khruvina’s Rabbi, but his dreams are crushed when his family is slaughtered by Nazi Officer Viktor Naden, the Beast of Belorussia.

With Samuel left as Khruvina’s only survivor, he joins the anti-Nazi resistance group known as the Black Foxes. Determined to avenge his family, he swears to hunt down and destroy Viktor Naden. Samuel’s mission of vengeance, however, is put on hold when he is forced to escort a Jewish refugee to a safehouse operated by Black Fox Ten, a high-ranked member of the resistance.

While on his mission to save a life, Samuel discovers that the Beast of Belorussia might be closer than he thought. All at once, Samuel is given the chance to destroy Viktor Naden…but the cost will be high.

Will Samuel sell his soul for vengeance?

Award-winning author Elyse Hoffman offers a heart-breaking and thought-provoking WW2 story.

Universal link for the book on Amazon

About the author

Elyse Hoffman is an award-winning author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. She loves to meld WWII and Jewish history with fantasy, folklore, and the paranormal. She has written six works of Holocaust historical fiction: the five books of The Barracks of the Holocaust and The Book of Uriel.

Website / Goodreads / Bookbub 

Excerpt:

“Soooo…question.”

It seemed that their nightly conversations about the Tanakh had made Amos bolder. Sam’s resistance had fractured, his father’s counsel and his inner Rabbi unwilling to leave questions about Judaism unanswered.

“What question?” Sam said, slowing down a bit to allow Amos to walk at his side rather than behind him. “You’re Russian, right?” Amos inquired, fiddling with the end of his scarf. “The accent, I mean, I’m bad at recognizing accents. One time in the Ghetto I called a Belgian woman French and that was a shitshow…”

“Yes, I’m Russian,” Samuel interrupted with not a small amount of pride. His loyalty had, for most of his life, been with Khruvina and not the ethnicity he’d been born into, but the Russians had been fighting bravely against the Nazi onslaught. Samuel was no Soviet, certainly no communist, but he was proud to be a part of such a stubbornly resilient people.

“But your German is very good!” Amos declared. “I was just wondering why you learned German, how you speak it so well. I took English in school. I could maybe get by if we bumped into a Brit or an American, but you’re practically fluent. Do they teach German in the Soviet Union?”

Sam’s heart palpitated. Whether or not the Soviet schools taught German was immaterial; Khruvina had been a village of Russian, Hebrew, and Yiddish. Samuel knew German because his father had known German, and Yonatan had known German because when German soldiers had marched into Khruvina during the Great War, they weren’t monsters. Those German soldiers were kind, civil. They sat politely in the synagogue during services. They gave chocolate to the children. There were Jews amongst them who spoke highly of their cultured nation and brought books from the great Jewish thinkers of Kaiser’s Reich. Yonatan had picked up the language of the German guests within days. He had taught his son German so that he could read the books that those soldiers had left behind.

“Maybe someday you’ll go to Germany and bump into some of those men,” Yonatan had chuckled. “They said it was nice there.”

Those good German soldiers from the Great War had damned Khruvina. Their civility put the shtetl at ease. When their countrymen became corrupted, when word had spread of a madman driving Germany into darkness, the men and women of Khruvina, who remembered chocolates and songs and shared synagogue services, had shaken their heads and refused to panic and prepare for the worst. It can’t be that bad. They were civilized. They were good.

Sam was struck by the urge to burn down the woods about him, to decimate every inch of German soil. But he glanced at the curious German following him and huffed.

“Yes,” he answered, and they continued marching through the German forest.

Review:

I received an ARC copy from the touring host for an honest opinion. Sam's story immediately touches your heart. Cici's antics were so real that I could see her climb over her family out of pure boredom. 

However, once the Nazi troops came "waltzing" in, this peaceful scenery changed into a horror movie. 

The events of that day scared Samuel Val, and all he wanted to do was to take revenge on the only person he could remember from that fateful day. 

A heartwarming story of revenge that takes you through the woods of Germany, where you experience another side of Sam. Yet, his belief was the only thing that held him upright and focused. When exactly he joined the Black Foxes is not clear, but here, he met interesting characters that added to the plotline. 

The sceneries within the muck and trenches added to the demise he and Amos experienced, like a slow burn as you continue to read. Wondering how and when he will meet this man that extinguished his entire family. 

"It wasn’t what Samuel had been expecting, either. Black Fox 120 had been ready for almost anything, but even he, well-experienced in the diverse array of men and women who joined the Black Foxes, lifted a curious brow and checked the map thrice before he conceded that they were in the right place."

Going undercover, and pretending to be part of the enemy, grated on him. This added another layer of suspense and determination and we see how this young man develops into a harsh force of realism as he begins to question his faith. 

"Though Samuel despised Germany, the German Black Foxes’ bravery and sacrifice kept him from praying that Adonai would decimate the entire nation, like Sodom and Gomorrah."

This story takes you into the very heart of the war. Where loyalty is tested and man's will to live is pulled apart. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends. A beautiful balance of suspense and human frailty during the hardest time of our human race. 

The author's writing style is clear, with enough description for one to become part of the story. A must read for all who love a Word War 11 story.