Callie (The Bayou Hauntings, Volume 1)
by Bill Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for Readers Favorite
All her life Callie has felt like a failure, not worthy of the affection of her grandmother or anyone else for that matter, part of that came from the fact that her father took off the minute he found out her mother was pregnant, and part was the way the extended family treated her. Her misguided attempt to "grown up" and make something of herself found her estranged from her grandmother for the last decade. Now her grandmother was dead and Callie still found herself feeling like a failure. When her Uncle Willard calls to tell her that she must be in Louisiana for the reading of her grandmothers will, she found herself at his mercy as he had to wire her the money to get there. There is no love lost between Callie and her Uncle Willard, and once the will is read and what she inherits is discovered, it becomes clear that Uncle Willard wants what she got, and will do anything to get it. Callie, The Bayou Hauntings is the story of Callie's discovery of her family history and in turn of herself. Author Bill Thompson delivers a southern story high on suspense and family.
Callie is titled as the first Volume in The Bayou Hauntings, which gives the impress of a series, but not necessary following just the one character. Author Bill Thompson gives the reader a book high in suspense and supernatural or paranormal in the form of a friendly visitor that seems real but just might be a ghost. The key to the story is the discover of the family history, how everything that happened in the past actually came to be, and that history unlocks the secrets of the plantation mansion that Callie inherited and also allows Callie to come into her own. This book is clean in that there is no sex, although there are the mention on illegitimate children and there is only a few curse words spread throughout the story, they are appropriate when they come into play. Therefore I have no problem recommending this book to readers of all ages.
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Evil Town
by J. David Bethel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
If there is one place in the world that you could call Evil Town, Washington DC would most likely be that town. Politics, corruption and bribery are everyday occurrences. What really makes the place an Evil Town is what happens when someone bucks the trend and refuses to be bribed. John David Bethel creates a mystery and intrigue novel that begins with the wife of a congressman, who has not been corrupted by the town and refuses to take a bribe or later threat to her safety. As the story delves into what happened to her, we are caught up in years of sweeping facts under the rug. From Vietnam to a local sugar plantation, everyone it seems is hiding a secret. What is it about the secrets and how do they relate to each other and the congressman?
John David Bethel takes the reader into the underbelly of Washington DC. He takes what people tend to think goes on there and amps it up a bit to create a novel of intrigue and mystery that keeps the reader guessing with every page. Evil Town addresses corruption, politics, bribery and murder. Everyone has a secret, but how they each relate to the other, and what one person wants and what they are willing to do to get that will amaze and confound you. At times you will believe the story and feel like it could be a true story, and at the same time you will think there is no way people can be this cruel and demented. Evil Town is well written and draws the reader into the novel, to the point that you feel like it is really happening. This is a great novel for adults, and something to keep you guessing.
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Millicent,
Southern Hearts Series
Book One
by Felicia Rogers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Travel back with me to the Southern United States in 1830 to the beautiful setting of our story, Millicent. Millicent is the oldest of three daughters of a plantation owner just outside of New Orleans. For the last eight months, she has been writing back and forth to Stephenie, by request of her tutor to strengthen her english skills. Now she is having a huge party for her birthday and wants Stephenie to come and be by her side for the whole event. The only problem with this is that, unbeknownst to Millicent, Stephenie is really Stephen. Oh what a tangled web Felicia Rogers has woven. Stephen secures and invitation to the party and plans to tell Millicent, but we all know what happens to the best laid plans. Deceit, treachery, stolen kisses and a house full of men wanting to meet Millicent stand between Stephen and his plans. Can he get to Millicent before she finds out on her own?
Millicent is a warm and touch, innocent story of two very shelter and innocent and trusting young adults in the 1830's that share a special relationship through letters. Stephen knows more about Millie than anyone else would and probably more than what a normal husband even would in that time period. In their letters they were free of the constraints of society to talk freely with each other and they did. Felicia Rogers takes a classic tale of a daughter turning eighteen and well, you gotten kinda marry them off, so you have a big party and show off what you have to interest somebody in her and you hope she is happen. In this case you have a loving family that wants the best, and it turns out kinda funny. This is good reading for adults, teens, young adults, really anyone with the time to read.
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