The Christms Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus by Tim Slover Genre: Holiday Fiction Reviewed by: Danya
Everybody knows the story of Santa Claus, big jolly guy dressed in red with his sleigh and reindeer. But do we really know the true story of how he got started. The author was dreading the start of yet another packed and busy Christmas when he headed up the mountain to collect pine boughs. Little did he know the day would end with him seeing a sleigh pulled by a reindeer, chased by a dark cloud of doom, with a book falling at his feet that chronicled the story of Klaus, the man the world came to know as Santa Claus. Outlining how Klaus got his start making toys for children, met his wife Anna, got his suit and reindeer, and become the immortal figure that embodies
Christmas for young and old alike, this book will quickly become a cherished Yuletime tradition. The Christmas Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus by Tim Slover is a wonderfully sweet and richly imaginative read that stays true to the Santa Claus legend while breathing new life into the story. Santa’s many traditions, such as his suit, how he met his wife, his reindeer and sleigh, the elves, his love of cookies, and how he is able to visit all the children of the world in one night are all explained, along with the evil force that is trying to destroy our Christmas spirit. It will easily become a welcome family tradition, best enjoyed with a cup of eggnop or a mug of hot chocolate, while listening for sleigh bells.
Features •
Featured Review............................................................3
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Q & A With the Authors................................................6
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Romance by Mary Eason...............................................8
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Urban Fantasy and the Paranormal by Roxanne Rhoads ....................................................................................21
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Dark Streets by Bill Shears..........................................24
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Cooking Up A Storm With Kyrainse............................32
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Author Interview by Tammie King..............................37
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SFF Insider by Shartyrant............................................44
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Tantalizing Tidbits by The Book Nerd..........................47
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History Bits by Lilyraines.............................................50
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Teen Reads by MonicaBBB..........................................53
Night Owl Reviews™ WEtap Media, LLC ™ 2459 SE TV HWY, #153, Hillsboro, Oregon 97123 NightOwlReviews@gmail.com Editor-In-Chief: Tammie King Director of Marketing: Tammie King NightOwlReviews@gmail.com © Night Owl Reviews 2010 These are just a small portion of the reviews that Night Owl Reviews has available on our website. For a full listing and the most up to date reviews visit our website www.NightOwlReviews.com. Reviews are provided by our review staff. Reviewers get books via NOR and we get books direct from the publishers, authors and publicists. Reviews are based on reviewer thoughts.
Q & A With Author Ginger Simpson
Question:
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Answer:
Not really. I love exactly the way it’s written. Carrie Lang comes to prison, young and naive, and quickly becomes cynical and savvy. http://
www.gingersimpson.com Q & A With Author Emily Whitman
Question:
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Answer:
Always! I’m told that the painter Degas used to go up to his paintings on people’s walls and pull out his paints and start fixing things. With Wildwing, I’m dying to write about what happens next. http://www. emilywhitman.com
Romance by Mary Eason It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas everywhere I look!
Is it just me or does Christmas seem to come earlier every year. This year, the decorations at stores were up several weeks before Halloween. In Texas, the temperature hit close to ninety this week, so Christmas is the last thing that comes to mind for me. But I do love Christmas. And when you combine Christmas with a great romance, well, it’s hard not to get in the spirit of the season. What’s that? You’re not ready, you say? You’re feeling very bah humbie? Your finances got you down and the thought of buying Christmas gifts makes you want to climb inside your stocking and hide out until
the season is over? Well, not to worry, I have the perfect solution to get you in the Christmas spirit and maybe even give you some ideas for gift giving that won’t blow your budget. I’m talking about e-books. Just about everybody’s heard of them and no matter what your opinion might be of the print versus e-book debate, one thing is for certain, if you love to read, or you have an avid reader in the family, e-books are a very economical way to make someone happy. So, what do you say? Let’s get a head start on our Christmas list, and maybe find some great gifts for ourselves as well.
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Here are some of the season’s upcoming Christmas romance novels that are sure to bring a smile to even a Grinch’s face. Christmas In Cedar Cove by Debbie Macomber
First, drop in at 5-B Poppy Lane, where you’ll get a chance to visit with Helen Shelton, her granddaughter Ruth and Ruth’s husband, Paul. They’ll offer you a cup of mulled cider and the story of how they met—and they’ll share Helen’s breathtaking adventures during the Second World War. Then drive out to Grace and Cliff Harding’s place. They have a small horse ranch not far from Cedar Cove. Mary Jo Wyse and her little girl, Noelle, will be there, too. Join them in reliving their memories of
the Christmas Mary Jo came to Cedar Cove, pregnant and alone, and had her baby in the Hardings’ stable (well, actually the apartment above it). That’s the night firefighter Mack McAfee began to fall for Mary Jo and the idea of a family—with her.
MIRA Books | NOV 1st, 2010 | $5.59 | You’re invited to Cedar Cove this Christmas! A Piggly Wiggly Christmas by Robert Dalby
There’s no Christmas like Christmas in the small Delta town of Second Creek, Mississippi. When the new First Lady of Second Creek, Gaylie Girl Dunbar, approaches her new husband, Mayor Hale Dunbar, former owner of the local Piggly Wiggly market,
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with a civic project involving Christmas caroling around the historic town square, all the local church choirs quickly sign up for the big event. But when an electrical fire devastates the square’s beautiful old buildings a week before Christmas, everything is thrown into chaos. It falls to the town’s indefatigable army of matrons-the Nitwitts-to find a way to revive the holiday spirit and raise money to rebuild. It will take a miracle... But it’s Christmas in Second Creek, where everyday miracles are a way of life. Putnam Books | NOV 24th | $11.99
Home In Time For Christmas by Heather Graham
Melody Tarleton
is driving home for Christmas when a man—clad in Revolutionary War–era costume—appears out of nowhere, right in the path of her car. Shaken, she takes the injured stranger in, listening with concern to Jake Mallory’s fantastic claim that he’s a Patriot soldier executed by British authorities. Bringing Jake to her parents’ house, Melody concocts a story to explain the handsome holiday guest with the courtly manners and strange clothes. Mark, her close friend who wishes he were more, is skeptical, but her family is fascinated. So is Melody. Jake is passionate, charming and utterly unlike anyone she’s ever met. Can he really be who he claims? And can a man from the distant past be the future she truly longs for?
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MIRA Books | NOV 1st | $7.99 Christmas Wishes by Barbara Metzger
A crisis sends Juneclaire Beaumont on a difficult journey to London, forcing her one night to take shelter in a stable with the rakish Earl of St. Cloud. Though he behaves as a gentleman, the ton would never believe him to act the nobleman for a moment, let alone a whole night. When Juneclaire slips out of town, the earl sets out to prove them wrong, spending the twelve days of Christmas on an all-or-nothing ride to find her. Signet | NOV 2nd | $5.99
His Christmas Pleasure by Cathy Maxwell Anything can happen at Christmas! When her father threatens to marry Abigail Montross off to a man twice her age (and with thirteen children!), she decides to elope instead with the irresistibly handsome BarÓn de Vasconia. She knows all about his notorious reputation. He is the most seductive man in all of London, but he’s vowed to protect her, so she allows herself to be tempted into his bed, promising to guard her heart at all costs. Andres believes he’s entered into nothing more than a marriage of convenience with a charming and very wealthy young woman. But the days—and nights—Abigail spends in
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his arms soon reform this rogue. He’ll do anything to gain her love—until they each discover the truth about the other and old wounds are revealed. It’s the season of miracles and passion—when love not only awakens the senses but delivers the greatest gift of all . . . Avon Books | NOV 30th | $7.99 A Christmas Promise by Mary Balough
A love that cannot be bought or sold proves to be the greatest gift of all, in this heartwarming classic that demonstrates once again why New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh is among the most celebrated authors of historical romance.
Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions—especially when a couple seems as well matched as Randolph Pierce, Earl of Falloden, and his bride-to-be, Eleanor Transome. Ellie brings to the marriage a vast dowry, while Falloden, though distant, is handsome, tremendously desirable, and possessed of a title most young ladies can only dream of sharing. Yet Ellie is not most young ladies. She knows that she must honor her dear father’s dying wish for her to wed the proud earl, but she dreads a lifetime in a union without love—and how can Falloden claim to love her when he married her only for her fortune? As Christmas descends upon the Falloden manor, the warmth of the season may
yet melt away the trappings of duty and wealth, leaving behind only a man and a woman destined for each other’s arms. Dell Books | OCT 26th | $6.39
Christmas Eve At Friday Harbour by Lisa Kleypas
One Little Girl Needs a Family One rain-slicked night, six-year-old Holly lost the only parent she knew, her beloved mother Victoria. And since that night, she has never again spoken a word. One Single Man Needs a Wife The last thing Mark Nolan needs is a six-yearold girl in his life. But he soon realizes that he will do everything he can to
make her life whole again. His sister’s will gives him the instructions: There’s no other choice but you. Just start by loving her. The rest will follow. Sometimes , It Takes a Little Magic... Maggie Collins doesn’t dare believe in love again, after losing her husband of one year. But she does believe in the magic of imagination. As the owner of a toy shop, she lives what she loves. And when she meets Holly Nolan, she sees a little girl in desperate need of a little magic. …To Make Dreams Come True Three lonely people. Three lives at the crossroads. Three people who are about to discover that Christmas is the time of year when anything is possible, and when wishes have
a way of finding the path home… St. Martin’s | OCT 26th | $9.99
So, grab some paper and pen, curl up with a warm cozy blanket, maybe some eggnog or hot apple cider and let’s get cracking on that shopping list! And why not get yourself a little something
while your at it. All the best…
Mary Eason www.maryeason.com
Mary Eason is the author of books such as “A Night to Remember” and “Root of All Evil”. You can find Mary online at http://www.maryeason.com.
Her Only Hope For The Season by Michele Sinclair With their father gone this Christmastide, Bronwyn de Breton and her two younger sisters are utterly vulnerable at unprotected Hunswick Castle. And their troubles are compounded when a fearsome knight arrives on the king’s orders to take Hunswick as his own—and the youngest de Breton daughter as his wife.
Urban Fantasy
and the Paranormal
by Roxanne Rhoads
Roxanne Rhoads is a story stumpet, tome loving tart, and lover of all things paranormal. She is also a freelance writer and the author of erotic paranormal romances.
Halloween’s over, Thanksgiving is just around the corner…which means… it’s holiday shopping time. Do you give books for the holidays? I think books make fabulous gifts, if not a book then a gift card to a book store. I love finding Borders, Barnes and Noble and Amazon gift cards in my Christmas stocking. I think Amazon gift cards are at the top of my wish list- along with a Kindle. So what do you want for Christmas (or whatever winter holiday you celebrate)? Do you have books on your wish list? I know I do- a very long list of them. Publishers are making sure readers have plenty of choices when choosing gift worthy books in the next couple of months.
November’s new releases include Lydia Dare’s latest Regency werewolf book, The Taming of the Wolf. This one’s already in my to-read pile. Another November release already in my to-read stack is In Dreams Begin (Harrowing #2) by Skyler White. The first book was so lush and mind bending I can’t wait to read what resides among the pages of book 2. Other much anticipated November releases include: In the Company of Vampires (Dark Ones #8) by Katie MacAlister, Living Nightmare (The Sentinel Wars #4) by Shannon K. Butcher, Marked By The Moon (Night Creature #9) by Lori Handeland, Prince Charming Doesn’t Live Here (The Others #10) by Christine Warren, Bitten in Two (Jaz Parks #7) by Jennifer Rardin (who sadly and unexpectedly
passed away recently), Night of the Vampires by Heather Graham, Bone Gods (Black London #3) by Caitlin Kittredge, Hungry For You (Argeneau Vampires #14) by Lynsay Sands, Vampires Not Invited (Night Tracker #3) by Cheyenne McCray, and Vicious Grace (The Black Sun’s Daughter #3) by M.L.N. Hanover. I recently reviewed Vicious Grace for NOR and it is a fabulous read. If you haven’t read this series yet I highly recommend it. And while you’re out holiday shopping don’t forget that books make wonderful gifts.
As we write, John Grisham’s legal thriller The Confession is number one on Amazon’s Mystery & Thriller Best Seller list. In an over-lawyered world, this is no surprise and Grisham’s books are page-turners for sure. We hope to read it someday soon and as a thriller it sounds exceptional: the story of a murderer who gets away with it for nine years, watches as an innocent man is lined up for execution, then gets terminal cancer and wants to come clean. Great stuff of legal thrillers, but a mystery? Probably not in the classic sense. Even though it does have a corpse and a sleuth, the killer him-
self, though his task is not to uncover clues but convince the authorities of his guilt. There is much overlap in genres, especially between what is called mystery and suspense. But from this point “Dark Streets” we’ll concentrate on mysteries with a more strict adherence to the classic definition:, a corpse, a sleuth and a set of clues that link the two. Readers of mysteries tend to be voracious, so here are some useful mystery resources, for when you’re not reading, you know, actual mystery books: The “Writing to Publish”
http://kite.infinitybound.com
(http://www.cuebon. com/ewriters/index.html ) web site http://www. cuebon.com/ewriters/ Msubgenres.html) has a great page with a list of the mystery/suspense/ thriller subgenres. (http:// www.cuebon.com/ewriters/Msubgenres.html), For more details link on over. Here’ the list: - Amateur Investigator - Bumbling Detective - Caper - Child in Peril - Cozy - Culinary - Doctor Detective - Handicapped - Hard-boiled - Historical - Inverted or Howdunit - Legal - Locked Room or Puzzle - Police Procedural - Private Detectives
- Serial - Supernatural - Whodunit
This page, a super list of mystery-themed blogs, is for some reason found at a site about online colleges: 50 Blogs for Mystery Readers (http:// www.bestcollegesonline. net/blog/2010/50-blogsfor-mystery-readers) And here’s the first page of an interesting Mystery Timeline. :(http:// www.mysterynet.com/ timeline) To kick off this swerve toward the whodunit, as a one-eyed guy we’re drawn to that handicapped subgenre mentioned in the list above. Here’s another great source for mysteries featuring less-than-fullyabled sleuths from Liba-
http://kite.infinitybound.com
raryBookLists.org (http:// librarybooklists.org/mybooklists/mysteriesable. htm SCI-FI THRILLER QUEST: Our gear-shift to whodunits will be all the more fluid since we’ve found a sci-fi thriller to recommend. It’s a masterful and fast-paced cyberpunk thriller set in a near-future dystopia called Dead Girls by Richard Calder. (http:// www.sf2h.com/richardcalder/deadgirls.php) And it’s not what you might think by the title; though it is somewhat ultra-violent, the dead girls are not corpses. These dead girls are, well, walking, talking dolls, both figuratively and literally In the future a commercial dispute between artificial intelligence
houses – a mix of fashion and science and crime – causes one to produce a virus that spreads from artificial women to human men, corrupting their DNA, so that their off-spring daughters grow up doomed to be the titular lifeless automatons: animated and sentient , but plastic. The protagonists are a couple of teens, Ignatz is a boy in love with Primavera, a slowly transforming doll, who is addicted to his blood. It’s a pretty much insane romp through a world of particle beams, dreamscapes and automata. Our anti-heroes have escaped from London which has been quarantined because of the doll plague. They are on the run in a wildly freewheeling Asia. They must make their
http://kite.infinitybound.com
way back to London to get a cure for Primavera, who’s being slowly poisoned. It’s a kind of fearand-loathing with fashion, in the plastic future, slightly surreal and adult technonoir, Dead Girls is not for the young, faint of heart, or the sci-fi beginner. A bit over-the-top, it stretches even a quite elastic, suspension-of-disbelief organs like ours, but a well-written story can overcome about anything. QUOTE OF THE NONTH: From Dead Girls, Ignatz describing Primavera: “Was she beautiful? No; like all her kind she possessed not beauty, but the overripe prettiness that is the saccharine curse of dollhood. Beauty has soul. Beauty has resonance. But a doll is a thing of surface and plane. Clothes, make-up,
behavioural characteristics, resolve, for her into an identity that is all gesture, nuances, signs. She has no psychology, no inner self, no metaphysical depths. She is the glory, the sheen of her exterior, the hard brittle sum of her parts. She is the ghost in the looking glass, the mirage that, reaching out to touch, we find is nothing but rippling air. She is image without substance, a fractal receding into infinity, a reflection without source and without end. “She is her allure.”
Bill Shears is the author of Kite, a science fiction comedy set in Earth orbit. You can find Bill online at: http://infinitybound.com
http://kite.infinitybound.com
Night Owl Reviews
Cooking Up A Storm
With Kyraninse
Heirloom Cooking with the Brass Sisters by Marilyn & Sheila Brass - Rating: 4.5 / 5 Stars
What do you think when you think “comfort food”? Better yet, what do you think when you think “comfort food” and then think of your mother, grandmother, the lady next door, or whoever fed you when you were a child? The title says “heirloom cooking”, but after flipping through the contents, I realized that this may be heirloom cooking, but that’s really just a fancy way of talking about the food that we were fed when we were young. That casserole that your grandmother made that you love and which you
wouldn’t be caught dead serving your oh-so-chic city friends? That’s in here. That recipe for chopped liver that makes you salivates, not frown, whenever someone mentions it in a derogatory fashion? Oh yeah, my mother’s chopped liver is worth fighting over, but I don’t know about your momma that you’d be comparing chopped liver to something to be despised. Then there’s the sophisticated blue cheese and
walnut crackers that you’d be proud to present at any highfalutin’ company dinner. This book isn’t just a cookbook; this is a trip down memory lane… multiple avenues of them. From the Jewish bubbe’s pantry to the Italian nonna’s victory garden to the German oma’s kitchen counter -- the little vignettes of where the authors found these gems accompanying the recipes are what really make this book shine. There are stories from all walks of life, giving valuable insight not only into how people cooked, but how they ate and lived. The recipes are solid: the layout is simple and clear, the directions are concise without leaving out key details, and the fact that they tell you just how many the recipe serves with mention of whether they are large or small servings is invaluable. What is really lovely is that there’s recipes in here
for all manner of cooks -- be you a novice or a chef, you’ll definitely find recipes in here to inspire and titillate. Even if you start out not knowing julienning from sautéing, there’s a good chance that once you’ve managed to cook your way through all of the easier recipes, you’ll be ready to tackle the harder ones as well. With a solid hardcover and gorgeous photos of both food and antique kitchen gadgets, this is definitely a book that I’m happy to keep on the kitchen counter, by the bedside, or on the coffee table. I find myself randomly flipping open this book when I’m bored or want inspiration and it never fails to disappoint. Kyraninse lives on the East Coast and enjoys cooking and reading.
Featured Interview by Tammie King with Carolyn Brown
Q: A:
Please tell us your latest news!
Hello to everyone at Night Owl Romance. Thank you for letting me talk about my Honky Tonk series which started in June with I Love This Bar. Hell, Yeah came out in August and My Give A Damn’s Busted and Honky Tonk Christmas in October. It was such a fun series to write with all the quirky characters who visited the old Honky Tonk town in Mingus, Texas. Each book features a bar owner who’s sassy, full of spit and vinegar and wouldn’t back down from a Texas wild fire; and a hunky cowboy (look at those covers) who finds out that it takes a lot to tame a Texas woman bent on having her way.
Q:
If you had to do it all over again, would you
change anything in your latest book?
A:
Not a single word. Honky Tonk Christmas is the ultimate final book in the series. I love Sharlene, the bar owner and an Army vet with nightmares from the classified job she did in Iraq; and Holt, the carpenter trying to raise his niece, Judd, and nephew, Waylon. My characters and I worked hard to get the book just right and sink or swim, I wouldn’t change anything about it.
Q:
Who is your favorite author and what is it that really strikes you about their work?
A:
That might be the toughest question anyone has asked me. I’m an eclectic ready. I like Randy Wayne White, Nora Roberts, Norah
Lofts, Margaret Mitchell, Leon Uris, Mario Puzo ... and that’s just a drop in the bucket. I also read J. A. Jance, James Lee Burke and Sue Grafton. But if I had to spend a great deal of time on an island with only one author it would have to be LaVryle Spencer. She wrote from the heart about common issues and problems and touched every emotion in my soul.
Q: A:
Do you have a specific writing style?
I don’t think so. I write just like I talk. Very southern and very brassy. I love western romance but I’ve also written historical and contemporary romance and loved it, too.
Q: A:
Do you see writing as a career?
Yes, ma’am. I’ve sold a total of fifty nine books
in twelve years. That doesn’t mean they are all written, just contracted. But they will be before the end of the year. My grandmother said that success is loving what you do. With that in mind, I have a very successful career!
Q: A:
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
Reading! I loved to read even as a child. When I figured out that those squiggly lines made words I was in love. Then I wanted to write stories so I did.
Q: A:
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Write, don’t whine! Plain and simple. When you get a rejection letter or slip, whine for five minutes, file it and go back to writing. Whining doesn’t produce anything; writing does. I have enough
rejection slips to wall paper the White House ... that would be the big one on Pennsylvania Ave., not the little two holer down at the end of grandpa’s back yard. They are part of the job. If you don’t write it, you ain’t goin’ to sell it, darlin’. So five minutes, tops and go right back to writing another story!
Q:
How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?
A:
They love it and yes they read my books. Right now I have two brand new ones on my dining room table, My Give A Damn’s Busted and Honky Tonk Christmas, and they are fighting over who’s going to get their grubby little paws on it first. My Aunt Mil, who is a big fan, will probably read it first. She holds the Read-itFirst crown right now. But my Cousin Judy might run her
some competition this time around. Husband, bless his heart, even reads them and he’s a mystery reader.
Q: A:
What did you do before you became a writer? Do you write full time?
I’ve had many, many jobs! Teacher’s aid, apartment management, and for fourteen years I worked at a newspaper where I wrote a weekly humorous column. These days, I’m privileged to be able to write full time and even have my own office in my home. I am blessed!
Q:
What is your writing process? Do you outline, fly by the seat of your pants or a combination of both?
A:
I think my writing is more like flying an airplane. I’m the pilot and I let all my characters get
on the plane, take a seat and we’re off. About half way to the destination, they hijack the plane and we go to the most amazing places! It’s a great way to write.
Q:
Do you have a favorite object that is pertinent to your writing? If so what is it and please describe it. (Pen, Coffee Cup, Pet, Blanket, Chair)
A:
I have a coffee cup that my brother gave me when he quit the restaurant business thirty years ago. And I listen to country music when I write. Especially if I write myself into a corner. George Jones and Blake Shelton have helped me get over writer’s speed bumpitis many times. Floyd Cramer is always a big, big help!
Q:
Do you have a ritual when it comes to writing? Example….get coffee, blanket, paper, pen and a
comfy place
A:
Not really. I try to write five thousand words a day so I never thought about a ritual. Maybe I should ... do you reckon a ritual might melt fat grams, calories and cellulite? If so, I’m definitely getting one.
Q: A:
What main genre do you write in?
Romance
Thank you so much for letting me stop by and visit today. I’ve enjoyed it very much! Anyone got any comments or questions about the Honky Tonk series? Bring them on and I’ll try to answer them.
http://www.carolynlbrown.com
Science Ficion & Fantasy
by Shartyrant Science Fiction & Fantasy News & Reviews The Silent Army is book 2 in the Revivors series by James Knapp. This is a direct sequel to the awesome State of Decay. The series gives a new twist on the zombie trope. In this novel, Special Agent Nico Wachalowski has not recovered from the death of his love, Faye. However, to stop Fawkes, Nico might have to kill the woman he loved again as Faye is now a reviver working for Fawkes who is building his own silent army of revivers and has
gained control of weapons that kill thousands. The novel is filled with lots of conspiracy, social commentary and ideas on what make a human (even after they are dead). Highly recommend as it is a 4 star story! Only complaint is that the various narratives are not as smooth as the previous book, but it won’t keep a reader from enjoying it.
The Cardinal’s Blades by Pierre Pevel is a story of intrigue, spies and swordfights. It is an alternate history set during 17th-century Paris. Cardinal Richelieu and his elite force must aid France as war is on the horizon as danger rises from the south. A danger in the form of dragons and their descendants that are ancient, terrible, and powerful. These dragons are very different from the pet dragons that are common in France. Plus they have plans that do not contain freedom for men or allowing them to live.
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The Cardinal’s Blades is a very enjoyable adventure story that I recommend for fans interested in historical France with dragons and sword fights. Overall, I give it a four star rating! Bones of Empire by William C. Dietz is the second book in the duology that started with At Empire’s Edge. Far in the future, The Uman Empire has conquered and colonized worlds. Once invincible, its reign is now fragile as alien subjects and enemies conspire against it. Jack Cato is a cop on holiday in the capital city and gets a glimpse of the Emperor at a parade
and realizes what he is looking at is a supposedly dead shape-shifter from his past. Add that to the fact that another alien race has staked claim on one of the planets at the Empire’s edge in the prelude to a war with the Empire. I would recommend this book for those who enjoy science fiction that deals with lots of character driven stories, political intrigue, and military action. Highly recommend Bones of Empire and give it a five star rating - keeper status!
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Tantalizing Tidbits
The “W OW ” Factor
by The Book Nerd
HAS CUSTOMER SERVICE BECOME LIKE THE TYPEWRITER - EXTINCT? As you’ve already figured out by now, I’ve been around the barn a time or two, seen a lot of things and met a lot of people; so I don’t think I’m being unreasonable when assuming that despite tons of technology, there’s still some expected interaction with uh…other people. When I visited the bank about a month ago, I was shocked when the teller sort of smiled, counted out my money to herself, then placed it in an envelope, handed it to me and wished me a good day. Huh? What in the world happened to counting money back to the customer? For all I know she could’ve pulled the oaky doke when I checked the time and stuck some monopoly bills in there! I’m just saying. Since I counted out the
money and it appeared to be real, I headed over to the local gas station to fill up, deciding that I had to get some Eclipse gum, my favorite, along with some green diet (aren’t you proud of me?) tea and a yummy Starbucks mocha frappuccino. I smiled and paid, getting back some change, and then I waited. The cashier looked at me, and I looked at her waiting for something really neat to happen, but she was seriously clueless as to why I was still standing there. Apparently, it’s antiquated to expect not to juggle my purchases as I made it to the car, thankfully not dropping my treasured snacks due to the absence of something to carry them in. YIKES! Unlike a lot of people, I don’t purchase much online, preferring to laugh and giggle with perfect strangers who think I’m wonderful. That’s one of the really cool things about hanging out at the local Barnes and Noble or Borders. You can chit chat if you want, or you can pretend to look busy reading
Night Owl Reviews
a magazine and you’re left alone. But even better, if I take one measly magazine up to the counter, I’m going to get a bag, and get this – a true smile comes with it. As a frequent patron at the local library, I’m like Norm from Cheers where everybody knows my name. They give me new books that have just been released, ask if I’ve picked up the ten books I have waiting on the reserve shelf, or just engage in a conversation. They’re thrilled that I have 49 books at home on the table to read and it’s soon to be increased to 59. Even better, they like listening to my stories about “me”. What more fun can that be? Black Friday is coming up rather quickly and I declare that EVERY year some nutty salesperson or customer does something totally outrageous and ends up on the news. I’m all for being noticed – but goodness, is it worth being banned from a store for life, or fired because of a sale on an HD television or a SpongeBob sleeping bag? Some say that the lack of customer service today is one of the main reasons they shop online, and others think it’s simply more
convenient. But does that still mean that customers shouldn’t expect the best treatment all of the time? Should I settle? I think not! I like to feel those brand new books from my boyfriend (well, okay he’s a pretend boyfriend) David Baldacci, or read the back cover of J.R. Ward’s latest BDB novel, or salivate at the thought of Lilli Feisty’s latest BDSM book, then I like to hand over the cash and show off my knowledge about the latest releases from anyone who will listen. Is that too much to ask? Dang it, if I’ve committed a dangerous crime by expecting good customer service, shoot me now and put us all of our misery. I shudder to think what will happen when I pick up my turkey this year and will keep you posted. Meanwhile, Happy Thanksgiving from me and the Night Owl family to you and yours. Hugs from the Booknerd Hugs,
The Book Nerd
NightOwlReviews
Night Owl Reviews
History Bits
by Lilyraines
For the person who likes to have a general overview of the American Civil War and is unsure of where to start, or who either has an interest in battle sites or weapons of that period in American history, the following books may be of interest. The Pocket Book of Civil War Battle Sites by Angus Konstam is a good starting point for those readers who would like to have a general overview of the major battles of the American Civil War. The book provides a short look at each battle, maps of troop movements, and photographs (both period and modern). Throughout the book are also “glimpses” into the key officers on both sides of the conflict, photo-
graphs of soldiers, as well as images of the equipment and weapons that were used. The last few pages of this pocket book are dedicated to a battle site information list that provides the site’s location, internet links, and directions from the nearest major city. The Pocket Book of Civil War Weapons by Angus Konstam could be considered a companion book to The Pocket Book of Civil War Battle Sites by the same author. Where the other Pocket Book gives an overview of Civil War battles, this book provides information on sidearms, long arms, different edged weapons, and land and naval ordnance. As in the other book, there are photographs: of the weap-
NightOwlReviews
Night Owl Reviews
ons in question, of the men who used them, and modern photographs, though mainly of re-enactors and how the period weapons are used in a modern setting. Other books that may be of interest:
Mathew Brady’s Illustrated History of The Civil War by Benson J. Lossing
This book is a present day issue (published in 1996) of the book issued on the 50th anniversary of the Civil War. The book’s author - Benson J. Lossing - was a historian and a “court of last resort for facts and data” (From information provided about the author on the book’s overleaf). While providing many of Mathew Brady’s photographs of the
conflict, the book also offers a chronological summary of the engagement and the causes that led up to it. Mathew Brady’s Illustrated History of The Civil War also offers color pictures of paintings done by military artists, the copyrights to which were issued in the late 1880s and early 1900s. 1400 Days by Chris Bishop and Ian Drury
This book provides a day by day overview of the American Civil War. It also includes maps, photographs, paintings, weapons, key figures and issues. I hope you found at least one history book to check out this month.
Teen Reads
by MonicaBBB
Holiday Gift Guide
I decided I would treat you all with a gift guide...here are some great suggestions for your friends and family that read YA.
For the patient friend: A pre-order of the third and final installment in the Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Steifvater. By now I am sure everyone and their brother has read Shiver and Linger, why not save your friend or loved one the trouble of having to pre-order the book, order Forever first. For the friend who loves Sci-fi or dystopian literature:
The best dystopian about to be released in my opinion is Matched by Ally Condie. This book has everything you love about dystopian literature and a love triangle as well.
For the contemporary or historical lover: For your friends that love something a bit different and something that seamlessly weaves modern day with history then Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly would be perfect. For the friends still stuck on wolves:
Also one of the best books recently released is Nightshade by Andrea Cremer. It is the perfect book for those who love their wolves. For the friend still stuck on vampires:
I recently started reading The Morganville Vampire series that starts with Glass Houses by Rachel Caine. It has been out for awhile but is still a very relevant and excellent thrill ride.
For the friend who loves fantasy: A great recommendation for those who love fantasy is the recently released Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. It is a great mix of the classic Cassandra Clare writing with a fresh flavor. For the friend who always gets you way to much:
I hate when a friend spends a lot of money on me for a gift because I feel like I need to spend the same amount but... if you want to get your friend an affordable gift yet look like you spent a lot get them a box set of
books. They are usually discounted and you can find a plethora at this time of year. I recommend the Pretty Little Liars box set (containing books 1-4) by Sara Shepard or The Heir Chronicles Box set. Both are beautiful and excellent reads.
I hope everyone finds their friends and loved ones the perfect gift this holiday season and stay safe! MonicaBBB is a lover of books and more books!