Just Reviews by:gabina49:

EAST END: JASON ALLEN

About the Author: Jason Allen grew up in a working-class home in the Hamptons, where he worked a variety of blue-collar jobs for wealthy estate owners. He writes fiction, poetry, and memoir, and is the author of the poetry collection A Meditation on Fire. He has an MFA from Pacific University and a PhD in … Continue reading →

Where will my Heart Beat? Spirits connect at times and lives intertwine without warning. The loss of a sibling is traumatic and hard to get over. Hauntings from your past can hinder your present. Serene seems caught up in a world she cannot explain and dealing with her present life cause her to escape. Married with a child she seems to love her daughter but something within her haunts her and she cannot settle on what it is. As a physical therapist she is enlisted to help those in need . A short encounter at the start of the novel with someone referred to as Mr J starts a chain of events in her mind bringing her to her mother who hands her a notebook explaining nightmares and dreams that might help her to understand but insist sends her away. After reading the notebook and envisioning what is related she decides to go off to Mar Elias with her friend Sonia to sort out her feelings, deal with her thoughts and decide on her life. Even though she loves her daughter and her husband seems angered and resentful she goes off to find herself and haunted by her meeting with Mr J. Adel Jacob comes from a wealthy family filled with their own secrets, rules, prejudices and mores. His father is the Mayor of Crescent and his mother has her own interests and their views about people tell readers that they are narrow minded and judgmental. Getting to know them you realize that Adel is a model son but when you meet his brother Aslan a wave of chills and ice will pass over you. Adel is polite, loves his Nana and respects all adults while Aslan orders people around, abuses Adel anyway he can and manipulates his parents who seemed blinded by his actions. Losing her brother took a toll on Serene and often as with Adel when they intersect later on you can feel the despair liss of hope and feeling of giving up. Sonia is her true friend and hopes to help her thrower depression but that black cloud lingers throughout the novel. Adel has a best friend named Malec who helps around his estate. Their friendship was strong but jealousy and cruelty would take his life. His sister,Mona was Adel’s love but when Malec was killed she inverted into herself and her mother could no longer cope with life. Aslan was heartless and determined to destroy Adel and an accident but an intentional push down a flight of stairs took away his mobility and put Adel in a wheelchair with limited range of being able to walk. With Serene assigned to provide his therapy it would take time before they actually connect. Learning more about Adel’s family, his father’s plans for Crescent , the landscape, the projects to enhance the town, the community that has wonderful people but a sinister mind that wanted theses changes and control of the construction project for his own financial gain. Mona became withdrawn when her brother dies and Serene although older seemed lost in her thoughts and past and at times caught up in her grief. Mona was depressed but unheard truths will linger and be revealed when Abel is older but will he be able to face another harsh reality about his family? Serene had a surge of energy that formed one night and she could not understand it at first. She had to synchronize with the waves of feelings that channeled within her. As we learn more about Adel and the fact that after the accident he left his home and would return 25 years later. His part were killed in an accident and Mona drowned and Malec was gone as he hunted for answers that would take him face to face with Aslan and some harsh realities that he would need to understand and face. Eeman was his Nana’s day nurse before losing her too. Nana Thabita provides the sage wisdom and hopefully the impetus for Adel to make those positive changes for Crescent and the people but we soon learn that Aslan wanted certain controls and although the estate was left to Adel you won’t believe what happens when he meets him face to face as they created change in their hospital and other places and his brother although appears to care the author allows readers to see his countenance and feel the hidden truths. Reading his thoughts on pages 250-252 you understand that his life was just one fleeting moment. If an opportunity comes your way can you circle back ? Should you lose hope? Some give up while Adel has to find his own circle of life and define his circumference and his destiny. His relationship with Serene takes many turns and like the rainbow she saw her parents vanished off the surface of the earth and when you read her final words you wonder why she spoke and did as she related. Marrying Eeman enriched his life but two harsh truths would shake his spirit to the core. Pictures, pasts, learning about Eeman from Serene, Adel sees himself through different eyes. The final scenes are compelling and tragic as Adel realizes the magnitude of his brother’s goals and deception. Who killed his dog, did Mona drown or was she killed and did someone throw rocks at Malec? Serene left her final words to her daughter and missed some valuable moments in her life . “ it was fear of defeat that claims you before you actually lose something.” As Sonia presents Adel with her tragic words. His final moments sun it all up as those he loved are gone and now he dreams of what he thinks the people are relating: anger, protests and discontent but is it real or his imagination? Reliving the past he realizes the present: nothing scares him anymore. He has come full circle and his circle of life as created by author Loubna Hassanieh,PhD, is both tragic and yet hopeful at times as Adel must decide for himself and the look someone is leaving him with as he has to decide: where will my heart beat now? Characters filled with hope, despair, disharmony, deception and a town with people that just wanted to appreciate its beauty, culture and history. A story filled with family discord, parents blinded by their own lives and disregarded the evil of a sin who needed mental help, this is a must read for everyone. Fran Lewis just reviews

The Girl in the Letter

The Girl in the Letter Summary: A heartbreaking letter. A girl locked away. A mystery to be solved. When Ivy Jenkins falls pregnant, she is sent in disgrace to St Margaret’s, a dark, brooding house for unmarried mothers. Her baby is adopted against her will. Ivy will never leave. Present day. Samantha Harper is a … Continue reading →

Bark of night Bark Of Night Humor is vital when dealing with life at times and sarcasm can bring a new perspective to how people view you. Who would dare to bring a precious animal to a vet that is perfectly healthy and pay to have him put down? Two people are murdered actually three since the police gave not found the third and one of these victims brought the dog to Dr.Dowling and paid his receptionist to have Truman put down. Things get out of control when Laurie weighs in and Andy gets drawn into the investigation against his better judgment and because his wife sort of runs the show. Joey Gamble is the suspect in question but is he guilty? There is much more if we start at the beginning with the first murder and follow with the murder of a homeless man and James Haley a filmmaker added in Truman was his dog so why did George Adams bring him to the vet and when would they learn he was dead and so was his wife? Meeting Gamble and assembling his team we meet Sam who can hack into anything unseen, Marcus who will frighten you just from his description of his skills, Willie Miller almost as dangerous and of course Edna who will retire only if she has to do work. Why does he keep her? Let’s not forget Hike the second lawyer with the firm as the team has to discuss their strategy and Andy gets a plea for help from Joey’s grandmother. Things get difficult when he learns who the prosecutor is and their initial meeting is filled with sarcasm and humor. Offers are made but Gamble just might have been framed for Haley’s murder so how did sone stolen items wind up behind his garage. How will they proceed to prove his innocence? Frank De SILVIO is a hired killer but killing George Adams and his wife brought the wrath of Fat Tony who thinks he’s in charge and the scene is priceless and the outcome well experience it yourself. Things get more complicated when the team assembles and Sam locates where Adams was staying and the forensic detective and the private investigator along with Laurie and Andy collect evidence dealing with his murder. But, the author allows us to know that something sinister is hiding in plain sight with strange shipments coming in to the Bahamas and Nassau under the pretense on a ship under the Chechen flag but that was a ruse. Things take on a more organized tone when the team acquired prints, Adams’s apartment is now rented by Andy and someone close to James Haley comes forward and the author helps us by elaborating on how digital films are created and how the entire process works from start to finish. Links to other murders around the country of homeless people takes Andy to different places to learn more about James Haley and the film he was creating including why Chico Simmons wanted him out of the picture. Things get more dangerous when Laurie insists that Andy hoes to Florida yo get info from some of her old police contacts hoping they can connect the murders if Haley, Tolbert the homeless man, the other homeless murders and any connection to the murders of George and Denise Adams and what happened to Silvio. With Marcus protecting him and chancing answering questions of people in bars someone comes forward and things get more dangerous. Author David Rosenfelt weaves multiple plots and storylines keeping the threads apart until he sews them together bringing the truth to light and hopefully freeing Joey Gamble but will he? What was Haley doing in Florida that got him killed? What about the film on urban plight and why did he think he was going to get rich? Enter FBI agent Cindy who assists Andy in finding the link to more then 26 murders and what about Zip who fingered Chico for the murder plus his connection to trying to intimidate Andy but thank God for Marcus. Interjecting his brand of sarcasm and humor Andy tries to shake off his fears. Hope with his family he now unravels what he learns with Laurie as the trial begins. Both sides present open arguments and each questions the officers and medical people involved and Andy feels he might have solved the case but someone takes out two major players and the realization that a drug was used on each of the homeless victims and hoping to tie theses cases with the murder of Hey, just what did he learn or see in Florida? Things begin to come together as Andy enlists the help of the ME and the DEA and with his skill they learn about a conspiracy that leads to why the homeless men were killed. Someone created a drug that would bring in profits and used these men for their trials not caring about the end result and Haley was killed because he found out what they were doing. The courtroom scenes are filled with tension and the final outcome cannot be revealed as this case has yet to come to a close and Andy still had work to do before revealing the mastermind and letting you know the final verdict. What will be decided and what about Truman? Author David Rosenfelt keeps readers in suspense until the very last page.

Sir: I’m Not that Kind of Girl

Sir: I’m Not that Kind of Girl Imagine becoming a show girl and having deal with the indignities of getting your costume and being told what is wrong with some parts of your body. Mary entered this room and was told that the costume had to fit in a certain way, or she would not … Continue reading →

The Wonderful World of Weather: Bryan Busby

The Wonderful World of Weather Do you love heavy rainstorms? Does thunder frighten you? Did you ever wonder what causes a serious thunderstorm? What would you do if you heard the clap of thunder for the first time? It was the first day of Spring and Bryan wanted to fly his kite outside. The wind … Continue reading →

The Wonderful World of Weather: Bryan Busby

The Wonderful World of Weather Do you love heavy rainstorms? Does thunder frighten you? Did you ever wonder what causes a serious thunderstorm? What would you do if you heard the clap of thunder for the first time? It was the first day of Spring and Bryan wanted to fly his kite outside. The wind … Continue reading →

The Gomorrah Gambit

The Gomorrah Gambit The opening scene sets the tone for what is about to happen. A publicist embroiled in the jihadist cause is caught in the cross hairs of a battle in Syria taking place in 2014. He takes a picture of his cousin’s corpse and things that every death has a message and sharing … Continue reading →

Almost Midnight

Almost midnight   Obsessed and driven to learn hidden truths and lies Warden Investigator Mike Bowditch receives a call from his friend and now prisoner, Billy Cronk see him about something he needs him to investigate. The visit is tense as his friend wants him to investigate a prison guard that with a mysterious and … Continue reading →

The Russian: Ben Coes

The Russian: Ben Coes Deaths are often orchestrated and well defined when they are programmed to send a message. Sometimes the message is vague and other times straightforward as a United States Senator and Governor are both killed within seconds of each other by assassins so well trained no one saw them coming. While the … Continue reading →