News & Musings From Violet Hills Productions
Broken Grace
Illogical mishmashAdvice is often given to writers to write what they know. Writers should at least be versed in subjects they undertake. If, for example, you chose to have a pedophile as a character, you should at the very least have some sense of the characteristics of pedophiles. What perhaps bothered me most about Broken Grace was the lack of any sense of authority or command in the authors writer: not in her police details, not in her characters, and not in her understanding of pedophilia. This lack of command makes for a very weak book, and one lacking in a sense of truth. The final twist felt like a gotcha.
And whatever happened to the father in this story?
Lots of material, lots of interesting material, just Avery weak weave.
2
After Life (Book Lust Rediscoveries)
Slow with an Unlikable HeroineAFTER LIFE is the hardest book for me to rate since I've begun reading and reviewing books on Amazon KIndle.
Brian Ellis is a sumptuous writer: her descriptions are luscious and full and evocative; her analogies stunning. But there is much more to novel_-making than gorgeous writing, and that's called story, and to a lesser extent, character. There really is no story here. Ellis starts us off with a bang, then leaves us hanging for most of the rest of the book- dying of boredom amidst her beautiful prose.
And what about character? No one really to root much for here- not even the dead guy. The mother- daughter relationship, to me, simply never develops. And as for Naomi...oh, my. Perhaps a spoiler alert, but some of her actions toward Peter, the boyfriend she accidentally- yes, it was an accident, kills are horrendous- arguably far worse than the so-called called crime itself as that was, in fact as stated, an accident in the middle of a fight. Naomi messes with the guys head; and then her actions afterward- the cover-up are truly inexcusable. And inexplicable. She has no arc. And why, in God's name does not ONE of all these psychics pick up on this in TEN years! Are they all protecting her? All fakes? Ellis can't seem to make up her line-up especially about the Mom, which leaves the whole book wobbly.
But there is that writing!
For that reason alone, I will certainly search out this author for other work.
Her writing is something you can feast on. I hope she developed her storytelling after this one.
1
 - Rhian Ellis)
Murder on the Mind
Not Much of a MysteryI started this book with a lot of high hopes- psychic detective, thousands, not hundreds, but over two thousand 4 and five star reviews, but soon found myself plowing through yet another over-hyped Kindle, eagerly anticipating the final page so I could be done with a mediocre at best read. This story, as a handful of readers have written, is a snore, and there is simply no mystery. The psychic element is interesting, but is not used well. The writer uses it only instead of detection. And why in God's name would anyone talk to this guy anyway? There is no earthly reason. Even the brothers' backstory is dull and just ordinary and flat. Eventually, you do end up cheering for the three main characters a tad, but it is a long haul. I will definitely not be back for more. How does one get over 2000 stellar reviews for such pablum? That is the real mystery.
1
Married To Murder
Multi-Faceted & Deep Exploration- One of the Best You'll ReadFrom the colorful sweeping descriptions of the Grand Canyon to the intricate examination into the mind of a murderer, Robert Scott's MARRIED TO MURDER is one of the best true crime books I have read, and I have read many. Deeply satisfying, this book will take you on a multi-faceted journey. By your journey's end, you will know what makes this murderer tick. Oddly juxtaposed, but essential to the story and to Bob Spangler, is the scope and the sweep and the beauty of our nation's beloved Grand Canyon. Do not miss this trek.
1
New Hope
The debut YA thriller/suspense novel NEW HOPE by Steve Hobbs should be a summer hit for teens and pre-teens. Packed with a wide range of characters from lead Miri Jones whose wit and pluck will remind the older set of our heroine, who else but Nancy Drew—but updated, to her summer charge Chris just as surprisingly stalwart and on through to the older generation of Chief Jones and Brian Marlowe – who hold their own surprises—and to the spine tingling chill of this remote fictional town’s supernatural inhabitants. It is these inhabitants, and the battle that ensues that form the crux of the story – discovered innocently enough during a morning run by Miri—when she finds a body by the side of the trail.As packed as the characters list is, even more so is the action as the intrepid band of teens contests both psychologically and physically the monster vampires.
Hobbs provides enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes and the pages turning, providing both laughs and pathos along the journey.
The inevitable comparisons to Stephen King will arise; Hobbs even embeds the famed Maine author into the storyline. As another Christopher Marlowe once quoted, “Comparisons are odious…” Read this book for the journey it provides to New Hope and its band of cockeyed brave warriors. I wonder what they will be up to next?
The Psalmist: A Bowers and Hunter Mystery (Bowers and Hunter Mysteries)
Weak with No EndingIf this the introduction to a series, I would caution you to skip the entire series. Unfortunately, I have to agree with many previous reviewers, I found the book to be tedious, dull, and worst of all to have no ending. What? What a rotten subterfuge to pull on your readers! Plus this detective does no detecting! She complains a lot and reiterates and speaks to a very dull Pastor who seems to have come to be a Pastor by a throw at a dart board. The characters are two dimensional and lifeless save for the four-legged one. Really not worth the effort to plow through- especially when you are not even rewarded for your effort with a satisfactory end to the most basic answer to the most basic question...do they get the bad guy? Skip it.
 - James Lilliefors)
DADDY'S GIRL: The Campbell Murder Case : A True Legal Thriller of Texas Justice
Writer's Bias & Ego Kill What Good Story Is HereClifford Irving continues to be his own worst enemy. Not quite able to live down his infamous Howard Hughes hoax, Irving has to work very hard to re-gain his audience's trust. Might I suggest commenting on what should be a reportage of facts, centering himself smack-dab at the core of his tale, writing adolescent and churlish descriptions of women he deems not proportioned correctly-- that is fat, would not be the way to accomplish that.
When Irving can move himself out of his way, we can see why readers buy his books. Some of the writing is smooth, powerful, and unsustainable.
And this tale is nothing short of Southern Gothic.
However, even at the Kindle low price of 2.99 it is simply not worth the effort.
And what is up with the use of the * as in s*x-i kid you not. That and the ice replaced with an apostrophe in the F word. When was this published? On top of everything else this was extremely distracting. And, yeah full-time.
I kept wondering what Queen Ann would have done with this material.
Skip it.
Miramont's Ghost
History Far Surpasses FictionI, as many other reviewers stated, was led eagerly to this book by its hype and description. Unfortunately, the best thing about Miramont's Ghost is the Afterword wherein the history is laid out. I though as I read, "" Now there's a story.""
As far as what you get in the actual text- a boring, dragged out, frustratingly undramatic tale told with weak compliant, uninteresting, and exceedingly boring characters, not one of whom seems to have the least bit of interest in mastering his or her own fate- and that goes for the ghost, too. A supposed spine-tingling gothic ghost story told in a castle and we don't even have a single good haunting. 's. Hall is a good writer, but this is weak story-telling-- made even weaker when one is privy to the historical facts. I would not recommend nor chose to read another by this writer.
Obsessed
Still Wrong Photos & Poorly WrittenI wonder who cares less about their readers-- Kindle or Mr Phelps? If you sift down through the reviews you will see many that say the photos are wrong, that Kindle was advised, and promised they would be updated. Ah, no. In addition, the commentary by Mr Phelps is childish and unprofessional, but worse is his writing. I wish I had jotted down some of the myriad examples but his analogies are clunky and ham-fisted, and the book at times weighted with tedium--especially in the endless description of the love triangle. Do not bother with this book- not worth it, even for two bucks.
Marked for Death
Great Story Jumbled WritingI was very disappointed in this account. Mr Karen wrote as if he assumed the reader was familiar with this story. There was a lot of repetition, and not much attention paid to good story telling or building of suspense. The second half was better, but over all, not well told.
Killer with a Badge
Great Story Poorly ToldI am an avid fan and reader of true crime, but Mr. Hustlers will not be on my list of true crime authors. First, this was one of the most dreadfully edited Kindle editions I have read. Paragraphs were off, at times the text changed from black to blue, words were dropped or added; it was so bad it read like an unedited first draft. Secondly, I knew as much, or as little, about Antoinette Frank upon completion as I did at the beginning. The style....well, there is no style. What should be intriguing is just plain dull and lackluster. Would not recommend.
Murder In The Family
HeartbreakingA very sad tale. Four lives destroyed, and why? For me, part of the deepest sadness was the boys. These were undoubtedly two of the most self absorbed, selfish people I have ever encountered. Good Lord, why on Earth did they have children. The image of Mark all alone on Christmas Day as his parents partied in Spain is haunting. Not that this condones murder. Of course not. But it does make one wonder about the entire community and circle. One of the friends wonders if there were anything she could have done. Yes. Perhaps noticed two neglected boys as she partied heartily with their parents, accepting presents from their globe-trotting as these woeful excuses for parents brought back nothing for their sons. The book itself is straight forward and quite British, that is cool and unemotional. Lovers of Gore and sensationalism may not like this style. I enjoyed it immensely. Parents beware. Those are human beings you are choosing to bring into the world, and you are responsible for them. Shame on all purveyors of abuse. And neglect is shameful abuse. Get a dog. Or better yet, a bird.
Evil Beside Her
Another winner from Kathryn CaseyAs prolific and powerful as Ann Rule, Kathryn Casey cannot produce anything but fascinating and heartbreaking true crime books. Evil Beside Her is no exception. My heart goes out to Linda Bergstrom, an amazing intrepid heroine you will never forget. Unputdownable. You will not regret picking up this book!
Currently reading
DEAD WRONG a gripping detective thriller full of suspense
