Review of: After Rafaela
by Jo Chumas
Again, submitted by my friend and fellow reviewing enthusiast, Theresa Atashkar
This is a novel about four girls that were teens in the 90’s and the best of friends. They went to school
together, studied together, shared their most secret thoughts with each other, or so they thought. Lenox, or Leni; Sara, who changed her name to India; and Becca all came from unhappy homes where they were either unwanted or discarded; and then there was Rafaela, or Rafi who’s parents truly loved her and gave love and at times a home to the other girls. Leni and Rafi were the closest and were more like sisters than just friends.
Rafaela’s mother had also inherited a Villa in Italy from her family called the Villa San Antonio where the family went every summer to get away from the dreary weather of London. The summer that Rafaela was to turn 18 all the girls were allowed to go with the family for the summer and spend their summer breaks at the Villa to celebrate Rafaela’s birthday. They were tended to by Valentina, an older Italian woman that lived at the Villa and loved the girls as much as Rafi’s parents. The summer was wonderful for the girls! They shopped, partied, swam and became closer. Everything was great until the day of Rafaela’s 18th
Twenty-two years later Leni returns to Villa San Antonio to find her just as dead as Rafi and the rest of the girls had become. “Villa San Antonio looked sad, unloved, grief stricken, as though it were stuck in some sort of ‘after Rafaela’ paralysis. Leni could smell the sadness, musty, closed up, repressed aching.” I could relate to how she felt
having recently lost my mother to Alzheimer’s and found it very hard returning home again with only memories of my mother there.
This novel, written by Jo Chumas is so poignant and heartfelt. Her ability to draw me into the story of what was left of life after Rafaela and keep me up all night to finish grieving with everyone touched by Rafi’s death was amazing. I felt lighter when I was finished, but unable to sleep and lay there thinking about my own grief for the rest of the night. Everything was so wonderfully described; every crack, every garden, every piece of furniture so
deeply described, I felt like I had been there and lived through it all, even the weather! “A storm was brewing, and an occasional, ominous rumble of thunder sounded far away in the mountains of Switzerland. Over the horizon, the sky was turning crimson orange with violent twirls of mocha, like some exotic pudding.” I knew what each young girl looked like as they grew into womanhood and could see them and tell them apart as if they were part of my childhood! “A storm was brewing, and an occasional, ominous rumble of thunder sounded far away in the mountains of Switzerland. Over the horizon, the sky was turning crimson orange with violent twirls of mocha, like some exotic pudding.” I knew what each young girl looked like as they grew into womanhood and could see them and tell them apart as if they were part of my childhood!
Nothing I say can do justice to this novel and the story that the author has told. It is a story that I will read again and enjoy as much or more than the first time I read it. I loved it!
Friday, October 11, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
What I Do For Love
The Writer's Journey Roadmap
Laura Davis
“Use what talents you have; the woods would have little music if no birds sang their song except those who sang best.”
— Reverend Oliver G. Wilson
Tell me about something you love to do, but aren’t necessarily good at. Tell me about this activity in detail so I can love it as much as you do.
I always strived to be the very best wife and homemaker possible. I made superior efforts by ironing everything, giving my husband a choice of meals each night, I cooked all weekend to prepare for the week. But I feel kids are not educated on how to be a wife or husband, when it comes to the technical aspects of marriage like finances, childrearing, distribution of duties and learning how to compromise. I didn’t know how to be a good girlfriend in that I was a victim of that time between the white picket fence era and women burning their bras and breaking through the glass ceiling. I expected the boyfriend to (want to) be with me all the time. From high school I was on the marriage gravy train. I have actually sent my high school sweetheart an apology for putting such pressure on him and guilt if he was not when he was not with me.
I loved my profession in medicine. I prided myself on treating my patient’s with as much knowledge as I could hold, and I was proud of how I treated them as people. That is my badge of honor. So how did I fail? Simply, with each moment someone suffered and every life lost, I failed. Certainly, there are the maladies we cannot control but, nonetheless, I always wanted to be better.
Laura Davis
Hi Nancy, I love the juxtaposition of your love of homemaking with the pressures and intensity of medical practice. Do most doctors feel they fail when someone dies? Isn’t death the natural end of life for all of us?
Nancy Qualls
Lee Xanthippe
Nancy Qualls
Hi Laura,
No, most doctors/medical professionals do not feel they have failed when someone dies. There is so much education we have to take, and the technology available is amazing. We don’t actually fail our patients, I over-dramatized our feelings of disappointment…but it is not disappointment…and it isn’t really failure…it is a feeling so hard to describe. We walk away from death with sadness for the family and that we could not save the patient, although in many cases the death can be a God-send for something we mortals cannot save.
One thing I wanted to describe was the difficulty women of my era, 1960′s/70′s, have. Our mother’s bring us up to believe we will have the house and family, and our husband’s will take care of us (so we really don’t need to get a degree) versus society expecting us to get a degree, have a career AND successfully run our home and children. We were sitting right on top of the white picket fence
No, most doctors/medical professionals do not feel they have failed when someone dies. There is so much education we have to take, and the technology available is amazing. We don’t actually fail our patients, I over-dramatized our feelings of disappointment…but it is not disappointment…and it isn’t really failure…it is a feeling so hard to describe. We walk away from death with sadness for the family and that we could not save the patient, although in many cases the death can be a God-send for something we mortals cannot save.
One thing I wanted to describe was the difficulty women of my era, 1960′s/70′s, have. Our mother’s bring us up to believe we will have the house and family, and our husband’s will take care of us (so we really don’t need to get a degree) versus society expecting us to get a degree, have a career AND successfully run our home and children. We were sitting right on top of the white picket fence
Lee Xanthippe
Wow, very interesting–the way this piece went through the different eras in a way–the different roles for women and how the roles impact men in that first section–enjoyed the openness of the detail of wanting the man or boyfriend to be there all the time.
I felt the trying in this piece, the succeeding–the badge of honor, and also the pain of not being able to do more while trying to do more or do better.
Thank you for posting this piece!
Ilana
I felt the trying in this piece, the succeeding–the badge of honor, and also the pain of not being able to do more while trying to do more or do better.
Thank you for posting this piece!
Ilana
Nancy- I love how you hold up your medical career and your career as a homemaker next to each other. It’s hard to do that without judging one or the other but you managed it. It was sweet how you ironed everything and gave your husband a choice. Very romantic. Ilana
Hazel
Hazel
Thank you for sharing this beautiful comparison of time and career. You did an amazing job of it. I believe that as true humans we always want to do and be better.
Mary Carlson
Ah, my heart pings a little reading this. I hear a striving for perfection in both paragraphs: perfection in homemaking, and perfection in medicine. That common thread comes through clearly…
And the tragic aspect of this is that your striving to be the best feels very marred by inevitable “failures.” Being a good wife meant you weren’t the “good girlfriend.” A patient’s suffering or death becomes a sign of failure.
I would love to see you expand this, and really examine the cost of perfection. Ok, I feel a lot of projection on my part happening here….and I apologize. But, wow, can I identify!
And the tragic aspect of this is that your striving to be the best feels very marred by inevitable “failures.” Being a good wife meant you weren’t the “good girlfriend.” A patient’s suffering or death becomes a sign of failure.
I would love to see you expand this, and really examine the cost of perfection. Ok, I feel a lot of projection on my part happening here….and I apologize. But, wow, can I identify!
Adrienne Drake
Ditto to all of this!
Nancy Qualls
Thank you, I am humbled by all the responses I am receiving here.
I will write a more detailed piece. I have always wanted to write more about the era I grew up. Our grandmother’s and mother’s were homemaker’s. They lived within the ‘white picket fence’. Then we had Women’s Lib and suddenly we were expected to have a degree, a career and a home. The first half of my life was within the ‘white picket fence’ and then I was caught sitting on it.
I will write a more detailed piece. I have always wanted to write more about the era I grew up. Our grandmother’s and mother’s were homemaker’s. They lived within the ‘white picket fence’. Then we had Women’s Lib and suddenly we were expected to have a degree, a career and a home. The first half of my life was within the ‘white picket fence’ and then I was caught sitting on it.
Adrienne Drake
As a physician myself I could identify with much of what you say here in terms of being caught between two worlds as women emerged from homebodies to professionals very quickly. I too was caught on that cusp and did not mange to balance things nearly as successfully as you seem to have. However, I can not relate to your feeling that you failed with each moment someone suffered or lost their life. You are taking on way too much responsibility for that. You clearly did your best and I hope you don’t let those feelings tarnish in any way how you look back on your career, which was otherwise you badge of honor. Thank you for sharing your heartfelt story.
Nancy Qualls
- Dr. Drake,
Happily, I was not tarnished by, what I described as, an obsessive tendency to worry about everyone’s pain. When I was at work, I definitely was focused on all my patients, all of the time. And, like you I am sure, I wanted to take care of all the pains and maladies. But I did feel bad when I was not successful.
When I retired, I left knowing that I did the best I knew how…that I educated myself ad-nauseum. When I left work…I left work. Well…okay…there were the times I would call the ICU in the middle of the night to check someone’s blood gas results…I couldn’t help it, I had to know so I could go back to sleep.
Now days I am happily retired, beta-reading and working on my first book.
Wendy
Judy
Nancy, this felt like this could be a book. There was so much information and feeling in these paragraphs. I wanted to know more. Thank you.
Judy
Nancy, interesting piece that show the difficulty of ‘walking between the worlds’ of homemaker, devoted wife/mother and demanding career of medicine. Thank you for sharing.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Havana Queen
By: James Bruno
It is evident that our author, Mr. Bruno, put all his experiences, his theories and knowledge into the Havana Queen, as far as the government would allow him.
I enjoyed the continuous action. Reading this book was like driving down a road, coming to a fork in the road and thinking you would continue straight on but, instead, you are taken to the left. Not only did the storyline continually surprise me, but the characters thinking also.
We see the FBI inter-agency conflicts, and we see how prevalent it is. It is the same with MI-5/MI-6, the FSB. And we see the conflicts between the USA and Cuba. These dances go on all over the world, and we learn an agent must learn the steps, and when to side-step.
He shows understanding of the tenacity of the Cuban government. He gives us food for thought as the future draws nearer to the point when the Castro brothers will no longer be in power. What will happen to these people, and what affect will North Korea have in the future of Cuba.
My final thought: In mentioning Carlos the Jackal, why did he never assassinate the Cuban leader? Are there understandings that certain individuals are untouchable? Are there considerations that the alternative to this fascist may be worse, or that chaos would ensue and the door would be opened for the North Korean's?
It is evident that our author, Mr. Bruno, put all his experiences, his theories and knowledge into the Havana Queen, as far as the government would allow him.
I enjoyed the continuous action. Reading this book was like driving down a road, coming to a fork in the road and thinking you would continue straight on but, instead, you are taken to the left. Not only did the storyline continually surprise me, but the characters thinking also.
We see the FBI inter-agency conflicts, and we see how prevalent it is. It is the same with MI-5/MI-6, the FSB. And we see the conflicts between the USA and Cuba. These dances go on all over the world, and we learn an agent must learn the steps, and when to side-step.
He shows understanding of the tenacity of the Cuban government. He gives us food for thought as the future draws nearer to the point when the Castro brothers will no longer be in power. What will happen to these people, and what affect will North Korea have in the future of Cuba.
My final thought: In mentioning Carlos the Jackal, why did he never assassinate the Cuban leader? Are there understandings that certain individuals are untouchable? Are there considerations that the alternative to this fascist may be worse, or that chaos would ensue and the door would be opened for the North Korean's?
Friday, September 13, 2013
The Regency Rakes Triology
An Affair of Honor
Book Three
by: Candice Hern
On the Thornhill equestrian/stud farm in Suffolk, Meg Ashburton finds the wreckage of a curricle belonging to Colin Herriot, Viscount Sedgewick. She danced with him some six years prior and fell in love with his beauty and charm. He was the only one who would dance with the six foot, gangly redhead, and she never forgot him.
With the help of her brother, Sir Terrence Ashburton, they brought him home and under the care of their herbalist grandmother, Mrs. Lattimer, together nursed him back to health. He went in and out of a coma and, during his conscious periods, he swore there was a red haired angel looking over him. When he finally came to, Meg tendeded him and kept him company during the long hours of the day when he was stuck in bed with a broken leg. He was smitten with her beauty and the regal way she carried herself.
Our hero began experiencing a series of 'accidents' starting with the wreckage of his curricle. Ashburton found the front axle cut almost through, but Sedge insisted it was an accident. After he became fully conscious he was to drink an herbal tea made by Gram. Meg happened to recognize something about the drink did not smell right and prevented him from drinking, what turned out to be, a poisonous mixture. When he finally was able to walk about with crutches, he almost slipped on an oily mixture at the landing of the stairs. Again, Meg was assisting him and saw it before Sedge stepped in it, thus preventing a certain broken neck or death.
At this point the ever present, ever helpful cousin, Albert, had a talk with Terrence, suggesting that Meg was getting too close to Sedge and would certainly get her heart broken. On the way back to his London home he was stopped by some thieves. He shot one and the other two scattered. Then at his home, his bedclothes caught fire.
Through a series of miscommunications, Sedge's proposal of marriage did not come across as such, it sounded like he wanted her for his mistress. When Terrence learned of this, a dual ensued. Meg put on her breeches and went to stop it because she knew there was someone in common with these accidental occurrences. Another almost mishap shone a light on the betrayer.
This is an exciting story of love, friendship and family. A well written first edition of the series, not serial. There is good dramatization and character development. A perfect weekend read.
Book Three
by: Candice Hern
On the Thornhill equestrian/stud farm in Suffolk, Meg Ashburton finds the wreckage of a curricle belonging to Colin Herriot, Viscount Sedgewick. She danced with him some six years prior and fell in love with his beauty and charm. He was the only one who would dance with the six foot, gangly redhead, and she never forgot him.
With the help of her brother, Sir Terrence Ashburton, they brought him home and under the care of their herbalist grandmother, Mrs. Lattimer, together nursed him back to health. He went in and out of a coma and, during his conscious periods, he swore there was a red haired angel looking over him. When he finally came to, Meg tendeded him and kept him company during the long hours of the day when he was stuck in bed with a broken leg. He was smitten with her beauty and the regal way she carried herself.
Our hero began experiencing a series of 'accidents' starting with the wreckage of his curricle. Ashburton found the front axle cut almost through, but Sedge insisted it was an accident. After he became fully conscious he was to drink an herbal tea made by Gram. Meg happened to recognize something about the drink did not smell right and prevented him from drinking, what turned out to be, a poisonous mixture. When he finally was able to walk about with crutches, he almost slipped on an oily mixture at the landing of the stairs. Again, Meg was assisting him and saw it before Sedge stepped in it, thus preventing a certain broken neck or death.
At this point the ever present, ever helpful cousin, Albert, had a talk with Terrence, suggesting that Meg was getting too close to Sedge and would certainly get her heart broken. On the way back to his London home he was stopped by some thieves. He shot one and the other two scattered. Then at his home, his bedclothes caught fire.
Through a series of miscommunications, Sedge's proposal of marriage did not come across as such, it sounded like he wanted her for his mistress. When Terrence learned of this, a dual ensued. Meg put on her breeches and went to stop it because she knew there was someone in common with these accidental occurrences. Another almost mishap shone a light on the betrayer.
This is an exciting story of love, friendship and family. A well written first edition of the series, not serial. There is good dramatization and character development. A perfect weekend read.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
A Bull By the Back Door
By: Anne Loader
It isn't that this is one of those typical 'we bought a run down farm in France and fixed it up' books. You know, the ones that make you feel inadequate because you will never have the money to do same.
It wasn't until after I retired that I fell in love with the UK and Europe. By that time I was too old and arthritic to venture across the ocean. That being said, I now live vicariously through books and this is my first reading of a journal style genre. I thought it would be too clinical but this is a charming story of Anne and Jack's experiences. I especially liked the relationship Anne carried on with the previous and deceased mistress, Marguerite. Ms. Loder gave her a personality and emotions. She is happy to share her aberration with us.
There is a smorgasbord of ex-pats in the town, that was once a busy farming community, and as this house is re-established so is the town and the familial friendships that will last over the years.
This is a well written book and left me wanting to continue my voyeuristic visit to their home.
It isn't that this is one of those typical 'we bought a run down farm in France and fixed it up' books. You know, the ones that make you feel inadequate because you will never have the money to do same.
It wasn't until after I retired that I fell in love with the UK and Europe. By that time I was too old and arthritic to venture across the ocean. That being said, I now live vicariously through books and this is my first reading of a journal style genre. I thought it would be too clinical but this is a charming story of Anne and Jack's experiences. I especially liked the relationship Anne carried on with the previous and deceased mistress, Marguerite. Ms. Loder gave her a personality and emotions. She is happy to share her aberration with us.
There is a smorgasbord of ex-pats in the town, that was once a busy farming community, and as this house is re-established so is the town and the familial friendships that will last over the years.
This is a well written book and left me wanting to continue my voyeuristic visit to their home.
Monday, August 26, 2013
The FIrebird by Susanna Kearsley
THE FIREBIRD, by Susanna Kearsley
Dear Friends, Again my friend Theresa Atashkar has prepared a lovely review. I am beta-reading now and I am behind on my reading and reviewing so I want to thank her for reviewing Ms. Kearsley. I told her I am in awe of her writings and find it difficult to express my admiration, so “T” stepped in.
“I nearly didn’t notice when his thoughts touched mine. It was a rare thing these days; rarer still that I would let him in, but my own thoughts were drifting and I knew that his were, too. In fact, from what I saw of where he was---the angle of the ceiling and the dimly shadowed walls---I guessed that he was likely still in bed, just waking up himself.”
Nicola Marter worked for Sebastian at the Galerie St.-Croix, a Fine Russian Arefacts and Art gallery. As soon as she arrived for work that day Sebastian was waiting for her to meet a woman by the name of Margaret Ross. Margaret was plainly dressed and not one of their usual clients; however, she had a small treasure that she wanted appraised. She was hoping to sell it so she could go on vacation. She stated that this treasure was her inheritance passed down for over 300 years. It was given to one of her ancestors by Empress Catherine of Russia. It was a little hand-carved wooden bird; Margaret stated that she was told they called it a Firebird. There was no documentation to prove where it originated and both Sebastian and Nicola knew it was worthless without it. Sebastian handed the carving to Nicola to examine. “Instantly I felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the carving itself. I closed my eyes to try to stop the vision, but that only made it worse. I saw a slanting fall of light, with fine dust dancing through it. Two women, one aging but lovely, with heavy black eyebrows; the other respectfully bent, perhaps kneeling, her young face upturned in uncertainty. ‘My darling Anna,’ the first woman said to the other in elegant Russian, and smiled. ‘You were never a nobody.’”
This much-loved book is a continuation of “The Winter Sea”, in which Anna, Margaret’s ancestor, is born to Sophia and John Moray and is hidden with another family to keep her safe. “The Shadowy Horses” is the second book in the series, which takes place further in history where Robby is introduced; he is a young boy that has the gift of Psychometry; he can touch an object and go back in time and learn all about the history of that particular object. I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books; Susanna’s writing touched my heart and she brought everything full circle with “The Firebird.”
This novel takes place in present day and Nicola is on her way to Russia on business so she decides to take the little wooden bird with her to see if she can find out if there is any history to back up what the old lady had said. Before she leaves she looks up an old friend, Robby or Rob as he is called now. She has the same gift as he does but Rob’s is much more refined and he’s not afraid to use it. Nicola asks for his help and he says he will go with her to Russia and help her.
Their journey begins in St. Petersburg, searching in time for Anna as a little girl and what kind of life she had while her mother put her in hiding with another family. They follow her through her teenage years as she struggles to keep her true identity a secret from everyone; even watching her suffer as I suffered with her in silence as she finds out that her beloved Uncle had died before he could find her. They travel further through time together as she meets Empress Catherine for the first time and makes a very good impression on the Queen. Anna is escorted as a young single lady by Edmond, who is a relative of the family she is staying with. Nicola and Rob watch as they fall in love, all the time falling in love themselves. When both couples finally realize it, my heart sang with joy for all of them, but especially Anna because her whole life was so hard-fought. I loved this book and it deserves more than 5 stars! In fact, now that I am finished with this review, think I’ll read it again….
Dear Friends, Again my friend Theresa Atashkar has prepared a lovely review. I am beta-reading now and I am behind on my reading and reviewing so I want to thank her for reviewing Ms. Kearsley. I told her I am in awe of her writings and find it difficult to express my admiration, so “T” stepped in.
“I nearly didn’t notice when his thoughts touched mine. It was a rare thing these days; rarer still that I would let him in, but my own thoughts were drifting and I knew that his were, too. In fact, from what I saw of where he was---the angle of the ceiling and the dimly shadowed walls---I guessed that he was likely still in bed, just waking up himself.”
Nicola Marter worked for Sebastian at the Galerie St.-Croix, a Fine Russian Arefacts and Art gallery. As soon as she arrived for work that day Sebastian was waiting for her to meet a woman by the name of Margaret Ross. Margaret was plainly dressed and not one of their usual clients; however, she had a small treasure that she wanted appraised. She was hoping to sell it so she could go on vacation. She stated that this treasure was her inheritance passed down for over 300 years. It was given to one of her ancestors by Empress Catherine of Russia. It was a little hand-carved wooden bird; Margaret stated that she was told they called it a Firebird. There was no documentation to prove where it originated and both Sebastian and Nicola knew it was worthless without it. Sebastian handed the carving to Nicola to examine. “Instantly I felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the carving itself. I closed my eyes to try to stop the vision, but that only made it worse. I saw a slanting fall of light, with fine dust dancing through it. Two women, one aging but lovely, with heavy black eyebrows; the other respectfully bent, perhaps kneeling, her young face upturned in uncertainty. ‘My darling Anna,’ the first woman said to the other in elegant Russian, and smiled. ‘You were never a nobody.’”
This much-loved book is a continuation of “The Winter Sea”, in which Anna, Margaret’s ancestor, is born to Sophia and John Moray and is hidden with another family to keep her safe. “The Shadowy Horses” is the second book in the series, which takes place further in history where Robby is introduced; he is a young boy that has the gift of Psychometry; he can touch an object and go back in time and learn all about the history of that particular object. I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books; Susanna’s writing touched my heart and she brought everything full circle with “The Firebird.”
This novel takes place in present day and Nicola is on her way to Russia on business so she decides to take the little wooden bird with her to see if she can find out if there is any history to back up what the old lady had said. Before she leaves she looks up an old friend, Robby or Rob as he is called now. She has the same gift as he does but Rob’s is much more refined and he’s not afraid to use it. Nicola asks for his help and he says he will go with her to Russia and help her.
Their journey begins in St. Petersburg, searching in time for Anna as a little girl and what kind of life she had while her mother put her in hiding with another family. They follow her through her teenage years as she struggles to keep her true identity a secret from everyone; even watching her suffer as I suffered with her in silence as she finds out that her beloved Uncle had died before he could find her. They travel further through time together as she meets Empress Catherine for the first time and makes a very good impression on the Queen. Anna is escorted as a young single lady by Edmond, who is a relative of the family she is staying with. Nicola and Rob watch as they fall in love, all the time falling in love themselves. When both couples finally realize it, my heart sang with joy for all of them, but especially Anna because her whole life was so hard-fought. I loved this book and it deserves more than 5 stars! In fact, now that I am finished with this review, think I’ll read it again….
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Sacrafice of the Raven (The Union Series BK Four)
By: Shawn Reilly
I will begin my review by stating that I am one of the author's beta-reader's so I have 1)received the manuscript from the author free of charge for my services as a beta and 2)I have paid for a copy of this book (because my manuscript copy is marked up with my notes). Some of us who review have recently been accused of writing false reviews as favors to the author (for what I cannot figure out). The accuser not considering that a beta-reader and some reviewers receive copies of the manuscript prior to submission to the editor/publication. I feel honored that Shawn asked me to beta for her series, even though it is not my genre. She is a fellow Hoosier and so I agreed to read and review. I fell in love with her writing and the story. I have been so pleasantly surprised at the quality of her first publications. I am so excited for the release of the fourth volume of The Union series.
That being said, now I can speak to you lovers of prose as a reader/reviewer. Sacrifice Of The Raven (The Union Series BK4)is an exciting, romantic and very humorous bringing together of the characters. You will get to know them more intimately, know the functioning of the Union and Lake family. The love Asher has been trying to avoid, in order to save his life and prevent the calling of the Raven's curse, becomes a prominent focus for him as he falls more in love with Elle. He is at a crossroads, he can live and not love or he can have a short-lived love with Elle. There are unexpected surprises, titillating romance (without explicit sex). She gives her leading men playful, sexy humor even in the tense and dangerous moments. You will be entertained by the antics of Ari (brown Labrador Retriever in ani-shift form) as he guards the Keeper and maintains his status as the 'rogue' of the ani-shift world, Asher (black wolf in ani-shift) and, of course, the twins Casin and Cade (rodents in ani-shift) who, because of their size, can get into all sorts of situations that often lead the family into danger. Enjoy.
I will begin my review by stating that I am one of the author's beta-reader's so I have 1)received the manuscript from the author free of charge for my services as a beta and 2)I have paid for a copy of this book (because my manuscript copy is marked up with my notes). Some of us who review have recently been accused of writing false reviews as favors to the author (for what I cannot figure out). The accuser not considering that a beta-reader and some reviewers receive copies of the manuscript prior to submission to the editor/publication. I feel honored that Shawn asked me to beta for her series, even though it is not my genre. She is a fellow Hoosier and so I agreed to read and review. I fell in love with her writing and the story. I have been so pleasantly surprised at the quality of her first publications. I am so excited for the release of the fourth volume of The Union series.
That being said, now I can speak to you lovers of prose as a reader/reviewer. Sacrifice Of The Raven (The Union Series BK4)is an exciting, romantic and very humorous bringing together of the characters. You will get to know them more intimately, know the functioning of the Union and Lake family. The love Asher has been trying to avoid, in order to save his life and prevent the calling of the Raven's curse, becomes a prominent focus for him as he falls more in love with Elle. He is at a crossroads, he can live and not love or he can have a short-lived love with Elle. There are unexpected surprises, titillating romance (without explicit sex). She gives her leading men playful, sexy humor even in the tense and dangerous moments. You will be entertained by the antics of Ari (brown Labrador Retriever in ani-shift form) as he guards the Keeper and maintains his status as the 'rogue' of the ani-shift world, Asher (black wolf in ani-shift) and, of course, the twins Casin and Cade (rodents in ani-shift) who, because of their size, can get into all sorts of situations that often lead the family into danger. Enjoy.
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