Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Violets for Vanessa by Diane Miley

In Violets for Vanessa by Diane Miley we have a decent old fashioned romance. Vanessa is an independent woman bent to never depend on a man because of the abuse of her father.  Enter Chad James a man who wants to be there for Vanessa but she stops him at every turn. Will Vanessa learn that not every man is like her father and will Vanessa learn to trust Chad?

I am a big fan of Diane Miley but I felt that in the beginning of the book it didn’t flow like her other works and almost like she was trying to hard to make it come out. Toward the middle and ending of the book it flowed like the rest of her previoiusly reviewed work. It is still a decent read for those who enjoy a decent Christian romance.

2 Bookmarks
Carol Langstroth, Manger
Mind Fog Reviews

Gold! A Tall Tale by Shannon Nicole Wells

Shannon Nicole Well's book, “Gold! A Tall Tale” details the story of the Bump family, who have fallen under hard times. Together they team up with the Thump family to search for wealth....

With its good plot and beautiful illustrations, this is a very good book for children who like a good ol' yarn.





3 Bookmarks
Raymond Teodo
Mind Fog Reviews



Embezzled Love by Ginger Simpson

Based on a true story, “Embezzled Love” by Ginger Simpson shows you the story of Cassie…a woman who yearns for someone to love her. She tries an internet dating site and meets a smooth talking cowboy named Evan. Despite her family’s objections she allows Evan to move in with her and start a business with her. Follow the love story as Cassie learns that not everyone is as they seem.

I found this story to be an engaging story and the characters very believable. In this high tech age we need a reminder that not everybody is good and decent and we need to have our guard up in the faceless world of the internet. 

4.5 bookmarks
Carol Langstroth, Manager
Mind Fog Reviews

Runaway Bride by Rita Hestand

“Run Away Bride” by Rita Hestand wasn’t an easy read at all.  I kept wanting to throw it across the room and shout “STOP repeating that!” Ms. Hestand has chosen a topic that’s been so overdone, I mean, there’s even a Julia Roberts movie cliché.

While it seems that her characters can not get over their pasts one reference to this probably would have done well.  The main character isn’t the only one to rehash trivial issues – her new love interest does the same before he’s even met “the run away bride” and can’t seem to let go of another episode in a bar.

There are moments when the story doesn’t flow, almost as if parts were cut out – possibly by mistake? 

She has ample opportunity to add interesting details that would make the story a more enjoyable read, like when it comes to the best friend and the parents of the bride, but instead chooses to keep rehashing the same “can’t betray the grooms secret” issue. Again I say the author has chosen a subject that has been overdone and brought nothing new to the story.


2 Bookmarks
Nanci Arvizu
Mind Fog Reviews

Forest Song Little Mother by Vila Spiderhawk

In Forest Song: Little Mother by Vila Spiderhawk we have a little bit of everything for everyone. It combines history, adventure and fantasy all in one great book.  It has so much detail that you feel you are a part of the book when they are doing a ritual or are one of the Crones riding on the wind. You could even smell the pine used to use for the floors of Judy’s magical house. It made you feel proud to be Polish and that you were helping the Jews survive the Holocaust.

This books was a wow from beginning to end and everything in between If I could I would score higher then 5 bookmarks

5 Bookmarks
Laura Matthews, Reviewer
Mind Fog Reviews

Janette’s Tale by Mark Patrick

In Janette’s Tale by Mark Patrick I found it to be a good story with good character descriptions, a good flow, and great details. At times however, the story got “long winded”, and a few characters were brought in that didn’t make sense (the little girls). However, at the end of the book, in the author’s notes, he states that this book was originally planned as one story in a series – so maybe the parts that seemed to be “too much” in this story will be played out in the other stories in a series. I hope so!

Also, making his main character a young girl, who was attracted to what appeared to be an older man, was questionable. Again, this is probably a relationship that will (hopefully) be played out in other books/parts of the series.

Overall, however, I enjoyed it. The main character was interesting, the dialogue was good, and the action was vivid. 

I am looking forward to reading more of Janette’s Tale.  She’s got a lot to do!



3 Bookmarks
Nanci Arvizu
Mind Fog Reviews