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​Book Santa Fe Blog
​For The Love of Books

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​“Ghost with Two Hearts” Book Review by Carmen J. Otto
The book “Ghost with Two Hearts,” is an absolutely amazing read! The way Michael French wrote this book makes it so easy to pick although very difficult to put down. “Ghost with Two Hearts” has an amazing storyline, and made me feel as if I were a part of Adrian’s trip to Japan. After reading this book I am rethinking the clear definition between right and wrong. You should do the right thing even if it might not benefit you although I think sometimes our human nature convinces us that if it doesn’t benefit us, it can’t be the right thing. I often found myself taking pause to contemplate my own life while I was experiencing Adrian’s adventure. 



I would give this book 5/5 stars because of how interesting the book was and how the plot twists kept me guessing. After reading “Ghost with Two Hearts,” I want to read all of the other books Michael French has written.



I would recommend this book to anyone that loves adventure and who enjoys not knowing what to expect next! 
 
 
Bio for Carmen J. Otto
 
Hi! I’m Carmen and I’m a high school sophomore who lives in the corner of a cornfield in chilly Wisconsin. I love cows and horses and I tolerate all of my siblings (there’s six of us)…kidding, not kidding… I do however love to read and my room is filled with books of all kinds. I enjoy discovering new authors and going on adventures through books. 


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http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/2023/03/5-star-review-for-michael-frenchs-ghost.html
Michael R. French - Ghost With Two Hearts -- WOW Tour -- 3/23/2023​

"Public Display Of Aggression" by Hugh Fritz

5/28/2021

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Review by Dale Travous ​
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Available on Amazon


"Hugh Fritz's new novel, Public Display of Aggression, the second in the " Mystic Rampage " series, picks up where his 1st book leaves off and takes the reader on a non-stop thrill ride. We become acquainted with Soleil and Florence, brothers possessing super human abilities that allow them to perform feats of apparent magic that they use to do battle with a line-up of similarly empowered villains. The action is fast paced and relentless, ramping up to a crescendo of mayhem. We are confronted with the likes of a sociopathic cop, a deranged scientist from the future packing high tech futuristic heat, an adrenaline-fueled reanimated corpse seeking revenge (and reciting poetry), an enormous  kiaju-esque enchanted earthworm, and a Lovecraftian monster composed of random mismatched animal parts running amok. Mr. Fritz has exploited the possibilities brought forth from current ideas in a theoretic physics to conjure an astonishingly unique and entertaining world.
  Mr Fritz's novel has been made more complete with the remarkable illustrations and cover art by Lothar Speer. Select scenes have been enhanced with his powerful drawings."
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Book Review - "Burtrum Lee" by Mary Maurice

1/4/2018

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By Cathy Hansen
-About The Book-
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Coated with a life of lies and deceit, Burtrum Lee Conner is sick to her stomach. Dozens of times throughout her life the feeling of not being who she is has tormented her. But she kept it to herself, believing that maybe it’s just a chemical imbalance of some kind considering she is one of the first artificially-inseminated babies of the nineteen sixties. Now, there’s more though, something much deeper, much more maniacal than she could have ever imagined. She’s not the first test tube baby at all, but the first….
 
Burtrum Lee Conner, born into a world of scientific mystery, discovers that the life she’s been leading for the past forty years, is the wrong one. Her parent’s Jed and Jane Conner, stealing her as an infant, brought Lee up as their own. Even her devoted grandmother, Clair Conner, kept this secret close to her chest until they were found out. And now, Lee Conner’s biological mother, Katie Lee, wants her back, but not before the diabolical Dr. Stone has his say.

AMAZON
GOODREADS

-About Mary Maurice-
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After attending Western Michigan University for two party filled years, I decided to leave academia and explore the real world to learn what life is truly about. For fifteen years I’ve traveled the country working in restaurants, writing and doing readings wherever I was welcome.
 
While living in Minneapolis during my twenties, I was fortunate enough to be tutored by Dr. Jonis Agee, who was at the time head of the creative writing department at St. Catherine’s College in St. Paul. Her lessons were imprinted in me for all of these years, and have influenced my writing ever since.
 
My adventures landed me in San Diego, Chicago, San Francisco, and Oregon, finally leading me tos the Land of Enchantment where I’ve resided since 1994. Living in Santa Fe, and the beauty and isolation that surrounds me, has inspire my creative muse in ways that no other place has. While still working in the hospitality industry, my passion for the craft of writing has never been stronger. And I know with each sentence I write, and every paragraph I compose, my ultimate goal is to find the perfect word.
 Keep on bookin!

You can visit Mary at  marymaurice.com

-Cathy's Book Review-
​I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read Burtrum Lee, by Mary Maurice.  The book is a tale of identity crisis and mystery, with a bit of greed and conspiracy thrown in for good measure.  The twists and turns of this book, as well as shifts between 1960 and 2004 kept me at the edge of my seat and unable to put the book down.  It is a fast read and held my interest throughout, as I just couldn’t wait to find out what happened next, or what the rest of the family secrets were.  

Having lived her whole life questioning who she was and feeling that something just wasn’t quite right, Burtrum Lee suddenly finds herself the focus of attention of a peculiar and potentially dangerous stranger, raising many questions about her birth that her parents and grandmother seem unwilling to answer.  Frustrated by her family’s secretive behavior, Burtrum enlists her new friend Megan to assist her in finding out all she can about her past.  The truth winds up being far more complex than Burtrum Lee ever could have imagined.
-About Cathy Hansen-
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Cathy Hansen is a wife, mom, teacher, independent
beauty consultant, and small business owner. She and her husband operate SeedsNBeans, a local nature store, in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.



1 Comment

Book Review - "Risen" by Eric Trant

9/13/2017

1 Comment

 
By Crystal Otto
-ABOUT THE BOOK -
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Print Length: 182 Pages
Genre: Historical Supernatural Fiction
Publisher: WiDo Publishing (August 15, 2017)
ASIN: B0746P5MTS
Haunted by visions of a demonic angel and sold into servitude by his father, young Alberto battles to survive the horrors of a nineteenth century Sicilian sulfur mine.

Suffering merciless brutality, Alberto must save not only himself but his deformed older brother, both pawns in their father’s mad plan to overthrow a group of wealthy landowners.

Bound by a death-debt to his hunchback master, Alberto discovers a door the miners call Porta dell’Inferno, the Door to Hell, deep within the sulfur mines. When he learns the demon-angel of his dreams stalks the caverns beyond the door, Alberto realizes a strange fate has lured him and his brother to the gates leading to the underworld.

Now Alberto must face the creature from his visions and rise to become the man his father demands him to be, or remain forever trapped in a hellish world where none escape.
Amazon
Goodreads

-ABOUT ERIC TRANT-
Eric resides in Dallas, TX with his wife and children, where he writes and manages his own business. His writing combines literary characterization with supernatural elements, all the while engaging the reader's senses with constant movement and vivid settings. His books are designed to be one-sitters, meaning they can and should be read in one (or a few) sittings, owing to the fast-paced nature of the writing.  

You can visit Eric at http://www.EricTrant.com, or see his blog at DiggingWithTheWorms.blogspot.com.
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-CRYSTAL'S BOOK REVIEW-
Eric Trant does with words what Rembrandt did with paints. I have never been to the depths of hell or within the walls of a sulfur mine, and yet I physically experienced with Alberto and Paolo were experiencing because of Trant’s imagery and mastery of words. My heart rate quickened and I felt anxious. As an example, how can readers read this passage without being moved as if experiencing it themselves?
He held his breath and fought the pulsing in his temples as the climb
became something external to him, a thing imagined in the pitch and his faraway
palms, his faraway feet and the melting of his flesh
in the belching, stagnant atmosphere.

Alberto and Paolo’s father was a man I instantly disliked. Within the first few pages, I felt the hair the back of my neck prickle every time he was mentioned. Each character plays an integral part in the plot of this thriller and each was depicted expertly by Trant.

Risen is a quick read and is well-paced. I was drawn in from cover to cover and couldn’t wait to turn each page to find out what would happen next. Definitely a book I would recommend (whether the reader is generally drawn to historical supernatural fiction or not). I have read previous works by this author and this book did not disappoint. I look forward to future books by this author.
-ABOUT CRYSTAL OTTO-
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Writer, entrepreneur, over-achiever, and talented hard-worker. I own Relax Consulting, I am a Blog Tour Manager for WOW! Women on Writing, I am the owner of a dairy farm, I am a professional musician, and my favorite titles are: Mom and Wife. I spend my time doing things I love, with and for those people I love. 


-FOLLOW THE REST OF THE BOOK TOUR-

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Review of Shirley Melis' "Banged-Up Heart: Dancing with Love and Loss"

3/2/2017

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Buy on Amazon | View on Goodreads | Shirley Melis Website
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This is a memoir about a woman finding love again after the death of her husband of thirty years and to lose that new found love again way too quickly.

I usually do not read memoirs or love stories so I was hesitant to read this one.  But after a couple of chapters I became emotionally invested in this woman.  I am glad she decided to write this book because she is right, women need more books like this to show an aspect of what it’s like to grow older, losing loved ones, and staying strong mentally, emotionally, and physically despite all of that.  She shows the difficulties of still feeling alive while losing someone.

Although I have not been in her shoes, I am appreciative that she allowed me to walk along her side and see her experience.
I feel that death has become a taboo topic in the U.S and we tend to not talk about it enough nowadays. We need more books like this one.  She is definitely a role model of strength and courage and I hope I can be just as strong when faced with these situations in life.  

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ABOUT SHIRLEY MELIS
Shirley Melis is a longtime business writer, travel writer, and newspaper columnist who traveled the world interviewing everyone from busboys to heads of international organizations before launching a career in public relations in Washington, D.C. With Banged-Up Heart, she now takes her writing in a new direction, delving deeply into her own personal story of finding love late, losing it early, and discovering the strength to choose to love again. It is a fascinating odyssey, a journey both creative and erotic as Shirley and John work lovingly together to blend their dreams—until a mysterious bump on his forehead starts them on a tragic struggle against the dark hand of fate.
A graduate of Vassar, Shirley Melis has created an intimate memoir bearing eloquent witness to the kind of wild trust that can grow in the heart of an ordinary woman thrust into circumstances that few others must face. Now retired, she lives in Galisteo, New Mexico.


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Tangalene Dudt served in the Army for eight years and now works as a contractor for the US government. 

She lives in beautiful Arizona with her wonderful husband and loves to read, garden, hike, and run ultra-marathons.

Each year Tange resolves to read 100 books.
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Review of Ronald Chapman's "My Name is Wonder"

10/12/2016

1 Comment

 
by Tange Dudt
My Name is WonderMy Name Is Wonder
My Name Is Wonder Synopsis
My Name is Wonder is a tale of adventure that will have you thinking from the first page until well after you’ve closed the book. This beautifully written novel chronicles the transcendent adventures of a little goat with big dreams. Join Wonder and his wisecracking guide, the mysterious crow Mac Craack, on a journey through the scenic landscapes of the American Southwest and into the heart of a mindful presence. Along the way, you’ll meet an unforgettable cast of creatures, each with an important lesson to teach.


Ronald Chapman AuthorRonald Chapman
About The Author
Ronald Chapman is owner of an international speaking and consulting company, Magnetic North LLC. In addition to international accreditation as a speaker and national awards for radio commentary, he is the author of two novels, My Name is Wonder (Terra Nova Publishing, 2016) and A Killer's Grace (Terra Nova Publishing, 2016 and 2012), two works of non-fiction, Seeing True: Ninety Contemplations in Ninety Days (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2008) and What a Wonderful World: Seeing Through New Eyes (Page Free Publishing, 2004) and the producer of three audio sets, Seeing True: The Way of Spirit (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2016, 2005), Breathing, Releasing and Breaking Through: Practices for Seeing True (Ozark Mountain Publishing, 2015), and Seeing True – The Way of Success in Leadership (Magnetic North Audio, 2005). Ron provides a wide array of social media content at www.SeeingTrue.com, content for people in substance abuse recovery at www.ProgressiveRecovery.org, and other content from his master site, www.RonaldChapman.com. He holds a Masters in Social Welfare from The University at Albany (New York.) Prior to his relocation to Atlanta, Georgia in 2008, he was a long-time resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Ronald can also be found online at:

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1338592.Ronald_Chapman

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/seeingtrue/


My Name is Wonder Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is an anthropomorphic book which follows a goat named Wonder as he travels through life trying to figure out where his place is in the world. As a young goat, Wonder knew he never truly belonged at the farm and was different from the other animals.  He wanted to explore and know more of what the world has to offer.  His father finds him a teacher, Oren, to make him strong spiritually to help prepare him for his upcoming adventures. When Wonder finally leaves the farm, a trusty side-kick, a crow named M.C., acts as a guide in order to help him along this journey.  All along the way, Wonder meets interesting characters and faces new challenges.

I took away many messages from this book such as to keep your head up and eyes on the ‘Light’ when others try to keep you down or when facing sorrow; it is okay to be different and follow the path laid out for you; and do not live your life as others would have you live it. These are wonderful messages for children and adults alike.  I know I would have benefited from this as a child, but reading it as an adult it doesn’t hurt to be reminded from time to time how it is important to live in the moment and show kindness to everyone around you. This would be a great book for parents to read together with their kids to discuss the messages in the book.  The children will love the characters and adventures Wonder encounters, but the adults will love the spirituality in this book. I know I will reread this one again and probably learn something new that I didn't catch the first time around. It will be fun to accompany Wonder along the way once more.
About Tang Dudt
Tang Dudt book reviewer

Tangalene Dudt served in the Army for eight years and now works as a contractor for the US government. 

She lives in beautiful Arizona with her wonderful husband and loves to read, garden, hike, and run ultra-marathons.

Each year Tange resolves to read 100 books. She knows she will make her goal as she's already read 96 in 2016!

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"A Killer's Grace" Book Review by Elizabeth Seratt

9/14/2016

1 Comment

 

BOOK REVIEW

This is a book that stays with you...
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A Killer’s Grace follows Kevin Pitcairn, a New Mexican journalist and recovering alcoholic, on a journey to understand the concepts of innocence and grace after receiving a letter from Daniel Davidson, a convicted serial rapist and killer.  What starts seemingly as a thriller quickly becomes a treatise on the nature of these topics, challenging the reader’s understandings thereof alongside Pitcairn’s own struggle, while tying in a very nuanced discussion of religion.
 
I, personally, had some issues with the book—for starters, it is revealed early on in the story that, years ago, in an alcohol and drug-fueled frenzy, Pitcairn killed a man and was never brought to full justice.  While the character struggles with it and tries to reconcile that act through his work toward bringing understanding to Davidson, it’s just accepted by his girlfriend and Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor as something that happened.  In fact, it’s so accepted that his girlfriend takes Pitcairn yelling at a dog as more of a threat of violence than his dark past.  Perhaps I’m bringing a personal bias against murderers into my reading of this book, but I can’t shake this overwhelming acceptance of manslaughter as being horribly unrealistic. 
 
The larger issue is more with the overall message of the book. Pitcairn’s eventual thesis is “violence begets violence,” a hard pill to swallow for me because, while I understand and even readily accept it, it still seems a bit dismissive to the actual crimes.  Chapman, in his defense, repeatedly tries to reconcile this by saying that, while the cause of the transgression may be other violence, the offender is not without fault; essentially, it’s not a question of innocence, but one of causality.  However, this focus on causality disconnects Pitcairn from what actually sent him on this journey of understanding.  Although Pitcairn’s eventual article on Davidson references some abuse, the killer himself doesn’t bring any up in his initial letter, instead blaming his mental illness and associated biology that caused him to act in such a way, proven by the fact that he no longer has such gruesome urges after anti-androgen treatments.  He wrote to Pitcairn in an effort to spread the word of his disorder, and instead of the article sparking a discussion on the role of mental illness in horrendous crimes, it becomes focused on the thesis of violence begetting violence, with only passing mentions of biology as a source of causality.  In that sense, Davidson is done a disservice in favor of Pitcairn’s search for his own absolution.
 
This is a story that stays with you, and the fact that I was able to write 200 words strictly on my thoughts of how causality is presented in the novel is proof of that.  I’d recommend this book, even if it were only to have someone with whom I could discuss it fully.

Elizabeth Seratt is a child of the Deep South, but upon graduating from Ole Miss in 2014, she made an ill-advised move to Santa Fe, where she had no job and no friends.  It worked out: she now works as a social media coordinator and occasional freelance writer, and she has enough friends to throw cool theme parties.  

She enjoys books, travel, horror movies, green chile, beer, playing outside, taking too many photos, and spending time with her cat.  You can follow her adventures on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/elizabethseratt/), or enjoy her snark and love of memes on Twitter (https://twitter.com/elizabethseratt).


A Killer’s Grace is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.
Paperback: 240 Pages
Genre: Fiction/Spirituality
Author: Ronald Chapman
Publisher: Terra Nova Books; 2 edition (September 1, 2016)
ISBN-10: 1938288750
ISBN-13: 978-1938288753

UPCOMING BLOG TOUR DATES

Thursday, September 15th @ Bring on Lemons with Cathy Kwilinski
Cathy Kwilinski reviews Ronald Chapman's A Killer's Grace.
http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

Friday, September 23 @ Renee's Pages
Tange Dudt reviews A Killer's Grace by Ronald Chapman; find out what she had to say after reading this highly acclaimed novel!
http://reneespages.blogspot.com/
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