THE WITCHES OF VEGAS by Mark Rosendorf

Fiction, YA Urban Fantasy, 202 pages

4****

Blurb: Where can Witches and their vampire mentor practice their powers without being discovered or persecuted? By using their magic, the Witches of Vegas become the number one act performing on the Las Vegas Strip—a great achievement for them, but not so much for the magicians—who can’t possibly keep pace. Isis Rivera is the adopted fifteen-year old daughter of The Witches of Vegas. Zack Galloway is the teenage nephew and assistant to the last magician left in the city. Although they should be rivals, when Valeria, a four-hundred-year-old witch with a long-seeded grudge against humanity arrives in Sin-City, both teens act to bring their families together to stop the evil hag in her tracks. But can the combined witches’ powers and the ingenuity of the magicians be enough to stop Valeria from taking over the city and possibly the world?

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book except for a couple spots. Overall, it’s well-written and the characters and settings very well done. So what didn’t I like? I’m getting tired of writers portraying foster parents and foster families as evil. There are good fosters out there. But…for the sake of this story, I understood why the author wrote what he did. Much as I hate to admit it, there are definitely people out there who would act exactly as Isis’s did. It’s hateful and ugly, but not outside the realm of possibility. But there are some amazing fosters out there too. I’d love to see some of them portrayed as such.

I think Isis was a good character. Yes, she could have been stronger… but for what she’d been through, her fear worked. And having Zack step up to help her (and they him) was perfect. Valeria is a fierce villain and her background shows where she comes from nicely.

I can almost believe in the set up of witches acting like magicians in order to hide what they are. Some of the magic acts I’ve seen could very well have been done by witches pretending to be magicians. Overall, a good story with lots of action, a little romance (clean and sweet), a good plot line and a satisfying ending.

Recommendation: Definitely recommended for those looking for a YA (older YA) with lots of action, vampires, witches, and more.

Disclaimer: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

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I know people normally make changes when the new year begins, but I’m going with…now. Had an idea to change things up a little here. Hopefully you’ll like the new way I’m doing things.

So what’s going to be different? Rather than post a bunch of reviews on one day on individual pages, I’m going to post a single review here on the front page – kind of like a spotlight, but no author bios or links. Just the review and book cover and maybe one link–probably to Goodreads.

I will still do specific spotlights for authors. I’m all about helping my fellow authors out. And the reviews will still be posted on individual pages as well. I’m just going to feature them a little more on the front page too.

Oh, and when I don’t have a review or a spotlight, I will continue with the Writing Tips, Tricks, Thoughts. So something new every day.

And please check my ratings below. I’ve gotten complaints about not giving out many 5 Sparklers. This is a subjective enterprise and I call them as *I* see them. How well did the book work for me? And you may not agree with me. That’s fine. We don’t all like the same types of books. I will not post 1 Sparkler reviews. Instead, I will (when possible) contact the author and let them know why the book didn’t work for me. Most of the books I review fall into the 4 category. Why 4 and not 5? It’s that whole subjective thing again. For a 5, the book has to be one that really drew me in, hung onto me with claws, and when done, I wanted to read it again and again, and tell all my friends to read it too. There’s nothing wrong with a 4. That means it was a good book. Just not quite up to the 5 level for me.

1 Sparkler – We currently do not review any story with a 1 star rating. If we can’t finish it, we won’t review it.

2 Sparklers — Not wonderful, but tolerable. There may be some minor editing glitches but not enough to stop me reading. Not trash, but nothing I’d re-read. If I recommended it, I’d send them to the library, not the “buy me” button.

3 Sparklers — Okay. Mostly enjoyable. I made it through and didn’t consider it a waste of time or money. The story was strong enough or the conflict tight enough, so even when the book faltered, it was able to draw me back in . There’s a chance I’ll recommend it to a friend, but it wouldn’t go on my keeper shelf.

4 Sparklers — Very Good. I’m glad I was the one who got to review the book. I would probably buy it and would definitely recommend it to my friends. I liked the characters and the plot. The writing style was good and the editing clean.

5 Sparklers — Wow! I would definitely buy this book. I would definitely recommend it to my friends. I really loved the characters and the plot and would look for other books by this author. Definitely a keeper.

So that’s it. New month, new format.

Wrong Line, Right Connection

Blurb

Could a mortifying day on the job end up netting you true love?

When switchboard operator Mabel Jennings reports to work on a Monday in the summer of 1964, she doesn’t have any interest in finding love again. Out-of-towner Roy Stentz rings up her station, however, and makes her reconsider.  Mabel’s intrigued by his deep yet kind voice, but she endeavors to remain professional. Her attraction frazzles her mind, causing her to transfer Roy to the wrong line. When he calls back to give her another try, she repeats the mistake, humiliating herself.

The haphazard introduction sets an unexpected romance into motion. Though she falls quickly for him, Mabel’s bittersweet past refrains her from giving Roy her full devotion. Can she overcome her memories of love lost to embrace the new one calling out to her?

Buy Links

The Wild Rose Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |Books-a-Million 

Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio.  Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her.  Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want.  Her works include Husband in Hiding, Forgetting My Way Back to You, and Brother of Interest.  She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

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Birthdays: Mary Renault (1905), Richard Wright (1908), Syd Hoff (1912), Craig Claiborne (1920), Joan Aiken (1924), Forrest Carter (1925), David Lagercrantz (1962),

Syd Hoff is best known for his classic children’s book “Danny and the Dinosaur”

Quote: “Just because I’m sweeping leaves doesn’t mean I’m not thinking.” Joan Aiken

Stories ought not to be just little bits of fantasy that are used to wile away an idle hour; from the beginning of the human race stories have been used – by priests, by bards, by medicine men – as magic instruments of healing, of teaching, as a means of helping people come to terms with the fact that they continually have to face insoluble problems and unbearable realities.” – Joan Aiken

Tip: Confusing pronouns: “The lazy dog sat on the sofa. It was soft and plump.” – The second sentence could apply to either the dog or the sofa. The “it” makes it unclear. You need to be specific here. This often happens in books where there are multiple characters of the same sex. Using “she” or “he” for everyone gets too confusing as to who is whom.

Jumpstart: It’s spring and the birds are coming home. All of them. We need to be ready…

Birthdays: Sarah Orne Jewett (1849), Lawrence Clark Powell (1906), Alison Lurie (1926), Aliki (1929), Malcolm Gladwell (1963), Adriana Trigiani (1969), Kiran Desai (1971), Jenny Han (1980),

Alison Lurie won the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel “Foreign Affairs”

Quote: “Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends, and society are natural enemies of the writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking.”― Lawrence Clark Powell

“You can’t write well with only the nice parts of your character, and only about nice things. And I don’t want even to try anymore. I want to use everything, including hate and envy and lust and fear.” – Alison Lurie

Tip: Dangling modifiers: modifiers are words or phrases that enhance other words in a sentence. If you misplace them (dangling), you can change the meaning of a sentence, or make it impossible as in: “Carrying the box, the leaves blew across his path.” In this case, it sounds like the leaves are doing the carrying. Much better: As he carried the box, the leaves blew across his path. Or: The leaves blew across his path as he carried the box.

Jumpstart: You’re going to be on a reality show—one that’s never been seen before. What will it be? What will the challenges be? What is the prize? Why are you doing this?

Birthdays: Lucretia Hale (1820), Eugene Field (1850), Paul Bourget (1852), Joseph Roth (1894), Cleveland Amory (1917), Allen Drury (1918), Barbara Dillon (1927), Jack Bickham (1930), John Bierhorst (1936), Demi (1942), Ellen Stohl Walsh (1942), Jon Berkeley (1962)

Cleveland Amory was an animal rights activist. Most of his books centered on his cat, Polar Bear, like “The Cat Who Came for Christmas”.

Allen Drury won the 1960 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for “Advise and Consent”

Quote: “Books cannot change. A thousand years hence they are what you find them today, speaking the same words, holding forth the same cheer, the same promise, the same comfort; always constant, laughing with those who laugh and weeping with those who weep.” – Eugene Field

Tip: Watch your verb tenses. Whether writing in present or past tense, keep it consistent. I’ve seen too many books where the writer slips from present tense (I am doing this) to the past (I did this) to future (I will do this) sometimes in the same sentence. Most books are written in third person/past tense (She painted the picture.). Some in first person/past tense (I painted the picture). Whatever person/tense you choose, make sure you are consistent throughout.

Jumpstart: This is National Beheading Day. Why would anybody name a day after such a horrible practice? What is the history behind this day? Your character celebrates this day – why and how?

Birthdays: Marguerite Gardiner (1789), Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875), Jean Burden (1914), Gail Gibbons (1944), Jim Arnosky (1946), Timothy Zahn (1951), Jane Hissey (1952), Nelson George (1957), Jesse Kellerman (1978),

Quote: “The most important lesson my parents taught me is that writing is a job, one that requires discipline and commitment. Most of the time it’s a fun job, a wonderful job, but sometimes it isn’t, and those are the days that test you.” – Jesse Kellerman

Tip: This is back to school month for many schools. Take a trip to your nearest office supply store and look at all the neat things for students. What would you really like to have? New notebooks? A fancy pen? A new computer? Pick one object in your price range and buy it. Make a plan for future purchases you can’t currently afford.

Jumpstart: Edgar Rice Burroughs was the creator of Tarzan. Your character is meeting Tarzan as he gets off the boat in England for the first time. What are his/her impressions of the King of the jungle?

Jordan Vasilakis is on the run, living under an assumed name. After a disastrous marriage to a notorious Greek business tycoon, she flees to the States and starts rebuilding her life. But her ruthless husband is determined to destroy her…once he finds her. Michael Machau is drawn to the new singer at Jazz House restaurant, but the guarded woman is harboring dangerous secrets. The dedicated police officer may have to risk more than just his heart to forge a connection with the woman he knows as Madeline Cielo, especially when he discovers she’s living a lie. Worlds collide. Lies entangle. Survival, much less love, is in question. They must quickly distinguish friends from enemies or risk losing everything—including a future together.

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I love to read books of all kinds. This passion began at a very early age. My mom will tell you I never played with toys like dolls or blocks. Toddling around there was always a book in my hand. From the Little Golden books of childhood I grew into children’s literature like Heidi and Black Beauty. Then came the horse books. Seabiscuit and War Admiral. Misty of Chincoteague was a particular favorite. Animal books have always been one of my go-to genre. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot started me on a series that I still return to from time to time.  J. R. R. Tolkien is one of my inspirations as a fantasy author along with C. S. Lewis. But in my heart, I love romance in all its sub-genres. I found these gems in my late teens when I passed a bookstore on my way to work from high school in Minnesota. Living on a dairy farm was tough. My dad had a heart condition and died of cardiac arrest when he was 37 years old. I was 17. My mom and I had to run the farm and take care of the younger kids. We didn’t make a lot of money farming. I had a part-time job to help make ends meet. Romance novels became my escape. They always had a happy ending and took me away from the troubles of life.  Through the years books have been my constant companions and I often revisit my old friends, as well as make new ones. My dream is that you will find the same things in the books I write.
Life is tough. Love can be hard. But with hope, we can get through.

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Around the Fire with D.V. Stone 

Birthdays: Mary Shelley (1797), Theophile Gautier (1811), John Gunther (1901), Virginia Lee Burton (1909), Laurent de Brunhoff (1925), Helen Craig (1934), Donald Crews (1938), Robert Crumb (1943), N.H. Kleinbaum (1948), Guy Kawasaki (1954), Judith Tarr (1955), Camilla Lackberg (1974),

John Gunther is best known for his work “Death be not Proud”

Virginia Lee Burton won the 1943 Caldecott Medal for “The Little House”

Laurent de Brunhoff was the illustrator for the “Babar the Elephant” series, which his father Jean de Brunhoff wrote.

Donald Crews was a two-time winner of the Caldecott Medal

Quote: “I’ve always viewed myself as a brand. When I started 10 years ago, that was very controversial. ‘Marketing’ and ‘PR’ were dirty words for the literary world, but that has changed. Once the book is finished, I want as many people as possible to read it.” – Camilla Lackberg

“So avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose. Language was invented for one reason, boys – to woo women – and, in that endeavor, laziness will not do. It also won’t do in your essays.” ― N.H. Kleinbaum, Dead Poets Society

Tip: “Try and” vs. “try to”: “try and” do something is incorrect grammar. The correct usage is “try to” do something.

Jumpstart: He smiled sadly as he looked at the picture she held. “That was taken when we…”