Saturday, July 13, 2024

Jeff Bailey Reviews A Stone's Throw by Wayne Edwards

 


A Stone’s Throw by Wayne Edwards is a heartwarming story of the trials and triumphs of our everyday life. I found it to be written in the truest classic style. A young girl from LA, Maggie Stone, has her life flipped on its axis. Just about everything in her life changes when her mother becomes comatose and with an uncertain future. After a couple of changes in home situations, she ends up living at her grandfather’s ranch in Montana. The story doesn’t dwell on the tragedy or the recovery. Rather it is a simple slice of everyday life in Americana. I found it to be as intriguing as one of my favorite TV shows of my youth (I’m dating myself here), Little House On The Prairie. Life happens. Life goes on. To me, A Stone’s Throw, was a true classic and a pleasure to read. I highly recommend it.


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Monday, July 1, 2024

Jeff Bailey Reviews Tales From Another Deminsion by Robbie Sheerin



An emerging Sci-Fi fan favorite: that’s how I would describe Tales From Another Dimension by Robbie Sheerin. This is an interesting collection of Sci-Fi short stories by Robbie Sheerin. The impression that I got as I read through the stories was that it could so easily be adapted into a television series for Sci-Fi stories just as The Twilight Zone was series for spooky, light-horror stories.

As I read, I kept drifting to the line of thought of how I could envision developing each short story into an hour-long television episode. Weather it be an android who believes that he is human being hunted as a rogue. or an intergalactic diplomat realizing that he has just become a zoo specimen, Tales From Another Dimension delivers. I read Tales From Another Dimension over several evenings, but I could see it as a pool-side read: read a story, take a dip in the pool, read a story, take a dip in the pool, repeat. Maybe even a glass of wine or two. I can whole-heartedly recommend Tales From Another Dimension for those who enjoy great Sci-Fi and/or short stories.


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Thursday, June 13, 2024

Jeff Bailey Reviews What Leora Never Knew by Joy Neal Kidney

 


I can’t think of a way to summarize all the great aspects of What Leora Never Knew. This story is a sweeping family quest. Joy Neal Kidney did an extensive family search for the real story behind the death of three of her uncles in World War Two. Five served. Only two made it home. What Leora Never Knew depicts the incomprehensible impact such a loss had on her family and the great resolve it gave author the author to bring the story into the light. She did an exemplary job using actual letters as exhibits in the story. She has honored both those who were lost and those forced to endure such a loss. I am glad I read this account. It had to be told and the family legacy it spawned had to be honored. Joy is such a gifted storyteller. Every bit as good as the other books in the series.


 
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Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Jeff Bailey Reviews Between Heaven And Hell by E.L. Irwin

 

Between Heaven And Earth, the second book and conclusion of the Guardian Series by E.L. Irwin was absolutely perfect. I found it to be a great romantic fantasy. I was sorry to see that it may be the end of the Guardian Series. I would read a dozen more by Irwin. The variety and depth of the characters is fascinating. It shows so much imagination. Yes, there was romance and, yes,, there was fantasy, but there was so much more. The story was intriguing and complex and there were many heart-stopping twists. I could easily see the Guardian Series going several more books. It is a series, I would recommend reading book one, Between Earth And Eden, first there is so much than the prolog could not contain that adds to the story, I wouldn’t have missed it. So good. I highly recommend both books for the fantasy and the romance reader.


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Sunday, May 12, 2024

Jeff Bailey Reviews The Evil Men's Book Club by T. C. Schueler

 

The Evil Men’s Book Club by TC Schueler was an absolutely delicious and unique read. I understand that there really is an Evil Men’s Book Club and that this book is based on a ‘true story’ – fabulous. But that’s a story for a later time. Maybe even a movie based on the ‘true story.’ In the book, the requirements for membership are: be evil (tongue in cheek), select an evil book and come to the bar. That’s it. Reading is optional—drinking beer is not. So what kind of evil men? Why - bikers, guerilla warfare, old money, gunrunning, extortion, cultism, kidnapping, PTSD—even St. Nick. This is all presented in great fun and added real enjoyment to the story. What I particularly liked in this read was the dialog and Schueler’s ability to tell the story through dialog rather than describing the scene and action. Loo Spicotti said, ‘Don’t hit that man.’ Rather than 'Spicotti tried to stop them from fighting.' Excellent. I may read it again just for the dialog.

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Saturday, April 27, 2024

Jeff Bailey Reviews Almighty : Allmachtig by P.R.C. Wright

 

Almighty:Allmachtig  was one of the better historical novels that I have read. I like the level of research that went Almighty:Allmachtig. Wright really immersed the reader in the pre-WWII setting and the horrors of the time when some people believed that those with disabilities or birth defects were not ‘people’ but ‘things’, ‘things’ to be eliminated. Instead of focusing on the Jewish Holocaust, as many in this genre do, this book instead focuses on the equally tragic eugenics programs and handicapped genocide of the Nazi party. But it's not all history - the main plot also goes deep into the compelling characters, their friendships and their relationships. If you enjoy historical fiction, Almighty: Allmachtig is well worth the read! Great pool-side read.

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Friday, April 5, 2024

A Review of B.A Bellec's Someone's Story

 

I've read a description of B.A. Bellec's Someone's Story as, "... a masterpiece of emotive and well-rounded young adult fiction." I Couldn't agree more. Here is my review as I posted it, "For me, Someone’s Story was a comfortably satisfying coming-of-age story. I appreciated the B.A. naming his main protagonist ‘Someone.’ I was able to identify with the abstract character easier than if he had a name. Bellec speaks from the heart of Someone so well that I was able to identify and sympathize with him. Most of us have shared some of Someone’s experiences. The reader has only to check out the many awards shown on the front cover to understand what a terrific read this was. Not my normal genre, but I highly recommend Someone’s Story (everyone’s story.) I’m seventy-five but I suggest Someone’s Story as a read for every teenager that is feeling a bit disconnected. We are not alone." I highly recommend the read.

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Jeff Bailey Reviews Across The Universe by Robbie Sheerin

  Robbie Sheerin 's new novella, Across the Universe, Not Really a Beatles Story sure is quirky in an offbeat humorous way. A bit of Sc...