I very much enjoyed Alawahea! The author has a way of describing ...
597275
I very much enjoyed Alawahea!  The author has a way of describing characters and scenes that bring them to life.  It was entertaining from start to finish providing a mix of suspense, intrigue, anticipation, love, laughs and tears.  I'm anxiously waiting for book two and highly recommend this to anyone looking to lose them selves in something out of this world!
3740213
This was a memoire of a young Southern Belle who joined the Peace Corps in the early 90's.  She spent 2 years in Guatamala!  Although there were bets that she would not complete her tour of duty, she did it!!

Elen(a) and her dog, Cali, endured some rough turrain and characters, but more remarkably, they found friendships and trust in a (third)world country that generally lives life full of suspicion and superstition.

Ellen's unique approach to story telling was such a treat.  One chapter - Elena's voice/view, next chapter - a native woman's voice/view.  Seven women in all, each one sharing similarities, but all very unique.  Guatamala through their eyes, opened mine!

Ellen's memories are bitter-sweet. She is relfective and honest in her expressions and portayals of the life and culture of a third-world country - which is not always a pretty scene!

This story educated me on the customs and life of Guatamala. But, it was also an inspiration for women, young and old, to perservere and take risks.  To make a friendship where one is not always expected, and do something to make a difference in someones life.  Wether it be locally or globally.

An excellent story and a must read!
3722367
I received an early copy to read in exchange for an honest review.  Honestly, I really enjoyed this book!
 A pirate and a voodoo priestess?  Colour me hooked!  Smooth writing and complete thoughts opened up an interesting and colourful world  and glimpsed another that was briefly touched upon in one of her first books that I found and loved, and I do not think it was book 1 in this series.  It is as if there is a 'great alignment' in the future, so now I am impressed with the writer's vision as well. Each of them stood alone as enjoyable rides, but I am intrigued to see where we all end up now and what we see along the way!
 The main two characters were very interesting and very different and you could not second guess them so were always eager to turn the pages.  Hoping for fleshier background people is an odd thought, but sometimes 'scenery' is also important to see how the person lives, reacts or grew.  They were not paper thin by any means, but I would have liked to know just a little more.  Nothing goes unanswered however, so this could just be me.
  I would definitely recommend this book and writer - and have.  I cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us and for the characters I have a vested interest in already!
4033133
I truly enjoyed this book. It is fast moving and at the same time tells a complete, interesting, and believable story about a group of young people growing up in the South. The characters have multiple differences but are equally well-developed.

I particularly appreciated the author's use of descriptive language, which led me to rejoice many times as I read. I just glanced through looking for an example and found many. I chose this one:

"I could barely believe we'd been gone from Pascagoula for little more than half a day. I felt as though I'd taken a trip to a foreign land, my feelings a mixture of the pleasure of seeing things that I had hardly imagined and the shocked realization that, up until now, the most interesting places I'd ever been had been inside my own head. The thought made me nervous, as though I'd spent my whole life wrapped in a crazy quilt, put together out of bits and pieces of things I didn't understand and things I'd just plain made up."

I just really enjoy colorful expressions and word play. There was a plethora of both in this book. I was enjoying it so much I started to worry that the end would be disappointing; it wasn't. I'm glad I read The Last of the Pascagoula.
3932121
This story is full of adventure, excitement, family love , Hawaiian culture, and plenty fantasy; having lived in Hawaii for almost a decade and appreciating the land and culture, I couldn't resist giving this book a try.

I found the writing style to be an easy flow, the characters' personalities and relationships interesting, the references to Hawaiian culture and tradition intriguing and, the "space event" creative. Even though this book had a "happy ending", I felt like the overall story ended abruptly with unaddressed questions -which was mildly disheartening since I was really interested in knowing how things would play out for Leilani, and the rest of humankind.

If there is ever a book #2, I don't know if I'll ever get a chance to read it but I imagine that it sure would be interesting!
1272919
I really enjoyed this book!! I am a fan of YA fiction even though I am an adult.

Reed creates a very vivid and complex world for her characters. The tension between the main characters is a compelling and driving force of the story. The writing is well-done, with the author not writing down to a younger audience. The characters are people I feel like I could know in my everyday life. They are down-to-earth types that are easy to relate to, making me think about the reality of this world.

If I had to raise a criticism, the one I would level is that although there is a lot of description of the environments characters find themselves in, the detail-bug in me was sometimes frustrated by the lesser details on the front end for what was happening with respect to the warring sides/groups that are at the center of the story. It could just be how she chose to roll-out the story. I consider myself a simple straight-forward reader that hasn't read many of the world's great literary works, except in high school English class. So it could be that her writing style is just more sophisticated than my usual books. That being said, I found myself not being able to put the book down as I was constantly reading to see what happened.

I look forward to her next project!
1782665
I liked this book very much. Set in Alabama, it rang true to my southern "ears," bringing back much of what I remembered, although I lived in Richmond, Virginia.
The characters were engaging, and beautifully drawn. These children, with all of their mischief, seemed like kids I remembered, myself--although I was never so brave as they! They came up against formidable grown ups, and became wiser for everything that befell them. I loved the change in the way they came to see the pastor in the church, very much!
I look forward to more from this author.
819039
I liked how well the author helped me to visualize the characters through the use of descriptions not only of the physical surroundings but also the emotional elements.  I also loved the past/present/ past/present sequence of the story!
2082437
Ms. Lipscomb's collection of short stories was very fun to read! She describes the south in such rich detail that one could almost feel the humidity. Each story is different ranging from the supernatural to the social quirks that make the south and southern literature so entertaining. Her characters are well thought out and believable (even in unbelievable situations). There are many clever turns of phrases that made me want to reread them over and over. This book reminded me of Eudora Welty's descriptive qualities, and there is not better praise than that! This was a thoroughly enjoyable book and I hope more will be coming from the author.
4534444
In The Fall and Rise of Lukiya's Lover, James E. Mutumba, has created two very believable characters full of human frailties and strengths. Their journey to maintain their love despite John's infidelities is poignant and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the first chapter of this book and the lovely descriptions of Lukiya's life before she goes to college.

The author goes into some fascinating detail about the politics of college life in Africa, and I was caught up in the tension of lobbying and the results that caused John Fisher to say, "Lukiya Watali. What a woman!" And he is right, for she proves to be very formidable in getting rights for fellow students.

Their romance is put under strain after college when other women tempt John Fisher. The strength of Lukiya is put to the test and both she and he must rely on their faith in God, and their love for each other in order to save their shaky relationship.

I found this story very interesting and the characters of John Fisher and Lukyia quite refreshing. The author puts in a lot of detail about their lives, which helps the reader to identify with them and their struggle to stay together despite the ups and downs of their relationship. I think Christian readers will love this book and its message of faith and belief triumphing over adversity. Although I found the ending a little abrupt, and some of the narrative too detached from the subject matter, it is well worth the read. A good story!
2164880
NOTE: I purchased this as an e-book from Smashwords.

I very much enjoyed this story, which read quickly and smoothly--too quickly, in fact! All too soon I was reaching the last page and wishing for a sequel.

I was quickly drawn in by the main character, who is observant but a quiet sort of man, the sort who doesn't tell all he sees or knows. I didn't have any difficulties with the Japanese terms. I felt nearly all of them were woven in so deftly the meaning was easily inferred, and on those occasions when I couldn't figure it out, I could just check the glossary. Admittedly, I've watched a fair bit of anime, so I'm familiar with some Japanese terms.

The descriptions in the story are evocative without being overdone. I loved seeing the main character grinding his ink or watching people dance in the moonlight.

The story itself was fascinating. I began to suspect early on that all was not as it seemed, but the twist I began anticipating was not quite the twist I got! Very well crafted, and the ending, while it wrapped up the story, also left me wanting more about these characters.
1686994
Miss Maureen Miller's novel is very well written, flows smoothly over the page and takes place in the exotic Hawaiian Islands.  The sun, sand and suspense blend perfectly to create a story that keeps up the reader's interest and has them wanting to hear more from this talented author.  Both Nick and Briana have ghosts from the past to overcome, but they do it in style as the story of unexpectedly anomalous waves threatening the pristine Hawaiian leeward beaches unfolds, bringing them together as they both attempt to solve the mystery.  I give a solid 5 stars for an entertaining read.
2219339
Although there were times when this book seemed to jump from one place to another, or from one time to another, without warning, especially towards the end, I still loved it. It was never slow, never boring and, having spent some time in Africa myself, I could really picture what James Penhaligon was talking about. I'm definitely going to read the sequel - have to know what happened next to James. I'm going to give this book to my husband to read - he was brought up in Uganda and Kenya and spoke some Swahili (only kitchen Swahili, though!) and I'm sure he'll relate to it even more than I did.
507246
I don't usually read poetry, but this book I very much did enjoy.
The fact that it was written by someone from my home town
is what attracted my attention to begin with.  I was drawn in further
by the story of the author's injury and recovery.  Imagine my
happy surprise when I actually enjoyed the straight forward
attitude and thought displayed in the writing of Mr. Thomas J.
McCord.  I suffered physical and neurological illness with polio
as a child, so found this author very easy to relate to.  I also
sent it along to a friend who has always enjoyed poetry more than I.
1376727
It's been a while since I've read anything that gave insight to a culture that was perfectly balanced. Some of this type of genre tends to be too heady, too preachy, too self righteous and the characters tend to get lost because the soap box the author is standing on overpowers them.  This book, however, kept me imagining each step, breath, and moment each character took while on this journey.  It epitomizes life in West Africa quite well without it being overwhelming or overly simplified.  Life is complicated in West Africa but it is in the seeking out of ones purpose that keeps certain nations moving forward. The Chicken Thief captures this enigmatic cultures rise through the eyes of one man succinctly.  Anyone living in Africa, thinking of living in Africa, doing business in Africa, or interested in the political and human ecological aspects of Africa should read this book. In addition, anyone who likes a good tale, with solid characters and a realistic and entertaining view on life should read this book. My only complaint is that I would have liked to have spent a bit more time with the heroin. She was written well, but I can see that there is so much more, or the potential for much more, under the well written surface.  I look forward to the screen play too.
4161741
This was a fascinating and fun read! The concept is very well thought out and a refreshing take on witchcraft. The author does well for her first book, and I found myself drawn into the dialogue and emotions that she portrayed. She lays out a very believable world with a convincing approach to how we might actually deal with witches in modern times. While not typically a genre I follow, this was an engaging and entertaining story that has me ready for the sequel.
3509573
I really enjoyed this book.  It was very interesting to read the author's interpretation of the Rahab story.  The secondary characters were also well-developed.  Nicely done!