Archive for May, 2012

Review: Infamous Players – Peter Bart

Thursday, May 31st, 2012
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Weinstein Books (May 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602861668
ISBN-13: 978-1602861664
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
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Review

Peter Bart had a long and illustrious career as an executive in the film industry. This career spanned 17 years, and covered some of the biggest hits and misses in film history. In Infamous Players he details the behind the scenes stories of some of the biggest such as Paint Your Wagon, Love Story, and The Godfather.

Not only does he cover the films, but he covers a lot of the the background politics and decisions that went into them. There were many surprises such as who all wanted to try out and was considered for The Godfather. How some members of the mob were involved.

As a time capsule of movie history, I found it very informative. It’s rare that I read an entire book in a one day period, but this one was one of those types of books. There were tons of pictures to go along with the narrative.

If you are a fan of film history then you defnitely need to grab a copy of this book. You’ll enjoy every minute of it. Be aware that there is strong language and subject matter, so older readers only is recommended.

About the Author

Peter Bart started his career as a newsman with the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, then spent seventeen years as a film executive (vice president of Paramount, senior vice president of MGM, president of Lorimar Film Co.) only to return to journalism as editor-in-chief of Variety. Along the way, he was responsible for seven books, including Shoot-Out, written with Peter Guber (the basis for their current weekly television show), Dangerous Company (a short story collection), and three nonfiction books, The Gross, Fade Out, and Boffo.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Anna at FSB Associates for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Blue Eyes – Jerome Charyn

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012
Paperback: 234 Pages
Publisher: MysteriousPress.com/Open Road 4/10/2012
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0747563594
ISBN-13: 978-0747563594
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
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Characters:

Manfred Coen – A Ping Pong playing policeman investigating a sex slave ring.

Synopsis:

A cop and his disgraced mentor attempt to bust a white slavery ring.

Before Isaac Sidel adopts him, Manfred Coen is a mutt. A kid from the Bronx, he joins the police academy after his father’s suicide leaves him directionless, and is trudging along like any other cadet when first deputy Sidel, the commissioner’s right hand man, comes looking for a young cop with blue eyes to infiltrate a ring of Polish smugglers. He chooses Coen, and asks the cadet to join his department after he finishes the academy. Working under Sidel means fast promotions, plush assignments, and, when a corruption scandal topples his mentor, the resentment of every rank-and-file detective on the force.

Now just an ordinary cop, Coen hears word that his old mentor has a line on a human trafficking operation. When Sidel’s attempt at infiltration fails, he sends in Coen. For Coen, it’s a shot to prove himself and redeem his mentor, but it could cost the blue-eyed cop his life.

Review

I wasn’t certain what to think of this book at first. I had a difficult time getting into it. The language was a bit strange. There were terms used that I was unfamiliar with. I also had a very difficult time determining what the plot was exactly, there didn’t seem to be one. It seemed big on story, but small on plot. So I put it aside and let my thoughts gather on it. That’s when it struck me. I was looking at this novel as a mystery. I was expecting there to be a murder plot, or in this case a plot involving a sex slavery ring, and never really seeemed to get that.

And why didn’t I get that? Because this book isn’t really a mystery, it’s crime fiction, and it’s a genre I’ve not really read. Well, I did read The Godfather and I think it tends to be along that style of novel. It’s more about the characters, and the events around them then it is about one particular plot throughout the book.

When I looked at it in that light, I had a different appreciation for what Mr. Charyn was trying to accomplish in his book. I found the characters to be quite vivid and they fit in with their environment. With this being the first novel in the series, there was a world to establish and characters to introduce you to, some of whom I’m sure will be seen in later novels, and Mr. Charyn did a good job at creating that world for the reader.

while it wouldn’t sit at the top of my list, it is something that I might have to re-read at some point now that I understand the purpose. It’s got strong language and adult situations, so I’d recommend it only for older teens or adults.

While it didn’t quite grab me at first, I would be intrigued to enter the world again and see what happens next with Isaac Sidel.

About the Author

Jerome Charyn (born May 13, 1937) is an award-winning American author. With nearly 50 published works, Charyn has earned a long-standing reputation as an inventive and prolific chronicler of real and imagined American life. Michael Chabon calls him “one of the most important writers in American literature.”

New York Newsday hailed Charyn as “a contemporary American Balzac,” and the Los Angeles Times described him as “absolutely unique among American writers.”

Since the 1964 release of Charyn’s first novel, Once Upon a Droshky, he has published 30 novels, three memoirs, eight graphic novels, two books about film, short stories, plays and works of non-fiction. Two of his memoirs were named New York Times Book of the Year. Charyn has been a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He received the Rosenthal Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and has been named Commander of Arts and Letters by the French Minister of Culture.

Charyn was Distinguished Professor of Film Studies at the American University of Paris until he left teaching in 2009.

In addition to his writing and teaching, Charyn is a tournament table tennis player, once ranked in the top 10 percent of players in France. Noted novelist Don DeLillo called Charyn’s book on table tennis, Sizzling Chops & Devilish Spins, “The Sun Also Rises of ping-pong.”

Charyn lives in Paris and New York City.

Jerome Charyn’s web site:
http://www.jeromecharyn.com/

Jerome Charyn’s Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/jerome.charyn

Jerome Charyn’s Twitter:
http://twitter.com/jeromecharyn

Issac Sidel’s Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/IsaacSidel

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Blue Eyes blog tour site:
http://blue-eyes-isaac-sidel.blogspot.com/

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Nicole at Tribute Books for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: A Satan Carol – Alan Kessler

Thursday, May 24th, 2012
Ebook: 257 Pages
Wild Child Publishing (December 26, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10:
ISBN-13: 978-
Order E-book here:

amazon

Characters:

Mr. Green – The Devil
Orem – A man convinced he has visions of the devil’s plans.
Fritz Mueller – A disturbed young german man.
Hugh Jackson – A man who has turned from his religion.
Harvey Katz – A sinful Lawyer.
Susan Katz – His zealous wife and daughter to Orem.
Katie Katz – A young girl who finds herself pregnant.

Synopsis:

Nostalgic for the Inquisition and plague, Satan feels neglected by the modern world that no longer cares about heresy or blames him for disease and death. He plans to create a new genesis, a place where people will love him. For that, his son needs just the right soul.

A Satan Carol is a horror story with a message for those who want to understand God’s apparent absence as the intersection of freewill and choice. It is a story with religious themes written for a secular reader. It is, in the end, a tale about family values even if they originate in hell.

Review

I’m really not sure what to think about this book. I think the characters were well drawn out and it definitely kept my interest in reading it. It’s presented as a spiritual horror story for secular readers. I think it gives a reader a lot to think about in terms of free will, choice, etc.

At the same time, it also seems to present a metaphorical look at the destruction we’re doing to our planet. The wasting of our resources, etc. and how that’s tied into the devil’s plans.

We’re introduced too each character, in his own story, and we get to see what methods Mr. Green used to seduce each person into doing his bidding.

The story is dark, and definitely doesn’t seem fit for young readers, but I would say older teens/adults may find a message within it. For me, I’m not sure I know what that message is. I may have to revisit it at some point now that I’ve seen the whole picture he’s painted.

About the Author

Alan Kessler lives in New England with his wife, four children and dog, Buckeye. There’s a gravestone in his backyard, but he tries not to go near it. This is his debut novel.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Alan Kessler for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

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Review: All He Saw Was the Girl – Peter Leonard

Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012
Paperback: 290 pages
Publisher: Story Plant, The (May 15, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1611880424
ISBN-13: 978-1611880427
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

William McCabe – Loyola University Student
Charles “Chip” Tallenger III – Friend of McCabe’s, Son of a Senator.
Sharon Vanelli – Wife of Ray Vanelli, Separated
Joey Palermo – Low Level Detroit Mobster.
Ray Vanelli – Secret Service Agent, Fired for behavior
Angela Gennaro – Daughter of a Don, plots kidnapping.
Roberto Mazara – Small time hood and kidnapper.

Synopsis:

Two college students, Chip and McCabe get in trouble for stealing a car. The newspaper article mentioning them mixes up their names. They mis-identify McCabe is the son of a Senator. Things begin to go downhill for McCabe from that point as he’s kidnapped, shot at by the mob, and is in pursuit of the ransom money.

Review

I liked the story Mr. Leonard told in this book. The writing was fast paced, the characters were interesting, and he wrote it in a style that kept you turning the pages. The book starts out telling the story as it unfolds for all the various players, but as the events unfold, the players find themselves involved in each others lives.

This was my second time reading one of Mr. Leonard’s books, and I wasn’t disappointed. I’d be very eager to revisit these characters again. I’d like to see more of what happens in McCabe’s life.

If there were one drawback I could think of, McCabe’s motivation for getting the money was never fully spelled out. Was he driven by greed, revenge, sense of adventure.

If you like thrillers, mob stories, and a fast paced adventure, then pick up this book. There is some strong language and violence, so older readers probably. Otherwise, grab a copy, read it, and drop back by to let us know what you think.

Excerpt:

Sharon was thinking, who was this guy lived in a five-thousand-square-foot house – not that his taste was any good – on Lake St. Clair, had nothing but leisure time or so it seemed?

He called her four, five times a day, said, “How you doing?”

And Sharon would say, “Same as I was when you called fifteen minutes ago.”

“Baby, I miss you. Tell them you’re sick, we’ll go to the casino.” Or he’d be at the track or a Tigers day game, he’d say, “I gotta see you. Take the afternoon off, I’ll send a car.”

She’d been going out with him for three weeks and it was getting serious. They’d meet at noon, check into a hotel a couple times a week and spend two hours in bed, screwing and drinking champagne. It was something, best sex she’d ever had in her life. He did things to her nobody had ever done before. She’d say, where’d you learn that? And he’d say, you inspire me, beautiful. The only bad thing, he called her Sharona, or my Sharona. Everything else was great so she let it go.

They’d take his boat out on Lake St. Clair and she’d sunbathe topless. Something she’d never done in her life and never imagined herself doing. She felt invigorated, liberated. He always told her she looked good, complimented her outfit. Showered her with gifts, bought her clothes and jewelry. She felt like a teenager again. They’d meet and talk and touch each other and kiss. She was happy for the first time in years. She had to be careful. Ray, the next time he came home, might notice something and get suspicious.Why’re you so happy? she could hear him saying – like there was something wrong with it.

But this relationship with Joey also made her nervous. Things were happening too fast. She was falling for him and she barely knew him, and she was married.

Tour Schedule

May 15th:  Review~Cheryl @ CMash Loves To Read
May 16:  Review~DDS @ b00kr3vi3ws
May 19th:  Review & Interview~Alan @ Tontowilliams’s Electronic Scrapbook
May 21st:  Review~Misty @ The Top Shelf
May 22nd:  Guest Post~Misty @ The Top Shelf
May 22nd:  Book  Promo~Jo @ As The Romans Do
May 23rd:  Review~Rick @ Rhodes Review
May 31st:  Review~Karen @ Practical Frugality
June 4th:  Review~Dana @ Let’s Book It
June 7th:  Review~Ryder @ Ryder Islington’s Blog
June 7th:  Review~Jo @ Writers and Authors
June 11th:  Review & Interview~Crystal @ My Reading Room
June 12th:  Review & Guest Post~Paula @ Book Lover Stop
June 14th:  Review~Kim @ Kim’s Bookish Place
June 15th:  Review~Jen @ A Garden Carried in the Pocket
June 18th:  Review~Kate @ Read2Review
June 19th:  Review~Krystal @ Live To Read~Krystal
June 20th:  Review~Kristi @ Books and Needlepoint
June 21st:  Review~ Lori @ Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book
July 23rd:  Review~Melissa @ Keeping Up With The Rheinlanders
June 25th:  Review~Tami @ Just One More Thing…
June 26th:  Review~Fenny @ The Crazy Rambler
June 28th:  Review~Marjorie @ GoodReads
June 29th:  Review~Gautami @ Everything Distils Into Reading
July 2nd:  Review~Mk @ Popcorn Reads
July 3rd:  Review~Molly @ Reviews By Molly
July 5th: Guest Author Showcase~OmniMysteryNews
July 7th: Review~Cheryl @ Sweeping The USA
July 9th:  Review~Heather @ Proud Book Nerd
July 12th: Review~Danie @ Booktacular
July 14th:  Review~Kerry-Anne @ Reading A Little Bit Of Everything
July 16th:  Review~Audra @ Unabridged Chick
July 18th:  Review~Kathleen @ Jersey Girl Book Reviews
July 19th:  Review~Suzie @ The Bunnys Review
July 25th:  Review and Guest Post~Vicki @ I’d Rather Be Reading At The Beach
July 26th:  Review~Kathleen @ Celticlady’s Reviews
July 27th:  Review~Elizabeth @ Silver’s Reviews
July 30th:  Review~Jean @ JeanBookNerd

About the Author

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Cheryl at Partners in Crime Tours for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Guest Post: Prologue – Peter Bart – Author of Infamous

Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012

Prologue
By Peter Bart,
Author of Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob (And Sex)

The projection room was dark except for the surreal images dancing across the screen. There were twenty plush seats, but I was the room’s only occupant. The voices of the two actors on the screen resonated in the empty room as they enacted their scene over and over again but their performances were utterly robotic, as though they were channeling lines that were completely alien to their inner thoughts.

I was watching rushes, or dailies, as they are called, and I was alone because none of my colleagues were willing to share this ordeal. I was the most junior member of the executive staff and hence was delegated this dubious responsibility. The scene I was reviewing had been shot two days earlier and would ultimately become a key moment in a lavishly expensive movie titled Darling Lili.

It starred Julie Andrews and Rock Hudson, playing lovers brought together in France amid the rigors of World War I. And that, indeed, was the problem that I was observing­ — Andrews and Hudson as lovers. According to the script, Andrews, a spy, was assigned to seduce Hudson, an American war hero, to elicit important war secrets, but their supposedly steamy love scene had as much fizzle as day-old beer.

Julie Andrews, totally believable as the faithful governess in Mary Poppins, was never a threat to Marilyn Monroe as a sex goddess. As for Hudson, his predilection for men was becoming widely suspected in Hollywood. Their mutual disinterest, if not distaste, was abundantly visible in take after take as they embraced and kissed and then, when the director yelled “cut,” they wiped their lips and breathed a sigh         of relief. The director, Blake Edwards, was Andrews’s husband, and he obviously empathized with his wife’s dilemma, but still, the scene was an important one, and a semblance of passion had to be generated, irrespective of how many takes it would require.

I watched five takes and could not cope with any more. As I exited, I noticed the door to the projection booth was ajar. “Those two really have the ‘hots’ for each other,” called out the projectionist, his tone heavy with sarcasm.

I smiled, but I also found myself wincing. What was I doing here? How did I reach the point in my alleged career when I was witnessing two stars feign passion — actors who clearly wanted nothing to do with each other?

Had my life become this surreal?

I would find myself asking that question again some four years later at perhaps the defining moment of my Paramount odyssey. After a tortured period of preproduction, The Godfather was about to start shooting in New York. The fortunes of the fabled studio rested in the hands of Francis Coppola and his balky star, Marlon Brando. The corporate apparatchiks at Paramount’s parent company, Gulf & Western, were openly skeptical about the project. Their nervousness was shared by representatives of New York’s Italian community who believed that the movie would reflect badly on them, and they were making their feelings felt in a variety of ways. A bomb threat forced the evacuation of the Gulf & Western headquarters building on 58th Street. Robert Evans received a threatening phone call. A committee from an Italian-American group demanded to read the script, and members of one of the prominent Mafia families sent out word that they wanted to be involved in the casting process.

Charles Bluhdorn, the chairman of the G & W conglomerate, was in a frenzy of anxiety, and Evans shared his agitation because he was receiving admonitions of caution from his new best friend, Henry Kissinger, the top adviser to President Nixon. Ponderous and reserved, Kissinger had become a fairly regular visitor to Evans’s house, and Evans was seeing to it that his evenings were spent in the company of beautiful women. Kissinger had been on edge about the impact of column items identifying him with Evans, but now, as word of Mafia pressures leaked to the press, his concerns took on an added dimension.

The rumblings about The Godfather worried Charles Bluhdarn for still another reason. Even as his company was producing a movie about the Mafia, he was in negotiation with financiers who had close ties to the mob community — ties that were more obvious, if not to Bluhdorn, to government inves­ tigators.

So this was, in a sense, a perfect storm. The studio was exposing the Mafia at the very time when its corporate parents were engaged in dealings with them. And meanwhile, the top power player in the Nixon administration was partying at the home of the chief of production.

Again I wondered, how did I get to this place?

The above is an excerpt from the book Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob (And Sex) by Peter Bart. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2012 Peter Bart, author of Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob (And Sex)

Author Bio
Peter Bart,
author of Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob (And Sex), spent seventeen years as a film executive (at Paramount, MGM, and Lorimar Film Co.), only to return to print as editor in chief of Variety. Along the way, he was responsible for seven books, including Shoot Out, written with Peter Guber. He is now the host of Movie Talk, a weekly television show broadcast here and abroad.

For more information please visit http://www.weinsteinbooks.com, and follow the author on Facebook

Review: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – J.K. Rowling

Thursday, May 17th, 2012
 
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; 1st edition (September 8, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0439708184
ISBN-13: 978-0590353427
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Characters:

Harry Potter – 11 Year Old Wizard to be.
Hermione Granger – A female classmate of Harry’s.
Ron Weasley – A male classmate and one of Harry’s best friends.

Synopsis:

Harry Potter was dropped on the doorstep of his Aunt and Uncle Dursley’s house as a baby. No One has ever told him about his parents. His Aunt and Uncle care very little about him, to the point they make him live in a small cupboard beneath the stairs. Then as Harry approaches his 11th birthday strange things happen. Harry is about to begin on an adventure that will change his life.

Review

My first exposure to all things Harry Potter was through the movies. I hadn’t read the books. At the time they just seemed to large and bulky for me, and there were just so many of them. Then I bought a nook. I’d made up my mind that if the books ever became available, I’d get them and read them. Suddenly this year, Ms. Rowling announced that the whole Harry Potter series would be available in ebook format.

Reading the book I was drawn into Harry’s world. There were areas that were touched on moreso than the movies that gave me more details on what was going on. The author did a great job of following the classic hero’s journey of literature.

The characters were extremely well developed, the scenes were exciting. There was humor and you just liked Harry so much that you wanted him to succeed. If you’ve seen the movies, then there isn’t much that happens in the books that would come as a surprise, and that perhaps is my biggest regret, that I don’t get to experience them firsthand through the written word.

I’d say this book is good for all ages, though some parents may not wish for their children to read it due to the use of magic and witchcraft. If however, you don’t mind your child reading fantasy type books such as the Wizard of Oz or Lord of the Rings, then definitely pick this up. I look forward to rejoining Harry soon for book 2.

About the Author

J.K. Rowling was a struggling single mother when she wrote the beginning of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, on scraps of paper at a local cafe. But her efforts soon paid off, as she received an unprecedented award from the Scottish Arts Council enabling her to finish the book. Since then, the debut novel has become an international phenomenon, garnering rave reviews and major awards, including the British Book Awards Chidren’s Book of the Year and the Smarties Prize. Ms. Rowling lives in Edinburgh with her daughter.

You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Guest Post: Hollywood Movie Revival – Peter Bart

Thursday, May 10th, 2012
Hollywood Movie Revival
By Peter Bart,
Author of
Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob (And Sex)

There’s a significant revival of interest in the movies of the ’60s and  ’70s. Films ranging from The Godfather to Easy Rider, from Nashville to Midnight Cowboy have become iconic in our pop culture.

Those of us who were lucky enough to work in the film industry of that period are often asked, “Could those films be made in today’s Hollywood?” My answer is a resounding ‘no’ and the reasons are simple.

The key aim guiding studio decision-making in that period was to surprise even shock the audience. Today’s film executives are eager to re-capture the familiar. The most important resource to tap into is “awareness,” not surprise.

Studio tentpoles are predicated on giving filmgoers something they’ve seen before and hopefully will want to experience again.   The upshot, of course, is the abundance of sequels, prequels and remakes.   The success of “21 Jump Street” has underscored an appetite to re-cycle the ’80s by remaking films like “Robocop”, “Dirty Dancing,” and a new “Die Hard”.

Geriatric action stars like Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone and even Arnold Schwarzenegger are in demand again. Even Billy Crystal is coming back as a leading man.  Hence, while there is a desire to revisit the past, the intent is not to re-discover films that changed the landscape of pop culture. Instead, there’s a search for re-cycled superheroes.

The Tribeca Film Festival caused some surprise by booking “The Avengers” as the centerpiece for its closing extravaganza, after a two-week menu of art pictures and documentaries. This tentpole offers audiences the chance not to revisit just one superhero of the past but a veritable who’s who of heroic retreads. They include Iron Man, Thor, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Captain America and  even the Incredible Hulk.

Hence fest-goers, too, can enjoy a return to the familiar — the Avengers comic book dates back to 1963.

The decision to showcase The Avengers is intriguing in that festivals are customarily irrelevant to the superhero genre of motion pictures, as are the major film critics. Tentpoles need tweets and viral buzz, not the approval of cineastes.

Most of all, tentpoles, with their enormous costs, need instant awareness.  The auras of books like the Harry Potter series or Hunger Games can create a foundation for that awareness. So can some comic books and video games.  By and large, the game-changing films of the ’60s and 70s emanated from original film ideas or obscure books. Even the Godfather was an unpublished and incomplete manuscript when it was acquired by Paramount. The motivation behind such films as Bonnie & Clyde was to provide culture shock, not to capitalize on an existing franchise. Films of that era opened in a very few theaters and ultimately found an audience.

Culture shock actually was a rewarding experience. Hopefully audiences may again get to experience it in films some day.

© 2012 Peter Bart, author of Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob (And Sex)

Author Bio

Peter Bart, author of Infamous Players: A Tale of  Movies, The Mob (And Sex), spent seventeen years as a film executive (at Paramount, MGM, and Lorimar Film Co.), only to return to print as editor in chief of Variety. Along the way, he was responsible for seven books, including Shoot Out, written with Peter Guber. He is now the host of Movie Talk, a weekly television show broadcast here and abroad.

For more information please visit http://www.weinsteinbooks.com and Amazon

Review: iDisorder – Larry Rosen, Phd.

Thursday, May 10th, 2012
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (March 27, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0230117570
ISBN-13: 978-0230117570
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
amazon

Review

You’re sitting at dinner in a restaurant. Your cellphone lies next to you. Your significant other is telling you about problems at work. Suddenly your cellphone buzzes. What do you do?

If your answer is you check your phone, you might need this book because you might have an iDisorder. An iDisorder is a psychological disorder related to technology. It can be an addiction to social media, it can be the urge to use your cellphone when you are engaged in conversations with others. It can involve texting and driving or even sexting.

In iDisorder Dr. Larry Rosen, Phd. visits many different psychological disorders. In a survey of 3500 people, 61% said they keep their cellphone by their bed.

Some statistics from the book:

  • Pre-teens who used more technology and played more video games were more depressed.
  •  Once interrupted, lag time to resume tasks could be 5 minutes or more, in a business environment, this could amount to hours of lost productivity every day.
  •  995 (18%) distracted driving crashes resulting in fatalities were cellphone use.
  •  Technology is reducing our ability to be empathic to others.
  • It can lead to medical issues related to sites like WebMD or in eating disorders from images we’re bombarded with.

Throughout the book, the reader is given specific examples at the beginning of each chapter as well as throughout the chapter. Each chapter is on specific iDisorders. The book presents the facts, figures, and the author even included some sample tests to determine if you might have an iDisorder.

Overall a very eye opening book. I think it would be valuable for anyone to read, particularly those who use a lot of technology and feel like it’s in control of their lives. One caveat though, if you read it, like myself, you might find you have a lot of these iDisorders. I think my problem lies with like facebook, the internet, and my ereader.

Pick it up, give it a read, and stop by here and let us know what you thought.

About the Author

Larry D. Rosen, Ph.D., author of iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession with Technology and Overcoming its Hold on Us, is past Chair and Professor of Psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills. He is a research psychologist and computer educator, and is recognized as an international expert in the “Psychology of Technology.” Over the past 25 years, Dr. Rosen and his colleagues have examined reactions to technology among more than 30,000 children, teens, college students, and adults in the United States and in 23 other countries. He has been quoted in numerous media outlets, includingThe New York Times, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, CNN, and Good Morning America and writes a regular blog for Psychology Today.

Nancy Cheever, Ph.D. and L Mark Carrier, Ph.D. are Associate Professor and Chair of Communication and Professor and Chair of Psychology respectively, at California State University, Dominguez Hills, where they cofounded the George Marsh Applied Cognition Laboratory with Dr. Rosen.

For more information, view  Larry D. Rosen’s Web site.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Anna at FSB Associates for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Paskagankee – Allan Leverone

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012
Publisher: StoneGate Ink; 1 edition (January 27, 2012)
Language: English
Order e-book here:
amazon

Characters:

Synopsis:

Mike McMahon – Chief of Police.
Sharon Dupont – Rookie cop, partners with Mike.
Kenneth Dye – Professor of Native American Studies at Maine University.

Review
.
An ancient Indian Curse. A monster bent on revenge. Body parts strung hither and yon. This book had everything you could want in a good horror story. The story concerns Mike McMahon newly hired chief of Police. He assigns Sharon Dupont to be his partner and show him the ropes. On his first day he’s drawn into a murder. Then another.

Professor Kenneth Dye from the nearby University contacts Mike and tells him about an ancient curse in Paskagankee. The curse involves the murder of a young Indian woman and her child by Puritans. This attack is actually shown as the opening of the book.

The bodies start to pile up, and it’s tried to be explained away as a wild animal attack. The FBI is called in and does their own investigation concluding that it’s a bear. But Mike doesn’t believe a bear could be doing the damage this is doing.

This book was full of suspense and kept me glued to the storyline. I really began liking some of the characters, not liking others. I also enjoyed the ride trying to figure out how they were going to end up stopping the creature. In the end it was a very satisfying horror story, and makes me want to read more of Mr. Leverone’s novels, particulary any of this genre.

I’d give it a PG or R rating for blood, gore, violence, and language. But if you are a fan of horror, grab this book, crawl into bed, and pull the sheets tight. And don’t worry about that scratching at the window. After all, it’s probably just the cat.

About the Author

Allan Leverone is the author of the Amazon bestselling thriller, THE LONELY MILE (StoneHouse Ink), and the thrillers, FINAL VECTOR (Medallion Press) and PASKAGANKEE (StoneGate Ink), as well as the horror novellas DARKNESS FALLS and HEARTLESS(Delirium Books). Allan is a 2012 Derringer Award winner as well as a 2011 Pushcart Prize nominee. His short fiction has been featured in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, A Twist of Noir, Shroud Magazine, Morpheus Tales, Mysterical-e and many other print and online magazines, as well as numerous anthologies. He lives in New Hampshire with his wife Sue, three children, one beautiful granddaughter and a cat who has used up eight lives. Connect with Allan at www.allanleverone.com as well as on Facebook and Twitter, @AllanLeverone.

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to Molly at Partners in Crime Tours for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.

Review: Heroes of a Shattered Age – R. J. Terrell

Friday, May 4th, 2012
 
Paperback: 818 Pages
CreateSpace
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1475024746
ISBN-13: 978-1475024746
Order book here:

amazon

Order E-book here:
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Characters:

Characters:

Kita – Martial Warrior – He and Kenyatta were raised together.
Kenyatta – Martial Warrior – Raised with Kita
Akemi – Ninja Demon Hunter
Kenjiro – Akemi’s Samurai brother.
Malimakuru – Mentor and protector to Kita and Kenyatta.

Synopsis:

The Drek has resurfaced with a horde of the foulest demons from the abyss. The first battle was a test. The final battle will see the fall of Brit’s most powerful enemy and, finally, the destruction of the Tower of Balance.

Kabriza, the quentranzi demon general has plans of his own. Brit’s hold on the demon is not as strong as he believes, and Kabriza has sent his minions to human civilizations. Through the chaos they create, more demons will enter the world, and when the barrier between the earth plane and the abyss is shattered, the drek will die and the world will belong to the demons.

Review

R.J. Terrell’s Heroes of the first two Takashaniel novels are back in this thrilling, action packed third leg of the trilogy. This time ard we find all those we’ve come to know and love, Kita, Kenyatta, Seung, Malimokuru and a.ll the rest coming together through separate adventures. These adventures will culminate in a final struggle between good and evil on the battlefields surround Takashaniel.

I loved the story. I loved seeing the relationships build more between the characters we’ve already gotten to know. There were many surprises along the way, some good, some sad, and all unexpected.

For a nice blend of fantasy mixing Asian culture with the epic stories like Lord of the Rings and the Magnificent Seven, pick up Mr. Terrell’s Takashaniel series. If there were one drawback, I think it would be that while this can be read standalone, you miss much of the history between the characters. That though is a very small drawback, because the same would happen if you just read Return of the King or Return of the Jedi.

For fans of fantasy I’d highly recommend this. I think you’d enjoy it.

About the Author

About the Author R. J. Terrell was instantly a lover of fantasy the day he opened R. A. Salvatore’s: The Crystal Shard. Years (and many devoured books) later he decided to put pen to paper for his first novel. After a bout with aching carpals, he decided to try the keyboard instead, and the words began to flow. When not writing, he enjoys reading, videogames, and long walks with his wife around Stanley Park in Vancouver BC. Connect with me at: R J Terrell on facebook RJTerrell on twitter R. J. Terrell on Goodreads

*Disclaimer* A special thanks goes out to the Author for a review copy of this book. It in no way influenced my review. You can discuss it here or join my facebook page and discuss it there.