From Manhattan With Revenge – Christopher Smith

It’s certainly no secret that Christopher Smith is my fave thriller/suspense author.  I love his characters in all their delicious, decadent, demented glory.  I love the swank of NY society that Mr. Smith is able to describe in so few words, yet somehow still so completely immerse you in the surroundings that you can see it and feel it.  I love that he is a storyteller first and foremost, winding a tight, riveting plot around you that you can’t escape and feel disappointed when it ends.  From Manhattan With Revenge is no different.  Mr. Smith has hit his groove as a writer and his latest novel does not disappoint.

From Manhattan With Revenge picks up where From Manhattan With Love leaves off and Ms. Carmen the assassin is pissed.  Her lover, Alex, has been killed by their powerful employers and she’s next.  Unfortunately for them, she has connections too.  Let’s just say they picked on the wrong girl.  We’ve met Carmen a few times in some of the author’s previous novels and I’ll be honest, she wasn’t one of my favorite characters.  There were glimpses of hope for her, but I wasn’t convinced and wouldn’t have blinked an eye at her demise.  He soundly changed my mind with this novel, as he lets us into her world where we are given more insight into her psyche, her background, her “weaknesses”.

As Carmen goes about seeking her revenge for Alex’s death while trying not to get killed herself, we are introduced to more colorful freakishly fun characters from the New York elite with more money and time on their hands than sense but, as it turns out, who Carmen can’t currently live without — literally.  Vincent Spocatti returns and we are introduced to orphaned Chloe, Carmen’s “weakness”.  I loved Chloe!  I had hopes to see her down the line in some of Mr. Smith’s future works — that girl had potential!  (I could have just see her and Beth Spellman from A Rush To Violence either pitted against each other or working together to save their loved ones 😉 ).   But, with Mr. Smith’s golden rule that nobody is safe from death, not even main characters, you’ll have to read the book to see if spunky little Chole makes it or not.

As usual, the author spins a tightly woven tale that keeps you guessing with twists and turns that make sense but that you didn’t see coming.  I wouldn’t call his writing sparse.  I call it precise and lean.  I don’t find myself paging through unnecessary fluff or flowery prose, yet it is entertaining and anything but dry.  He focuses on the story,  which draws you in and keeps you firmly planted in Carmen’s world.  The pace is fast but the story and background are thorough, leaving you guessing at nothing except what’s going to come next.

That’s it, folks.  That’s all I can say without giving away the plot, which I always refuse to do.  Reviews aren’t a retelling of the story, they’re a recommendation (or not).  Right?  😉

So, thriller fans, as usual I highly recommend picking up Christopher Smith’s latest work, From Manhattan With Revenge.  Read the novella From Manhattan With Love first, though.

You can follow the author on Twitter @CSThrillers, on Facebook, or at his website www.christophersmithbooks.com

The Color of Greed (Raja Williams Series) – Jack Thompson

Up for a little mystery?  A little political intrigue?  Throw in a dash of suspense and a cool as a cucumber PI and you have The Color of Greed,  the first novel in the Raja Williams series by Jack Thompson. 

We get to know James Bondish Raja and his trusty hot genius computer hacker assistant Vinnie when they get a call from a wealthy grieving widow in California who is convinced her husband has been murdered, despite the fact that his death was ruled as natural.  The plot takes us from LA to Hollywood to San Fran as our protagonists chase down leads and become enmeshed in some pretty sordid political intrigue. The characters get away with a lot, but that’s half the fun.

While I enjoyed the characters in this new series, I felt they could have been given a lot more depth. Reminder: This is coming from a reader who thrives on character-driven fiction. For instance, Raja is somewhat of an empath but the story doesn’t really touch on this at all. I thought it was intriguing and would have loved to know more. I realize this is the first in a series and that many more little nuggets of background are sure to come in future installments, but I like to dig deep on what makes a character tick as soon as possible. It’s what binds me to them and makes me care. But Raja is as slick as they come, folks. If you’re a PI/mystery fan you’re sure to love him. Vinnie tended to get on my nerves a bit, but I think that’s intentional. I actually felt like I knew the secondary characters better than Raja and Vinnie and I enjoyed them immensely.

I like it that the plot took a twist near the end; however, I thought that line could have been fleshed out a little more, along with the new characters involved. It sort of came out of nowhere for me. Otherwise, it’s a very well-written novel with a solid plot. Mr. Thompson’s writing style is sparse and to the point without a lot of flowery, fluffy prose. He tells a good story, critical to a good novel, and a fact that (unfortunately) many self pubs seem to ignore.

This is a solid start to a new series written by an author who obviously knows the rules of weaving a satisfying plot (and of English and grammar YAY). For all of you who like a good, old-fashioned PI story in the vein of Columbo and Berretta (was he a PI?), pick this one up for a rollicking, quick, fun read. Definitely an author to watch.

Tanaquill – Akalle

Okay, historical paranormal fantasy romance fans, this one’s for you.  I picked up Tanaquill as a free offering on Amazon.  The description and cover kind of intrigued me, as well as the author’s name.  Akalle.  That’s it.  Very mysterious.  Me being who I am, I was determined to learn more about the enigmatic Akalle before writing my review.  He or she obviously writes under a pseudonym, and I figured with a little digging on my friend Internet I’d probably come up with the true talent behind Tanaquill.   Nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  Zilch.  Zero.   In the realm of the ethernet Akalle is simply Akalle.  The name on his or her blog is, yep, you guessed it, just Akalle, and the posts are beautiful pictures and art.  Amazon, Goodreads, and Smashwords author profiles consist of a couple of simple, generic sentences and give no clue as to the author’s true identity.  I was frustrated.  I always find what I’m searching for on the internet.  ALWAYS.   I was about to say, “Touche Akalle,  you win.  I grudgingly surrender,” when I hit paydirt.  Or at least I’m pretty sure I did.  All that being said, after some thought I felt bad for all my obsessive digging.  This very talented author obviously has their reasons for writing under a pseudonym.  I suspect it is a hobby, something they enjoy, and they’re not looking for anything more than that except maybe some good reviews from people who enjoy their work.  No, it isn’t anyone you’ve ever heard of.  I’ll just leave it at that.

So, to the book.  Tanaquill is a beautifully written novel with elements of magic, witchcraft, fantasy, mythology, and the world of the Fae.  First and foremost, though, it is a story of love and romance.  Tanaquill is a princess of the Fae, set free into the world of humans for the first time in her life as a little “vacation” before she is married.  She visits her cousins, who happen to be witches, in 1800’s London, where she meets and gives her heart to shapeshifter Gavin.  When I say, “gives her heart to,” I mean it.  It’s complicated.  Read the story.  😉  Tanaquill and Gavin, each on separate quests, embark on an adventure together that tears them apart while irrevocably binding them at the same time.

Akalle has such talent.  With prose as smooth as silk, the author enchants readers with an almost old-fashioned style.  That’s not a bad thing.  It’s a little more formal but it fits the story and the characters well, making for a magical journey for the reader.  I liked the storyline, loved the characters, and adored being whisked away to the world of the fae.  The author obviously has a very strong grip on the subject matter of this book, as well as an impressive depth of knowledge of the time period.  The elements of mythology, period dress and etiquette, and history are incorporated into the story flawlessly, educating the reader while entertaining at the same time. 

 The author does an excellent job with characterization and dialogue, which flowed smoothly and appropriately for the time period.  I loved the relationship between the sisters, and the developing chemistry of Tanaquill and Gavin.  Lord Fairbain was a delightful addition, the perfect touch to the cast. 

This book isn’t for everyone.  I know I’ve said it before, probably several times, but the love or dislike of a particular book or genre is a very personal journey.  The enjoyment of literature and art is about as subjective as it gets.  If you’re not interested in fairies, witches and magic, this tale will probably not draw you in.  An interest in the time period would also help.  There are some semi-graphic sexual scenes also, which tends to cause readers to react negatively.  So if you’re into the genre and that is something that bothers you, I’d suggest you pick it up anyway and skip those parts.  The rest of the novel is definitely worth it.  

I highly recommend Tanaquill for lovers of historical romance, fantasy, or readers who enjoy a trip into the world of the fae.  Akalle is a mystical writer, writing about mystical things.  What more could you ask for?   Stories about the land of the fairy always leave me a little wistful, being a favorite subject of mine when I was a girl. 

You can follow Akaelle at:  http://akalle.tumblr.com/

A Touch of Ice (An Everly Gray Adventure) – L.J. Charles

For those of you looking for really light reading this book might be for you, especially if your preference tends toward paranormal romance.  As I am often wont to do, I picked this up as a free offering on Amazon solely due to the really cute cover art; one of my many weaknesses that I can’t seem to overcome.

Everly Gray has ESP of the fingers, so she has to watch what (and who) she touches to avoid sometimes debilitating visions.  Her bff Violet, a private investigator, is just about the only one who knows about her gift.  After a chance meeting on the beach, her life becomes entwined with handsome hunk Mitch, who ends up hiring Violet to investigate his friend’s recent death.  Mitch ends up missing, and it’s up to her and Violet to find him.  Mayhem ensues, and all kinds of secrets uncovered.

Everly and Violet are both likeable characters, although not as fleshed-out and deep as I would have liked them.  I liked them both, clumsy Everly and her strong, self-reliant sidekick, I just felt like more could have been done with these characters.  The plot did stretch the limits of believability, but it is fiction, after all, and the author has the right to tell her story as she sees fit.  And I’m not talking about the ESP part, but I don’t want to give the story away.  That being said, Ms. Charles did tie up all the loose ends nicely, and her writing is solid without a lot of errors.  A big plus in the indie world, unfortunately. 

From the look of things the author is developing a nice fan base, so apparently this type of story resonates with many readers.  It is a bit superficial for me, however, and a tad too much on the “light” side.  Not much thinking required, but a nice little getaway.  All in all it was a pleasant read.   There are plenty of readers who favor this type of story, and the author seems to be adept at tapping into that market.  Kudos, Ms. Charles. 

A Touch of Ice is the first in a series of Everly Gray adventures.  A Touch of TNT and A Touch of the Past are already available, as well as the novella To Touch a Thief.  If you enjoy a quick, light escape without a lot of thought, you might try this series out. 

You can follow L.J. Charles at her website:  http://www.ljcharles.com .

Sugar Cane – E.E. Fry

I’m sure my high school geography teacher would be thrilled if he knew one of his students actually retained something from his class all these years later.  When I received Sugar Cane for review, I actually delighted myself when I realized I remembered that the island of Mauritius was located in the Indian Ocean.  Being from the U.S. where our island destinations tend to trend towards Hawaii, the Caribbean and Bali that’s about all I knew, though.   I’m happy to say that quickly changed as I dove into this novel, which  gave me Mauritian history and social studies lessons, and a travel guide so well written I could almost “see” the island.  All this was woven so artfully and intricately throughout the story and the lives of its characters that I didn’t even realize I was actually learning something.  Bravo, Ms. Fry!

Sugar Cane is the story of Elizabeth “Beth” LaBelle, a young woman uneasy with her heritage in her homeland of England.  Although she has a good life with her husband and loving parents, her father, George, has been quite secretive about his Mauritian roots, which has translated to insecurity and doubt for his daughter.  George dies, leaving Beth a mysterious box full of devastating family secrets and one final request — that she scatter his ashes in a specific sugar cane field on the island of his birth.

Sugar Cane is told from two points of view, Beth’s and her father’s (his from beyond the grave), as well as two periods of time.  Beth’s story is told in the present, as she leaves her native England and travels to Mauritius where she struggles to carry out her father’s last wishes and to understand who she really is.  George tells a tale of his youth, a period of social unrest and forbidden love, in an attempt to explain his actions to both himself and the reader.  Ms. Fry does all of this with flair and an obvious deep understanding of the human emotions involved.  She guides the reader gently but firmly through the recesses of Beth and George’s psyches, eventually wrapping the reader in a warm blanket of understanding and empathy for the characters.  Despite the different points of view and travelling from time period to time period, the reader is never confused and it doesn’t feel like there is too much going on; a trap that a lesser writer could have easily fallen into.  Quite the contrary, the two separate stories complimented each other nicely, and I enjoyed the rhythm of going back and forth between the two. In spite of the seriousness of the subject matter, the author takes us on a fun ride, blending humor and colorful characters with a good, solid mystery.

Ultimately, this book is also a story about the island of Mauritius itself and Ms. Fry incorporates its personality throughout the story, taking us past the sleek touristy image and giving us a glimpse into the social turmoil and political unrest of the past.  She dares point the finger at western culture and its greedy ways that so often throughout history has stuck its paws where it didn’t belong, taking what it wanted and leaving native cultures confused and used up.  I adore authors who are unafraid to express their opinions on subjects that are important to them, rather than glossing over it or not mentioning it at all.  Especially when they do it as eloquently as Ms. Fry.  I tip my hat to her for having the courage to write what she believes is an integral part of the story despite the fact that it may turn some readers away.

I thoroughly enjoyed Sugar Cane.  It is a mature, well thought out story that obviously means a lot to the author.  The plot is captivating and the writing polished.  I loved the element of mystery and suspense, which kept me guessing and turning the page.  I didn’t see the ending coming, and I love it when that happens!  The characters of Beth and her family are well-drawn and fully fleshed out, and I felt I was inside their heads learning about them as they uncovered secrets about themselves that even they didn’t know.  This is on my must read list, and I will heartily recommend it to my friends.  Congratulations, Ms. Fry, on a commanding, elegant, and thoroughly engaging first novel!

You can follow Ms. E.E. Fry on Twitter @sugarcanebook, on Facebook, or at her website:  http://sandybredpublishing.blogspot.com/p/e-e-fry.html .  Unfortunately for me, I’ll probably never make it to Mauritius, but her prose sure makes me wish I could.  Pick this one up!  Bonzour!

Jaden Baker – Courtney Kirchoff

A few months ago, after going through several — let’s see, how do I put this nicely — extremely sub-par free indie offerings on Amazon, I became disheartened, depressed, disenchanted.  Then I stumbled across Jaden Baker and my faith in indie was renewed.  I should thank Ms. Kirchoff for saving me *thank you* from giving up on indie publishing altogether, because I would have missed lots of charming, enlightening, entertaining, hilarious and thought-provoking indie fiction, some of which I have blogged about here.  It’s been a while since I read Jaden Baker, so I did a quick skim of the book before writing this review, and it just reminded me again of how much I liked it.  I hate to be cliché, but Koontz fans you MUST get this book.  You won’t be disappointed.

Jaden learned early on  in his hard life that he was gifted, special.  Unfortunately for him, his gift (psychokinesis) has brought him nothing but grief and heartache  — along with the attention of the wrong people.  People who want to use him.  Jaden Baker deposits us in Jaden’s life at the age of 9, when he is adopted by a well-meaning upper-middle class couple. Soon thereafter he is kidnapped by a powerful group intent on studying Jaden, training him, and using him for their own nefarious purposes.  Much of the book, six years of Jaden’s life, in fact, take place while he is in captivity where torture is the training method.  The other half of the book follows Jaden after his escape, where he lives off the grid for years until fate intervenes in all kinds of crazy ways.

Ms. Kirchoff is an extremely talented storyteller who has a firm grip on plot development and dialogue, which is one of the things that make this book a delight to read.  Her writing also has that indelible, special little something-something that makes readers come back for more.   There are certain twists to the story that may be a little too coincidental, but we all are required to suspend belief when we pick up a work of fiction, are we not?  That’s the magic of fiction; anything can happen, the author just has to dream it up.

This was more than a solid début performance for the author, and I’m sure her talent will take her as far as she wishes to go.  This book is major publishing house ready, with maybe a few tweaks by an editor.  I loved that it was a meaty, fully fleshed out story.  The indie world is flooded with short, serialized fiction, but this author has the confidence, patience, and talent to see her vision through. 

My only gripe about Jaden Baker is that it seemed a tad preachy in places.  BUT, it is the author’s story and she has the right to tell it however she chooses.  I suppose it’s the nature of the beast, our own views and the very essence of our beings coming out in our writing.  That being said, it did nothing to detract from my love of this story or its characters.  Maybe it’s that passion for her beliefs that made the story so good. 

I will definitely be watching for Ms. Kirchoff’s next novel.  She’s on my watch list, and I won’t be surprised if her next offering is published via a major publisher.  You can follow this adventurous, talented young woman (who happens to live on a sailboat in the Pacific Northwest with her adorable dog) at her website:  www.courtneykirchoff.com.

Photo Finish (Trouble in Paradise) – Terry Ambrose

In the mood for a mystery?  Need a vacation (at least in your mind)?  Give Photo Finish by Terry Ambrose a try.  Mr. Ambrose takes you on a rowdy adventure set in glorious Oahu where sometimes a pretty girl isn’t just a pretty girl, but harmless semi-retired apartment managers fall for them anyway.

We are introduced to McKenna, said apartment manager, living his quiet life hiding from the past and stonewalling the future.  Until a pretty new tenant moves in and a body gets thrown from an airplane.  Photo Finish is not only a story about unravelling a mystery, but also slowly peels away the layers of McKenna’s damaged psyche as he learns to begin to live his life again.  He’s not your stereotypical hero-slash-protagonist, which is refreshing; his weakness for the ladies and self-doubt is endearing.

The story with all of its twists and turns is quite straightforward without a lot of fluff — no confusing subplots or flowery language here.  The author feeds us little bits of Hawaiian culture and language through realistic and funny dialogue.  And despite quite a few subtle hints throughout the book, you don’t really know how this story is going to end up or where the characters stand until the end, which, in my opinion, is crucial for a mystery novel but seems to be often overlooked by authors.  (I find myself knowing exactly how a book is going to end far too often, to my dismay.)  This book reminds me of good, solid, old-fashioned mystery writing from back in the day.  While the characters spend a lot of time chasing violence, it doesn’t happen “on screen” and constantly slap you in the face, so if that’s not your thing then this is the book for you. 

All in all, this is a solid debut performance by the author.  The writing is mature and polished, the plot solid, and the characters well fleshed out and relatable.  You can follow Mr. Ambrose on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/photo.finish.novel , Twitter, or at his website:  www.terryambrose.com  Mahalo!

Herbs Gone Wild: Ancient Remedies Turned Loose – Diane Kidman

Sometimes I’m a little bit slow.  Just ask my kids.  I’ve downloaded lots of non-fiction onto my constant companion but never thought to review them.  Why wouldn’t these nice authors who work hard to inform and entertain us, offer it up for free even, want a little love?  Duh.  When Diane Kidman started following me on Twitter yesterday, I recognized her name and the light came on.  These authors need our support just as much as their flashy fiction counterparts, maybe even more so.  I did just turn 50, maybe those neurons aren’t firing as fast as they used to.

Herbs Gone Wild – Ancient Remedies Turned Loose is collection of remedies for everyday aches, pains, bumps and bruises.  This is a valuable collection of recipes that probably less than a hundred years ago was tribal knowledge passed down from generation to generation, but is in jeopardy of being lost altogether if not for herbalists like Ms. Kidman.  As the author points out, when our grandmothers and great grandmothers went to the pharmacy they bought herbs and prepared them themselves, not pharmaceuticals.  Making teas, tinctures and salves was second nature for them, like baking their own bread and growing their own vegetables, even if they lived in the city. 

Herbs Gone Wild is an easy to follow guide to natural cures broken down by symptom.  It covers everything from colds and the flu to first aid, toothaches and arthritis — and everything in between.  Being a frequenter of my local herb shop, I especially enjoyed the section on how to make your own teas, tinctures and salves.  I’ve paid top dollar for some natural cures that I now can make myself for significantly less, thanks to Ms. Kidman. 

The author presents her information in a very reader friendly, straightforward way that is also entertaining and fun to read.  She encourages us to go to our roots (literally and figuratively) for simple ailments, rather than the local drug store.  Sure, it takes a little more time and effort than opening a box of cold and flu medicine or bottle of Advil, but the satisfaction you get from going to your own herb shelf for a preparation you made yourself and getting the same — or better — results is priceless.  (And better for you).

This is a must read starter guide for anyone interested in learning about herbal medicine, or even old pros who just need an easy reference tool.  Trust me, your ancestors will be smiling.

You can pick up another of Diane’s offerings, Beauty Gone Wild, FREE on Amazon as of this writing today.  I’m hoping her series continues with a Pets Gone Wild, lol.  I’d love to be able to skip a few trips to the vet’s office.  You can follow Diane Kidman on Twitter @dkmommy, at www.DianeKidman.com or www.dkMommySpot.com .  Enjoy!

Rx – Episode 1: The Blackouts; Episode 2: The Reservoir – Robert Brockway

 

Oh, boy.  Okay.  Here it goes.  I’ve had a draft of this review on my computer for quite some time but haven’t had the cojones to publish it.  If you have to ask why, you probably haven’t heard of Robert Brockway or, more specifically, the fans and followers from his Cracked.com column.  They’re, let’s just say, um,  very loyal.  One wrong step and I’ll probably be pummeled with indignant comments and messages. Maybe I should just throw a “read this” at you and run.  Settle down, boys and girls.  If you’d let me finish, I was just going to say how intelligent and insightful I think you all are.  Peace, man.  🙂

In the three-part Rx series, Robert Brockway has created the perfect dystopian society, if you have to live in a dystopian society, that is — you get to be all drugged up.  Legally.  Hum, wait a minute. That sounds familiar.  Can’t get it up?  We’ve got something for that.  Legs “restless”?  Step right up, folks, we’ve got something to stop your legs in their tracks.  Really?  Sigh.  The only difference between the world of Rx and ours is they don’t have to drive all the way to Walgreen’s for their high — even the poorest of homes has a “feed”.  (And the drugs are probably better researched.)

Episode 1 of the series introduces us to Red, a dealer of illicit drug mixes and beta tester for the legal stuff. We first find him with a major hangover from a beta test in the bowels of the Four Posts, a scary future world where your living space is defined by inches, everything is disposable and nanotechnology rules the world.  Red’s problem is that he doesn’t remember anything, including how he got there, he has a hangover that includes wicked, ever-worsening hallucinations, and he has violated his non-disclosure agreement.  Unfortunately for him, they burn witches — I mean violators — and ask questions later. Rx: Episode 1 takes us on a raucous ride as Red tries to escape the crazies down below (with the help of one of the crazies, an ex-girlfriend with a grudge) and elude the drug company bounty hunters sent to kill him.  Further up, we also get to know QC, a Factory Girl, and Byron, a rich junkie Penthouse Kid, each searching for Red to get their own special fix that only he can provide. 

The action continues in Episode 2, taking us on an adventure to the watery world of the Reservoir where we get to know more about our protagonists and what makes them tick.  Red, his mind increasingly unstable from the beta test, is desperate to reach a mysterious contact who can protect him from Hockner Industries and cure his potentially lethal hangover.  QC and Byron develop an awkward, tenuous mutual respect in Episode 2 that is both sweet and marvelously discordant at the same time.

Robert Brockway is extremely talented at creating a setting and planting you firmly in his world.   So much so that it seems to have a personality of its own and is an integral part of the story.  The detail and ambiance is so well done that I, who sometimes have a problem visualizing an author’s world, felt like I was stepping right into the Four Posts when I turned on my Kindle and began to read, becoming more and more immersed as the pages went by.  This attention to detail is not distracting in any way, only enhances the story and supports the characters and their actions.  It was, in fact, a refreshing change for me, having found that many indie books tend to forego setting and leave the characters in vague, undefined surroundings.

This is an action-packed, fast-moving story.  It would have to be, I suppose, as these are two very short novellas.  That was a drawback for me, seeing as I’m one of those the-longer-the-better readers, especially when it’s a good story.  War and Peace?  Bring it on, baby.   The language is rough, and the characters delightfully raunchy and coarse, especially QC.  I particularly enjoyed QC and Byron’s uncomfortable pairing.  There is the humor that you expect from Mr. Brockway, but not in the way you might think.  The humor is so well done and threaded so intimately and naturally throughout the plot and dialogue that I didn’t even recognize it as such. 

I wholeheartedly recommend the Rx series to sci-fi/dystopian fans.  While sci-fi is pretty much a free-for-all as far as taking society wherever you want it to go, as with all really good fiction the author has drawn many parallels to the sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in today; i.e., a  pharmaceutically controlled society, the rich guys up top in the sun doling out the dope to the disenfranchised down below, where the ideas of sunlight and hope are only a myth.

The author is becoming a master at the cliffhanger, and I have been waiting not-so-patiently for Episode 3, which just came out last week.  So now you can enjoy all three and not have to wait a month for the next episode. 

You can follow Mr. Brockway at his CRACKED.com column http://www.cracked.com/members/Robert+Brockway/ , on Facebook, Twitter, or at http://www.rxthebook.com .  Now excuse me while I go take a Valium, top that off with a Vicoden, and hide from commentors telling me how I did Mr. Brockway an injustice with my flat, ineloquent, and decidedly shallow prose.  😉

Haole Wood – Dee DeTarsio

When the author contacted me and asked me to review Haole Wood I jumped on it.  A few hours in Hawaii?  Beautiful beaches, beautiful people, sun, sand and adventure?  I’m in! 

Jaswinder Park is living her dream as a TV weather girl in San Diego.  When she has to go to Maui to bail her old Hawaiian healer grandmother (whom she barely knows and can’t understand) out of jail for selling pot, she not only loses her job but her whole life.  Or so she thinks.

Haole Wood is a funny, lighthearted tale that takes us on Jaswinder’s journey of self-discovery.  Stuck (stuck?) in Maui, feeling sorry for herself and ruminating on the disaster that is her life, she becomes involved in the murder of a prominent island resident.  Her grandmother is arrested for his murder, and Jaswinder begins to learn some important life lessons as she works to prove her innocence.  With the aid, I might add, of a giant, naked Hawaiian guardian angel who has a penchant for showing up at the most inopportune times. 

This book is a delightful blend of romance, mystery and adventure.  Dee DeTarsio has a talent for dialogue and expressing her characters’ voices and personalities in a very real way.  So talented, in fact, that I came to adore Halmoni even though she could only speak two words of English — “Not that.”  And Jaswinder, oh, Jaswinder.  There were a couple of times when I wished I could turn that girl over my knee.  Maybe that’s because I saw bits and pieces of my younger self in her stubborn, flighty nature.  But that’s also a part of her considerable charm. 

And the setting — how can you go wrong with Maui?  Well, you can.  I’ve seen it done.  But the author does an outstanding job of whisking us away to the island paradise that is Maui, giving us a peek at real life on the island away from the resorts and tourist traps.  You also get a little primer on Hawaiian language and culture here and there.  The only drawback?  You’re going to look up from your book and be really mad that your feet aren’t buried in the sand on a beach in Maui.

I throughly enjoyed watching Jaswinder get to know and love her grandmother, herself, and her Hawaiian heritage.  Her lighthearted romance with Dr. Jac was engaging and sweet, and I was delighted when her company “Haole Wood” (which makes “sunshminas”, her Hawaiian version of pashminas) took off.   Most of all, though, I was thrilled when Jaswinder began to feed the turtle of love and integrity and left the turtle of fear and greed to starve.

If you’re looking to escape into an enchanting land of warm ocean breezes filled with love, mystery and adventure, Haole Wood is the book for you.  It is a fun, relaxing read filled with delightful characters with a few life lessons thrown in.

Dee DeTarsio is the author of the San Diego Book and Writing Awards finalists The Scent of Jade and The Kitchen Shrink.  You can follow her on Twitter @DeDeTarsio, on Facebook, or at her blog:  http://deedetarsio.wordpress.com/  Aloha!