Let's Do this Again...Now For REAL Use for BRH... Using Kindle White for Reviewing... Sorry, I'm Frustrated Today...

Dear Author, et.al.

Jester reading a book (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is an official publication of what I am now doing...re reviewing e-books...

Please realize that any other file other than an officially purchased copyrighted copy is NOT a simple issue for a REVIEWER...

Here's a email I just sent out... Please consider it a duplicate for anybody who is asking me to take other than a gifted Kindle...

The Requester...
Sorry, but I am not sure I understand the confusion. Mobi format is the kindle format. I supplied you with that. I can easily be transferred to your kindle.

Here's what I responded:

Let's just forget this, sorry. A mobi file means that I must take a file and move it to my Kindle...which leaves a file on my computer which automatically leaves a copy to be later deleted...Then in order to do my review without having a real inability to use the kindle for review activity, (I must first use the note marker which is very cumbersome, than try to find what I wanted to use by sorting through an extensive list, etc.) I must use a PC version on my computer, which allows me to copy some of the stuff...but then it is another copy which must be deleted, because the Kindle will not accept a mobi file as a true file, but rather is listed in a different section of the Kindle...means it is the user's responsibility for finding it once it has been moved into Kindle...It also will not load into the PC version since it is not a purchased copy and is not part of my online library, so I have to go out find it in the original transfer, open it from there to use and then have to later delete in this location too. 

I apologize in advance since I lost my entire file yesterday because of computer formatting programming... This is NOT an easy transfer... of a Mobi file...

Now multiply it by hundreds of books... I have previously taken them and am finding I cannot keep up and am losing track of ebooks very quickly just because I have taken some other format other than a copyrighted version which is in my online library...

Again, sorry

Glenda.

For the foreseeable future, I will only accept print copies and not very many at a time.  NO electronic files other than a gifted actual purchase to go into my Kindle online library will be accepted.

Recently I did a review for an individual who while thanking me declared it had been a year after it had been submitted...Hey, I have published that print copies are given priority. 

And, if you would, please remember that I have no obligation to review your book. I truly try, but when a requester has made the process 10 times more work than with a print version, I have to do something in response if I accept it. NOW I am no longer accepting...Period... ONLY print copies for the foreseeable future.

And if you haven't seen your review of an ecopy, I have also published notices that you should double check...I have been able to immediately act when an author has taken responsibility for ensuring his/her book has been handled... 

Again, also I have published notices, but, if you haven't heard from me regarding taking a book within the week, please assume that I will not be reviewing...

Also, again, please do not send unsolicited books to me for review...

By the way, I am moving toward the time when I will no longer accept new requests for reviews. When and if that happens depends upoon a willingness of individuals to understand that I am just one person and my requests continue to be overwhelming. 

I seriously don't know whether to laugh because my Blog is popular, or cry because I'm being inundated with what is extra work when I'm asked to take electronic versions...


Kindle White

Package (more evidence on computers!)

For the most part, I've been happy with my Kindle White... The light really helps improve reading and I do enjoy traveling with it with the ability to have multiple books in a slThe wim p

For a reviewer it really doesn't do the job...that is, for someone who reads constantly with the need to share thoughts about the book. Note that those notes would probably be quite different that if you just wanted to highlight a few comments to keep for yourself).

(starting over) The way you do this is by highlighting notes--at least that is the only way I've discovered to do it.

Highlighting works, but when you want to use the material for a review...you must scroll through notes to try to find it...remember most books do not paginate in Kindle and even if you did, there's no way to guess approximately where you read it and go to that location easily.

Using screen touch has worked for most reading--when you move ahead. But if you want to go back a page or more...you may or may not be able to get there. I have just decided to use the location designation and guesstimate. So I check out where I am and think how much I should go back to try to find the location earlier...It is just guessing. Sometimes I've gone too far; sometimes not far enough... When that happens you really need to start over with the Go To location activity.

Ok, I admit I turn pages down in books--hey, they're my books right? But that doesn't work when you're reading electronically. Unless I'm reading a very short book, I've found I don't get into the book like I do with printed books, marking quickly and then proceeding on... If you have to stop and physically code notes into the machine, you automatically are detracting from your reading.

I recognize that this may not be an issue for other fiction readers...but, like I felt with the new computers, people who are using this new equipment as part of their professional lives find themselves adjusting to the equipment rather than that equipment assisting in that work. 

Of course that's just my personal opinion, of course.


GABixlerReviews

Something A Little Different... The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn

This has been an interesting weekend. I had just finished a book by Lauren Carr and was still smiling...but didn't feel like starting a new book, so I turned on the TV, which I rarely watch these days...surfing through the channels to try to find something. I was disgusted that there were so many programs that just are not worth watching...worse though, is that they are...

Well, I'll come back to that sometime...

Through serendipity, I found a site that was talking about a book... The Harbinger... and stopped to listen about what it was... Then I went to my Kindle, ordered it, and started to read immediately.

You see, the book has been out several years, but I'd never heard of it. Many others I am sure will say the same...we haven't "looked" at the appropriate Internet sites, or on the right TV channels, or we've not been at any local place where somebody might ask, "Have you read The Harbinger?!" There are already 5000 reviews for this book on Amazon already, so I don't intend to do my usual...

I'll going to try a "read-along... Why? Because I've been lucky to have visitors from all over the world. And people all over the world need to know what is being said about America... A major reason I do my blog is because I was at one time posting my reviews at AllVoices...an online newspaper... But as many of you know, I've expanded way beyond the norm for reviews... The reason is because of one of the comments I received at that site... I don't remember the exact words, but the idea that came across to me was that, because of my review, this man would know about a book that he would have no opportunity to purchase and read... But with the way I wrote my review, he could learn much about what people were reading...

It is my belief that this is an important book for the world, not just for America. So, I'm going to do essentially what I do with all books, but much slower and only a small part of the book at a time. If I whet your interest and you are immediately interested, then you too might go out and buy it. But if you are not in a position to do that, or just would enjoy a more independent interpretation of what will undoubtedly be a significant book in the world today, I hope you may read this book along with me...

I started to look through the author's site and got involved immediately...but I decided I'd get to know too much about the book before I read and reacted to it personally. But I did want to share a portion of a page on his site that covers one of my important concerns for today's America

The Disappearance of ‘Under God’
In the days and weeks after 9/11, one could hear or see the words “God bless America” almost everywhere. And yet in the years since 9/11, the words “God” and “Under God” have increasingly been under attack or, worse, hidden away from American culture. It was not long after 9/11 that a case arose challenging the words “under God,” in the pledges of Allegiance. A federal judge in California ruled that the words “under God” in such a pledge were unconstitutional.
In more recent days, other controversies rose around the same issue. The president was addressing a Congressional Caucus and quoted from the Declaration of Independence. He stated
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
are created equal, that all men are created equal,
endowed with certain inalienable rights: life liberty
and the pursuit of happiness.”                           If interested, click over to finish this startling article!

One day this week, I'll begin to share what I've read so far...I hope you spend some time with me...


Glenda

"I Will Send You Elijah the Prophet"

Is The Harbinger from a Prophet of God???

Read It With Me...

Related articles

• Is America under God's judgment? - $4.95 today only!
• U.S. leaders hail 'The Harbinger' message
• God's warning to U.S. headlines for 75 weeks

Sex Stories for the Mature Woman by Karl Lancaster...Fantasy Any One?

We can't all look like Kim Novak and other beautiful actresses...but we can still appreciate the love lives they experienced...

If a fantasy is yours...who would play in it?  Here's my choices! Remember who was dancing with Kim in this movie???

..She stood just five feet and four inches and had over the years put on a little weight, but she carried it well and still had curves in all the right places. Her shoulder length auburn hair framed a round but very pretty face and stunning hazel eyes. She was clothed in a little black dress that came to just above the knee, dark colored hold-ups and high heel open toed shoes. And at this present moment she was draped over the bed in an apparent swoon, the scenario being that she had had one too many and passed out in a bedroom while a party was in full swing. 

Barry had put on some music in the sitting room and had just appeared at the bedroom door as a party goer who was looking for the loo and had walked in on the unconscious woman. Jane had arranged herself so that she was laying on her back, one one leg drawn up, so up, so that her dress had ridden up to reveal her hold-ups. Barry at first played the part of a hesitant male, torn between lust and the possibility of discovery. But soon found his emotions getting the better of him. From looking and peeking he quickly progressed to smoothing a hand up a nylon clad leg, taking the bottom of the little dress with it. The maneuvre brought to light a pair of skimpy see through knickers, as well as a ’drunken’moan of delight from the prone female ’party goer’. Encouraged, the naughty male ‘party goer’proceeded to slide the knickers off over her thighs , and discarded them on the bedroom floor. He then trailed a finger slowly back up the one of the now open legs, towards a shaven delight...

!!!

Sex Stories for a Mature Woman

By Karl Lancaster

Having just finished a complete erotic novel, I thought I'd follow with an anthology--which is the long-time format for many erotic stories--i.e., short stories that essentially provides one scene and then moves on to another entirely new story. I think you have to decide personally which you prefer, but I will say that this was a fun book with several delightful, naughty stories. The book I received had a simply beautiful cover--I wish I could have shared it, because what has been used certainly here doesn't give the book the cover it deserves, in my opinion.

The book begins with a short prelude from the writer about "The Idea." I was not sure whether this was also fiction, but I appreciate the setup for the stories which essentially was that a married couple, whose children were now gone, had found that they had more time to enjoy the part of their lives which was delayed, or interrupted...or was just too tedious after a hard day of working...you know what I mean, right? Well, this couple decided to role play and the excerpt is part of the first story provided. 

It was during the aftermath that each explored how they felt about what had happened... They didn't know where they were going with it...but as long as they both knew what was happening, they'd go from there. To me, role playing can be just as much fun as actually following through and doing some of the scenarios. Again, that's a personal decision, but I believe this author has given readers a number of options for consideration. Check with your spouse to see if she wants to read it together...

A recent NY Times article said that the first question about getting a massage was whether you wanted a male or female masseuse. In "Relaxing Moments" two women were vacationing together and had scheduled massages, but one withdrew and went to their room instead... Meanwhile Susan went on to have her very first massage...not knowing what or how it was done...

Why not  pretend you're at the same resort...here's some of what Barbara might be experiencing...

Then he almost absently minded let her legs fall as he took a step back and zipped himself up. He took a deep breath, looked at her and winked and said, 'No extra charge lady, shut now, you dress, goodnight'. Turned and left. 

Leaving her wondering if this was a typical Turkish massage or not?

~~~

By the time the cab arrived any idea this would be a largely platonic evening had fled, and they jumped in to the vehicle both breathless and eager to be on they’re way! And almost before the cab had pulled away from the kerb they had turned to face each other and pressed their eager lips against each others.

Dianne was acutely aware of how passionate both of them was getting as well as how much leg was now on show. And during a brief release from the kissing, when Matt nuzzled her neck instead and she let her head loll back she caught a glimpse of the taxi drivers eyes watching her in the mirror.

 She suddenly realized that her legs had fallen apart and that Matt had his hand between her thighs and was squeezing the soft flesh of one leg. Her eyes were almost closed and she stole a secret glance at the driver and could see he had adjusted the mirror. When she glanced down she knew that her dress was so high he must be looking at her thong which, wouldn’t have been such a problem had it not been see through...

~~~

In addition to the individual stories above, "Holiday Dare," "The Club," and "The Drive are provided for your pleasure." I've seen other versions of the last one, but this story has been expanded. In fact, all the stories invite readers to stay through to the finish, you might say...

I think the part that I liked best was that in most of the stories, if there was a partner, they talked about it extensively, pros and cons, before deciding whether they wanted to proceed. In this way, I don't mean to imply that there is anything therapeutic about the book--rather that it may help couples to consider how they might bring about discussions on their sexual appetites, attitudes, etc. After all, it really is "all in the mind," don't you think?

The other thing I appreciated was that the writer has written it for age-appropriate females... Women just do not appreciate men going after girls or young adults. This writer has taken the time, except for one thing, to study, discuss, and, probably try out what happens in each and every story...

The one thing he didn't take the time to check out? Unless, of course, he has invented a new word... 

she gasped as he pushed a finger in to her now very wet virgina. And now she let herself go and pressed her hips up towards the invading digit.

The man who had had his face between her legs shot bolt upright and in almost one smooth move buried his cock in her wet virgina...

I tried to find a pic of a virgina, but you wouldn't believe what came up on the search! As I was reading, I decided it was a merge between virgin and vagina...but, gee, if you're going to write erotica...especially for women...you really, gotta, please...learn how to spell the parts...LOL Forgive me, I just couldn't let that pass! Shall we say...AWKWARD!

If you're into it, like I said, this is a fun, enjoyable romp for those who enjoy talking about sex when we are old enough...like...ah, mature! LOL

GABixlerReviews

A Mature Woman Fan...

Karl Lancaster is an only child born in Paddington London England in 1955 to working class parents. He went to an average secondary modern school and later held down several very uninspiring jobs.
In his late teens Karl took up aikido and gained his black belt by the time he was 22. Later he took up ju jutsu, iaido, jodo and kobudo.
In his forties he joined the Metropolitan Police and also took up kung fu. By his fifties he had become a trainer at the Metropolitan Police College in Hendon London and had also become world, European and UK champion in kung fu. These days Karl teaches first aid and tai chi as a freelance trainer, writes and dabbles in the antique market. He lives with his wife Trisha and two sons in Romford Essex UK.

A Taste of Honey...May Be More Than You Bargained For... Check out Gamal Hennessy's Debut Novel!

A Taste of Honey: 

A Novel of Crime and Passion  

By Gamal Hennessy

I don't know about you, but I have trouble with an erotic novel that doesn't have a great background story. So I was very pleased and excited to read A Taste of Honey! If you like it sexy, you're going to find it here... If you like crime stories, like I do...you've also got a good story here! But, if you have sex and crime in one book, more than likely it's also going to get gory, with some parts difficult to absorb... You are thus warned...

It seemed only appropriate for our two lead female characters to be the Honey that many of you will know...right?

An important definition begins the book: Honey Trap: a strategy where an attractive person coerces another person into doing or revealing something...

I wonder why they many times use females for this role...yes, they might succeed, but they are being placed in sometimes very dangerous situations... Hopefully, the women have been taught much and have the skills and knowledge to act on her own, but sometimes...

Nikki hated fucking men like Gregori
Yvenko. His hands were like sandpaper
on her skin. His breath was rotten from
cigarettes and garlic when he kissed her,
and he was the exact opposite of Chris.
Whenever she had to suffer through an
evening with Gregori, the memories of
Chris on top of her kept her sane.
She did this for him...
~~~

Nikki was a member of an organization using female operatives to seduce men--or women--to share information. Nikki had been seduced herself by Chris, introduced to the pleasures of love and how she could use it to entice others to reach out to her. It wasn't surprising she fell in love with Chris... That was her first mistake...

Her second mistake, in my opinion, was staying with an organization, just because she was "in love" with the leader, while the rest of the crew, especially one, Simon, made it quite difficult for her to do what she was asked to do, while her supposed backup made crude remarks during the entire operation. Chris would just tell them to keep their personal concerns to themselves... Yeah, right, you know how that went, don't you? I couldn't find anybody that I was willing to put in for Simon, so chose an image of him... You'll know why when you read the story. All I can say if that he is mean...and hates women...
'nuf said...

I loved the curve that Hennessy threw in when Nikki flew to Argentina. Nikki had been told that they were going on a vacation. She was to fly down and Chris would get there as soon as he could after he got everything arranged to be gone awhile...

The Astor Piazzola International Airport in Mar Del Plata proved to be even easier than Grantley Adams. Her halting Spanish was weak compared to the customs agent's formal English, but a warm smile here and a suggestivw look there made extensive verbal translation unnecessary. She breezed out of the airport and into the salty Argentine air faster than any grocery checkout line in New York.
She ran like a woman on stilts toward a bright red cab and climbed in headfirst like a child. Her own voice seemed more eager and shrill when she told the driver where she wanted to go. What was she doing? Where was all this excite3ment coming from? This was her first time in Argentina, but it wasn't her first trip abroad. Chris had taken her to Mexico and South America several times over the past few years oince she was "part of the team." Was it her desire to see Chris? She was certainly hungry for him, but she knew she would see him today. She didn't even know if he was in town. Protocol demanded that they establish cover first. It didn't matter that this was a vacation and not an operation. It didn't matter what her libido might need either. She slumped back into the seat of the cab. The excitement would have to wait a little while longer...again.
She spent five days alone with her excitement in Mar Del Plata. She walked the streets as a tourist during the day: window shopping, sightseeing, and pretending to take pictures. It was an excellent way to learn the layout of the city, plan potential escape routes, and detect possible surveillance. She spent her evenings in the local restaurants and bars, charming her way into mixed groups of men and women to avoid the predators that might prey on an isolated female. This gave her a chance to absorb the mood of the people and adapt to the pace of the city. She spent her nights alone...

~~~

When Chris arrived one day while Nikki was out, he had the room romantically set up with dim lighting, music...

Nikki walked through his door and slipped into another world. The scent of warm lavender floating in the air, mixing with the salted reeze coming through the open balcony doors to create an aroma that reminded her of wine. And not just any wine. It was a specifi sensory memory of a strong red wine that he licked from the palm of her hand early in their affair. Her first step into the room brought a tickle on her skin as memories of those nights came back to her.

There was only one light on in a corner of the large plush suite. the dim flicker and the moon from the open window danced shadows across the room and made the size of the space hard to define. Christ loved to take her in the half-light. The sensation of feeling him, while not being able to see him, haunted her with dark fantasies when she was alone. The way he touched her and the way he moved could spark the illusion of loving two men at the same time. Her breath was heavy and heated by the time she made her second step into the room...By the time Nikki took her third step into chris's room, she waded in her own arousal. Without a word, she dropped her purse, took his hand, and allowed herself to be led to the balcony.

There was another squeeze before he turned her away
from the bay and toward the center of the city. "Did you
get a chance to visit the marina..."Okay, why don't we
take a tour...
"I'm afraid we don't have time, honey. We have a window
of opportunity coming up and I need you to be up to
speed.
His words sucked the air out of her lungs. "What?"
What do you need me to be up to speed for? We're
on vacation, right?
~~~

Chris devoured Nikki on a lounge chair overlooking the darkened ocean. She became his puppet when his mouth dropped between her legs. As the slow circles of his tongue messaged her tip, she sang in low moans that he controlled more than she did. When his fingers curled up to stroke her inner softness, she shuddered and squirmed at this command. She had no control of the way her body responded, and she had no desire to take control. When his hand and mouth engulfed her together, she lost her sense of time and place. She lost her sense of self. Everything fell away. ...Only pleasure was left, and Nikki surrendered to it...

                                                             ~~~

And that's when I began to reallllly hate him!

Chris had never intended a vacation. He had another job to do and Nikki would be right in the middle of it...and had never been told!

And then he saw her.The first thing he noticed
was her movement. She had a feline
sensuality that turned heads as she moved
through the crowd...
!!!

Target: Cruz Maritime, third largest shipping concern in Argentina...They had dozens of ships moving between Europe and South America... Her job was to seduce the head of the company and obtain shipping information supporting illegal activities... Of course, Nikki was furious...so much so that soon Chris was giving her a background story where Chris could lose his life or never be able to go back home if they didn't handle this job... And she gave in...

It was never hard for Nikki to move easily into a crowd of people and immediately get noticed. She knew when

she had caught Manuel's attention...

And the game was on... Nikki and Manuel quickly established

 their desire for each other and soon Manuel was taking her to his yacht, barely making it on board when he pulled her down, removing her clothes...Nikki began to help when she noticed...Dominique, Manuel's wife, watching... Afraid at first, soon, Nikki turned to watcher her as he was watching them... Soon a small smile began and Dominique moved out from the shadows...

Hennessy has done an excellent job in writing the parts for his characters... I was intensely hating the bad guys, feeling a little sorry for Manuel who had inherited the shipping company and had never had any real interest in it... but I still didn't expect...at all...what was to come! This is a very cool book, even though there are violent scenes that, unfortunately, do fit well with the bad guys that have been created...it didn't take long to realize what they would be willing to do!

Apparently, the author might have published portions of his book along the way, but the novel includes the entire story and even goes back to before the present story and gives readers information on how Manuel and his wife, Dominique, met...a very nice extra bonus! I'm assuming he was getting some good feedback on his shorts, but, still, I'll wager that nobody will be prepared for the climatic actions ending the story! Let me know if you guessed any of it! 'Cause I sure didn't!

Highly recommended if this sounds like a book you'd enjoy...just remember, I did warn you about a couple of things...but actually the violence bothered me, while the sexuality and the characters involved were very well done and fit perfectly within the overall story. Well done for a debut novel!

GABixlerReviews

One of my all-time favorites so had to include!

Gamal Hennessy is an author from New York City. His fiction blends elements of the Usual Suspects and Jason Bourne to create a unique type of adult crime fiction.

His literary inspirations include John Le Carre, Barry Eisler and Anais Nin. His first anthology, Smooth Operator: The Life and Crimes of Warren Baker reached number three on the Amazon's list of new spy fiction. His first novel, A Taste of Honey, was released in May of 2014. His next anthology, The Dark End of the Street will be released in the fall of 2014 and the sequel to Taste will be published in early 2015.

Stateline by Dave Stanton -- Hardboiled Crime Fiction at Its Finest!

Then a tormented female voice from the front
cried out, "Sylvester is dead!"
The crowd froze for a moment.
And then chaos ensued.

"I'm Deputy Sheriff Marcus Grier of the Silverado Sheriff's Department City of South Lake Tahoe." The ballroom was deathly still.
"I have soe terrible news to report. "There's been a tragic accident, and the wedding is canceled. I'm afraid that's all I can say now. Please exit the ballroom in an orderly fashion for your own safety.
Grier stepped down from the stage. A stunned silence engulfed the room, the moment was so abrupt and so utterly inconceivable that I thought it might be some kind of morbid practical joke. A hushed murmur rose from the crowd and built into a crescendo as people near the front surrounded the cops and beseiged them with questions. More people surged forward, a man fell and cried out in pain, and one officer pulled his billy club as he was pushed back against the pulpit. Another cop grabbed a bulhorn and told the crowd to stand back.

~~~


Stateline:
A Dan Reno Novel

By Dave Stanton

Author Blackie Noir
Playing Dan Reno

This is my first Dan Reno Novel and while I was reading I kept picturing Blackie Noir who writes noir novels. Stateline is hardboiled fiction which reminded me of his writing as well as my physical image of Dan...LOL... So sue me, I enjoy imagining the male characters, especially, in this type of book. Dan Reno is a PI who has gone through much and at one time hit the bottom...

During that time, he also got divorced...Interestingly, it is his ex-wife's niece that invited him to the wedding where it all started...  Then his ex, of course, had to call with her orders.

“Well, this is a fancy wedding, don’t try showing up in jeans.”
“Of course not.”
“And getting drunk would be totally uncalled for.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not drinking anymore,” I said.
“Or any less, I’m sure.”
I cleared my throat. “So, who’s the lucky groom?”

The bridegroom was the son of one of the richest men in California and was paying for everything including for invited guests... Dan needed to go, just to have some time away from his penny-pitching boss who was the type who wanted you in to work on time, even if you'd had an all-night stakeout! 

I knew Wenger would be pissed that I was bailing early, but he would have to live with that. Unfortunately, I had to live with it, too. It wasn't that I considered him a bad person, but as a boss, Rick Wenger was a tremendous pain in the ass.

"It's Dan, Dan Reno. How are
you? I felt awkward, feeling a
sense that whatever there was
between us in Salina may have
been a drunken illusion on my
part. She had been scared and
vulnerable, and I had treated
her kindly. Maybe there was
no more than that.
"I didn't think you were
going to call..."
~~~

BTW, these two quotes are direct from the author's site, so if you're thinking of getting this, go read more! Needless to say,  I loved the character although I'm not going into his sexual
exploits/love interests along the way--too many. I'll just mention a prostitute he had to track down that was the only one he contacted at the end of the case...LOL Can you tell I thoroughly enjoyed the book?!

Sylvester had been at his bachelor party the night he was killed. There were dancers there, but they weren't willing to party. So Dan had brought two hookers to his room and got
busy...

Before the night was over, Sylvester had a knife run through him, until it was coming out his back...

My eyes fell back to [ one of the killers]. I swore I saw his corpse shudder, then I had an eerie sense that his soul was leaving his body. For a second I felt his presence watching me. I froze, staring into air charged with electricity, then the sky flashed, and I saw his spirit being sucked into the earth, like sand falling through an hourglass in fast motion. I staggered back, the hair on my arms and back of my head standing straight out, my face on fire with needles and pins. A small dust twister appeared, danced around his body for a few seconds, then vanished.
                                            ~~~

Both prostitutes had disappeared... Another man who had been at the party was  then murdered just as the investigations were getting started. After talking with the local police Sylvester's father had sent for Reno, offered him a large sum up front and double that if he found the killer before the police did. He explained that he had no faith in the police he'd talked to and he wanted to ensure that justice was done, even if he had to do it himself...

Well, Reno was just about broke and had no option but to take it for the money! Wouldn't you? Well, maybe not, if you had known in advance what Dan would be getting into...but that was well into the case by the first time he was almost killed...

I chose Julia "before" image
to act for Samantha... because
of her personality at that time.
I love both of these great
female actresses who've
 played hookers...
Loved Pretty Woman!
~~~

Reno was able to learn that there had been two prostitutes in the room the night of the murder, so he was assuming they'd be looking for similar jobs in nearby areas...So readers will be spending time at a number of "the 19 strictly regulated bordellos" operating in the state... The first one he found was Samantha...

Most of the other characters with whom Reno gets involved is the many cops in the area in which he's conducting his investigation... which is going quite well, NOT like the police investigation which is going nowhere...In fact, a number of the cops appear to be bad guys and will go on your  "possible person of interest" list. So, I'll give you one hint... there's more than one bad guy/killer!!!

So when things were getting tighter and tighter, Dan talks to his friend, who has been doing some police checks for him, and who is a regular in this series, and he comes calling...and also almost gets killed! Yikes!

But why was this young man killed? Heck, in this book, even that is complicated! What's the picture of the Lake for? Well, Dan lost his beloved car as it was moving down the hill toward that lake.

At least he got one of those men who had pushed him over the hill to kill him... Get the feeling that most people didn't want Dan on this investigation?!

One of the small things I like about the book is what happens to the town sheriff... Stanton has covered all bases in the total case and left no strings hanging for us to wonder about. Dan Reno is a character that is so well drawn that you'll think you know him. He's definitely got the drive and methods to get the job done if you needed a PI. And even gets a girl at the end... And then there's Edward who is Dan's contact for his job... He not only turns out to become a friend and more...but Stanton adds a little side scene where Edward gets interested in visiting one of the bordellos that Dan keeps talking about...just to see what it's like, of course...

Enough, this is a hard book to review and not give too much away... There is so much action going that your reading time will automatically speed up to keep pace with how fast Reno is moving! LOL. Crime fiction aficionados, you'll be sorry if you miss this one!


GABixlerReviews

About the Author - Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1960, Dave Stanton moved to Northern California in 1961. He attended San Jose State University and received a BA in journalism in 1983. Over the years, he worked as a bartender, newspaper advertising salesman, furniture mover, pizza cook, debt collector, and computer component salesman. He has two children, Austin and Haley, and lives with his wife, Heidi, in San Jose, California.

Stanton is the author of five novels, all featuring private investigator Dan Reno and his ex-cop buddy, Cody Gibbons.

Related articles

• Book Review: Stateline by Dave Stanton

The Doppler Affect by Shawn Phillips --BRH Meets Fantasci Devotee Sharing How Dopplers will Effect Change...

The Species
Natural Form

Is this a human doppelganger or... or
did she???

If you've heard the word doppelganger and checked it out on the Internet, you would be surprised how much information can be found. A lot of it, like the pic to the left is about two humans who very much look alike...some have even compared humans to animals and other "things." But in the scifi area, you will find that some people actually believe that they are a separate species, that just happens to look like humans... Well, that's partly true, but actually I was able to find at least one source, D&D Wiki, who reveals the actual form.

Doppelgangers are also known as shapeshifters, thus they are able to change their form to look like human beings... Beware... The author, a true fantasci devotee has tediously documented what happened when Doppelgangers decided to relocate to America, take advantage of available technology and move to take over the world. Thankfully, there are also specially-gifted humans (Think Ghost Whisperer...Plus!) who are able to toss back some things when doppelgangers decide to strike...


The Doppler Affect:

a paranormal adult fiction novel

By Shawn Phillips

Now there's one scary part I decided to share with potential readers... Men are in more danger than women. Just suppose, for instance, that a female Doppler made out with a human? What would happen???! And even vampires, werewolves and lycanthropes are susceptible and become slaves for their use... as inferior offspring of their dopplers!

Chris belted out the chorus to Blaze of Flory as he wound his Mercedes up the wooded mountain road. He tore by the sign for Truckee, California, catching that the population was around 3000. He wasn't that far from Reno now, and was starting to feel the rush with the thought of letting it role on the craps tables...A business conference. He chuckled, knowing that he only needed to sign in and attend the morning sessions. After that, the rest of the time was all his.

"I'm going down, in a blaze of glory!" he screamed, completely out of tune, as he picked up even more speed...

~~~

When he disappeared,
the maid parked the cart to
his door...She...bent down to
grab the metal canister and
with her right hand, stopped,
and chuckled as she pulled
out the used tissue.,,,She
brought it up to her nose and
sniffed, and then let her tongue
slowly slide out of her mouth
until the tip touched a moist
spot. She let the flavor invade
her mouth and the scent
 overwhelm her nostrils.
Satisfied, she stood over the
toilet, hiked up her classic
black and white maid's skirt...
As she sat on the toilet seat,
she look the tissue and placed
it between her legs, pushing
it slightly inside her as
unnatural muscles and thin
tendrils captured and guided
the semen deep inside her...
to a different type of
reproductive system...
!!!

Antoinette looked at her lead in the first row, hesitated for
dramatic effect, then replied as a shrewd smile crossed the
sharp features of her face. "The banker is ours."
~~~

Christopher Michael Sands and Michael Christoper Sands are the two lead male characters who find themselves involved with the Dopplers. Christopher was an investment counselor and had been attending a conference. After it was over and he was ready to relax, a brunette approached him, offering to assist. But he was very much in love with his wife and hoped to at least talk with her  that night before he left. When Antoinette failed her first contact, she moved on to her second, but less satisfying choice... quickly changing her appearance and heading for his hotel room. She was lucky to hear him on the phone, having phone sex--perfect!

Within the Doppelgangers is a strict hierarchical order, with the Prima Maestra, of course,  as the female leader. Two assist her at her discretion. And, in fact, the doppel who had taken the Banker was soon...out... well, you can find out where later since they don't normally die... The Maestra makes all decisions, one of which was to limit the number of female doppelgangers. But one of the concerns has been the Human Genome Project which would be devastating for their race since it would be easily discernible their DNA was not human...

Soooo, Antoinette, as Chris, goes to his office and, shall we say, makes a large withdrawal, killing a guard who realizes what's happening... There is no way to prove he didn't do it, even though Chris is fairly certain he didn't. He cannot go up against a tape of him there while the robbery takes place... Although later he does, it's already too late... He is killed in a prison riot...

Thing is, the way the forensics people see the horrific scene, they think the much smaller man killed everybody before somebody must have attacked him from the back... This is a hint of Chris' gift...but what is it and what actually happened?!

So, we have a Prima Maestro, who enjoys a toy she's created so that she can make love to herself...A lovely Prima who is one of the top three doppels who has fallen in love with a male Doppel, which is illegal... Antoinette who had a daughter who was never allowed to be a doppelganger and who falls in love with her human boss with her mother's blessing... and who later both are around for the climatic ending... and a tech expert who keeps busy in her lab handling projects assigned by the Prima Maestro...and some she's brought about on her own initiative...

Soon Chris' son becomes involved. The former warden, who had received financial guidance from Chris during his imprisonment had finally decided to use his advice and quickly got rich...And, as he promised his father, he had helped Chris's son with his college expenses. Until Chris tracks him down... 

Chris is now the target for the dopplers--they want his body so that they can claim his gift... 

Fortunately, Chris also meets one of the wood nymphs who were brought into the States... and well...gets together...

And...this guy...Osama...who nobody ever sees until Michael needs help...Heck, Michael has even got the forest trees helping him...so, prepare for great battles, chases like you've never imagined, and Fantasci creatures you have never seen before...

Heck, I'm not even a Fantasci but you've got to admit that I can predict that for many of you who love the genre...This is going to be a must-read...for those who are old enough for adult content... I was hooked from the very first and only got stuck on the time details for the doppelganger reigns...but that's so small an issue, I shouldn't even mention it...unless you can figure it out and write to let me know how to interpret their activities in relation to earth time...LOL! Do check this one out!


GABixlerReviews

Shawn spent most of his pre-teen years living in small farming communities in southern Michigan, finally settling down in Jonesville for his middle and high school years. Upon graduating he attended Hope College, then relocated to California to continue his chemistry studies, and obtained his doctorate in 1997. He has spent more than a 18 years conducting rocket propulsion research at the historic Rocket Research Site, located at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
He has two boys, whom he joyfully raises with his wife Yvonne, amongst the beautiful desert hills of Palmdale, California.
Useless Trivia: Although embodying the nerd stereotype of possessing no athletic ability, he loves hiking, camping, running, and martial arts.