KLF Writing Services

Let's get the full disclosure thing out of the way first. This book was a gift to me from James Strauss, but not for the price of a review. James happened to get on a roll one day and was amazed by the price The Boy: The Mastodons-Book 1 goes for on Amazon, so he decided to give away a few signed copies. I was one of the lucky recipients. Now on to the actual review.

Honestly, The Boy: The Mastodons-Book 1 is everything you would expect from James Strauss. I had been interested in reading this book for a while, but the last time I paid over $70 for a book was in college and it was never worth it. I'm too frugal to do it for pleasure.

If you, like I did, wonder if this is going to be a similar read as The Clan of Cave Bear series is, let me clue you in. They are similar in that they are both realistic historical fiction and they both offer a potential glimpse into the life of an individual who dares to step outside the bounds of approved societal behavior for the time the story is set in. However, the similarities end there.

You won't find so much in the way of healing herbs as you will in human behavior and the difference one person straying from the path can make. This book is about the entrapment of how the codes of a society that originally meant to protect a community, can ultimately be the downfall of one.

When loneliness and fear are your only companions, and internal ones at that, you will seek outside solace as The Boy does. Separated from his tribe by disaster, The Boy makes an unusual friend and is soon lost in isolation that leads to discovery. The book delves into the human mind and includes not so pleasant thoughts of the main character, so that you get a glimpse of real human nature, how it can be flawed, and how it can be changed.

While The Boy: The Mastadons-Book 1 is rich in detail and description, it is also the gateway to understanding the destruction of conformity and the assumptions that are made because of it. If you enjoy (pre)historical fiction, you will enjoy this tale for the sake of the tale. If you enjoy reflecting on the fallacies of societal behavior, you are going to wonder why this book is not required reading for any parent, teacher, or leader of any kind.

Michelle Devon does an excellent job of bringing characters to life in a somewhat twisted tale that has character Kyle McCroy questioning his own sense of reality. A man who is already unsure of his own sanity and life he finds himself in is faced with a new element when he meets Celeste.

This is a tale that most people can relate to on some level. It takes the reader through a journey that makes you ask yourself how many times your reality has seemed to put you in a questionable state of mind. This is one of those tales that draws you in and won't let you go. Michelle Devon uses her storytelling skills to dive into one my favorite topics; the human psyche.

Thumbs up Ms. Devon for giving readers a reminder of all that is not as it seems.

Financial books aren't normally anything I enjoy reading. If I'm going to sit down and read a book, it's going to be for pleasure. I have to say that pleasure is just what I got from this book.

I was expecting to be bored to tears, but glean some useful financial information from Piggy Banks to Paychecks by Angie Mohr. To be fair, I did get an education and found the glossary in the back to be an especially useful tool, but I was also entertained. She somehow turned finances into something I could stand to read about because she included her own voice and real life situations.

Piggy Banks to Paychecks is a sort of guide to help parents educate their children in the world of finances. It does just that, but does it in such a way that the parent isn't wishing they were watching a good movie instead of reading the book.

Angie Mohr has packed this book with more information that a first year Econ class. It's written in the voice of a parent rather than a dry accounting perspective. Well organized and easy to read, Piggy Banks to Paychecks may just be the best financial book I've read yet. A huge thumbs up to Angie Mohr for a job well done!

The Birth of Jaiden by Jennifer Malone Wright is a fiction work that leaves the reader to ponder the depth of the impact that our histories can have on us and how the world is shaped by even a minute part of an individual.

Mrs. Wright brings the reader into the heart of a creature that is historically considered evil and leaves you to wonder if the fate of a spirit can be decided that easily. Her characters will leave you with an urge to know them in-depth while the story itself begs to be written through to the very end.

The main character, Alex give you insight into the concept of putting things behind you and moving forward, while the group as a whole reminds us that blood ties aren't the only thing that makes a family. Jaiden, a newborn and very powerful natural witch-even from the cradle is responsive in such a way as to make one wonder if true evil is something that one is born to or if it is something that needs to be cultivated.

Among the many elements of the development of the human (and immortal) character traits, one is led to question nature versus nurture and the idea that evil and good are marked by the milestones of our lives. Can something that is supposed to be inherently evil really bring the blossom of light from a human spirit?

Can a creature whose soul is doomed to hell not only learn to love again, but teach it as well? This reader is anxious to find out in Jennifer's up and coming book The Rise of Jaiden.

Before I review this series, I have to confess that my neighbor introduced me to them as a result of some lengthy conversations about spirituality. She and I discuss positive energy a lot. We talk about the concepts of light and dark and so forth. Of course, I had no idea why she thought I would like these books since I had never expressed an interest in vampires. Once I read the books, I understood. These books aren't about vampires. They're not even really about vampire hunting. What they are really about is the concept of light and dark.

L.A. Banks has created a master collection that literally leaves the reader feeling as if they have just taken a "white bath". Her characters are vibrant and sexy, yet suffer from the same flaws of humanity that the rest of us do.

You won't find codependent teenagers that sparkle in the sunlight in this series. Nor is it a collection of historical romances. What you will find is yourself, questioning everything you ever knew about the black and white lines that define right and wrong.

L.A. Banks doesn't just tell a great story, she motivates her characters to become acutely aware of their senses even as her stories bring the reader in touch with their own. It's impossible for the reader to not be able to relate to at least one character and to feel compelled to search their own concept of good and evil and how they are sometimes intertwined.

Whether you read just one book or the entire series, you'll be able to imagine the characters come to life as you feel the hot breath of a leathery wingspan or the heat of passion that makes one want to "drop fang". If this series isn't made into an epic movie series soon, I'll have to wonder if Hollywood has given up on the idea of blockbuster profits!

In fact, I was so impressed with this series that I had to interview the author herself. Look for the interview with L.A. Banks to be published here in the near future so you can get a glimpse of the woman who so masterfully developed such intricate characters in the Vampire Huntress series and created some new ones in her latest book, Shadow Walker (Neteru Academy Books).

I've had the pleasure of reading Walk in My Soul by Lucia St.Clair Robson several times now. It's one of those books you find a new pleasure in every time you read it. This masterpiece of historical fiction lends details and emotions to the life of the legendary Sam Houston and his Cherokee wife, known as Tiana.

This isn't exactly a historical romance, though there are certainly romantic elements woven through out the book. It's more of a detailed documentation of the lives of the Cherokees before and during the infamous Trail of Tears.

Lucia St.Clair Robson gives us a glimpse into the childhood of the one who would become Beloved Woman to her people as well as the glory and pains of the one we know as the father of Texas. With excellent character development and a plot that grips the reader to the core, Lucia St.Clair Robson has brought not only her characters to life, but has given us invaluable details so that we may better understand the times they lived in.

Set in times when land seem to hold more value than human life, the struggles of a nation who seemed to live as one with nature are pitted against those who would destroy the very land they hungered for. This isn't just an account of two people's lives. This is a wealth of insight into an entire matriarchal society that struggled to hold onto its heritage even as that heritage was systematically being disassembled.

by Kathy Foust
House Rules by Jodi Picoult is one of those books that grips the reader in such a way as to make it impossible to put down once the cover has been opened. Jodi Picoult does an excellent job of providing details and insight into the minds and actions of her characters so that the reader ends up with a sense of affinity for each and every one of them.

The plot of the story itself is written using the voice of each character. As the story unfolds, the reader is entranced by the variety of perspectives that are offered. This makes for a great method of story telling with a story so heart wrenching that putting the book down before finishing it feels almost like abandoning an old friend.

Autism takes center stage and makes for a unique persepctive as each individual deals with the issue of Asperger's in their own way. Not only is the reader introduced to the details of the family dyamics of dealing with Asperger's, but they are introduced to a different kind of concept of truth and rule following right up until the very end when the basic 'who done it' question is answered.

For anyone with a penchant for mystery, this novel will take them through unexpected turns and twists. For those that have a personal interest in autism and Asperger's in general, this novel provides incredible insight into the inner workings of the autistic mind.

In the end, hats off to Jodi Picoult, an author who puts her heart and soul into her characters and story line. Whether you love a good mystery, want characters that you can personally relate to or are just interested in the facets of autism through the eyes of those closest to it, this book makes for a wonderful read. Truly, this book is a masterpiece, story telling through character development at its best!

I love to read, so I thought I would start doing some book reviews to put here. I plan to do book reviews every week. If you would like to submit a book review for posting, feel free to contact me using the contact information here and in my profile.


Review of The Queen’s Confession

By Kathy Foust

This fictional biography by Victoria Holt offers a glimpse into the personal thoughts and life of Marie Antoinette. This tale of personal correspondence, fears, faults and relationships begins in the early teen years of Marie Antoinette, whose name was changed from Maria Antonio, signifying the transition from an Austrian child to the Queen Marie Antoinette of France.

This journey is not only about the life of the Queen of France, known for her spending habits and haughty attitude, but about France itself as the country changes from one of hope to the beginning and end of the French Revolution. From the crowning of the King who could not perform husbandly duties to the death of 2 out of 4 of the royal couple’s children as well as the beheading of the King himself, this account of the life of Marie Antoinette is written in such a way that the reader is carried along through family relationships, forbidden love and a misunderstood Queen of France.

The story begins with a young child and ends with Marie Antoinette seemingly writing her own history as she waits for judgment from the people, a judgment that will place her neck under the axe even as she maintains her dignity and duty to her people. This is not just a tale of a Queen, but of a woman whose downfall was sparked off by her innocence in an affair involving an extravagant necklace. A life of royalty and extravagance built a reputation that could only end in tragedy.