Taking a Break

Summer is here and my cupcake business is in high gear with farmers' markets, weddings, graduations and birthdays!  If  you are an author that has submitted to me, don't worry I'll be back in September or October depending on another big event in my life.  Our son is getting married!  I'm not sure how much time I can devote to the blog until after the 3rd of October.
Thanks for being loyal followers and I'll see you soon.  RAS

Cry of the Sea by D. G. Driver

4.5 STARS

Juniper Sawfeather’s parents are environmental acitivists.  Most of the kids in her school just think they are weird so June isn’t a popular girl.  Luckily she has one good friend, Haley, who lives next door.

When disaster strikes the coast and animals are being killed from an oil spill, June and her father spring into action in spite of an argument the night before about college.

June spots a tangle of what she thinks are people covered in oil and it turns out they are mermaids.  In spite of June and her dad’s heroic efforts only one survives the trip to the nearest aquatic research center.

June meets a college age intern and is impressed by Carter’s looks and his interest in sea creatures.  He seems to find her attractive too.

A tangled web of deceit leads to the gripping end of the story.

To be honest, when I found out this was a “mermaid book” I was less than enthusiastic.  I’m happy to report that I changed my mind quickly as the discovery of the mermaids was handled in a most believable way.

June’s family dynamic was interesting and not run of the mill and I liked that. June herself was a determined and intelligent girl.  Even when she thought she lost her best friend and any chance with Carter, she carried on with her mission.

Carter wasn’t just another pretty face who was supportive of his girl.  He had brains and plans and wasn’t afraid to criticize June but he also was understanding of her choices.  I really liked him.

June’s friend, Haley, suffered from the intense desire to be popular and it motivated the things she did and drove her away from June and into the clique of the popular kids.  Haley was smarter than I gave her credit for however and in the end she and June worked things out.

The story of Affron Oil and its oil spill was realistic and brought focus to a problem that perhaps not all of us are aware of.  The descriptions of the scene of the spill was heartbreaking.

I really enjoyed Driver’s book and heartily suggest you give it a try.

You can buy this book here:Amazon

Shattered Rose by Tammy L. Gray

RATED 4 STARS

Avery is in college and is trying to put her life back on track and tackle her eating disorder.  She is sure she has everything under control as she heads to a new apartment with new roommates.

Then she meets Jake, her roommate’s cousin and is instantly and tragically madly in love with him.  He woos her and Shattered Rose by Tammy L. Gray

takes her to bed and then drops her for being to needy. Avery is devastated and old habits take control again and she binges and purges.

When she tries to reconcile with Jake, he puts her in her place and while she sits alone, a young man comes up to offer her comfort.

Parker turns out to be the opposite of Jake.  He is sincere and true in his feelings.  He is a devout Christian and helps Avery find her self worth and confidence once again.  Although Avery returns Parker’s feelings, she just can’t shake thoughts of Jake and can’t stop seeing him behind Parker’s back.

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I don’t usually read Christian fiction but I found I enjoyed this story because it wasn’t preachy or overtly pious.  The characters seemed real and were relatable.  Avery had a huge issue that she didn’t overcome just with a snap of her fingers.

Her  roommate, Issy, had a lot of problems of a different sort and I was happy to see there are more books in this series and each one focuses on one of the characters in this story.

Jake was a lousy rat as many boys are when they are young and handsome.  He was used to getting his own way and felt entitled.  There is a book about him too so I hope he has an epiphany.

Parker was just a nice and loving boy but he wasn’t going to be used or taken for granted by Avery.  I liked that about him.  He brought Christianity to Avery’s life and she was the better for it.
You can buy the book here:Amazon  It's a free download!