What do loan sharks, vineyards and photographs have in common? Probably not what you’re thinking, but that would make for an interesting plot.
Today I’m sharing my thoughts on three very different books. The first deals with a loan shark, the second with a vineyard and a woman's difficult decision, and the last is a collection of rediscovered photographs. Enjoy.
BON APPETIT by Glenn Gamble
The life of a loan shark may have its glitz and glamour, but it’s also a hard life.
Jim Money finds that out when he goes to collect his money from Chuck, a dead beat. Chuck refuses to pay and trouble ensues. Jim calls his enforcer, Steve, in to handle the problem.
Meanwhile, Jim’s girlfriend Jessica is talking about settling down. The next thing Jim knows, Jessica has apparently run off with Steve. Now Jim is forced to team up with Steve’s wife, Carla, to find out what’s really going on.
Author Glenn Gamble has created a fast-pace read filled with suspense and action. It will keep you guessing. Be warned, however, the book does contain a fair amount of foul language.
BON APPETIT is the first installment in the Jim Money series.
Author Glenn Gamble’s website is www.glenngamble.com
Bon Appetit by Glenn Gamble, A Jim Money Story, 60 Minutes With Glenn Publications, @2011, ASIN: B004YWNWOK, Kindle Edition, 123 KB
FTC Full Disclosure - This eBook was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it as part of his blog tour. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
SAY YOU’LL BE MINE by Julia Amante
Isabel Gallegos is only a handshake away from living her dream life. After years of putting everyone else's needs before her own, she's selling her family's vineyard and moving to a quiet cottage on the California coast. But just as she's about to seal the deal, a letter arrives from Argentina with shocking news: Her beloved cousin has died and Isabel is now the sole guardian of three young children.Still holding on to her dream, Isabel travels to Argentina. There she meets little Julieta, the cherubic baby of the family; 8-year-old Adelmo, as hot-tempered as his sister is sweet; and 10-year-old Sandra, whose heart-shaped face and quiet confidence remind Isabel so much of her late cousin.
She tells herself to let the children go, to leave them in the care of their grandmother or perhaps their long-lost uncle who abruptly reappears. Or should she listen to her ex-husband, who is suddenly at her side, urging her to give the children--and him--a chance?
If she's willing to take a risk, three tiny strangers just might change Isabel's life in ways she's never imagined.
Author Julia Amante has created a wonderful romance and blended it smoothly with serious and realistic problems. Her characters struggle to do the right thing without knowing sometimes what that is. The reader is keep guessing what will happen right until the end of SAY YOU’LL BE MINE.
Author Julia Amante’s website is http://www.juliaamante.com/
SAY YOU’LL BE MINE by Julia Amante, Grand Central Publishing, @2011, ISBN: 9780446581639, Paperback, 384 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
by David M. Wilson
History and photography buffs will find THE LOST PHOTOGRAPHS OF CAPTAIN SCOTT a treasure of information.
This fabulous coffee table-style book contains 109 black and white photographs taken by Captain Robert Falcon Scott on his ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition. These photographs were rediscovered a hundred years after Scott’s death. Scott and his fellow explorers died on their return from the South Pole on or about March 29, 1912 (his last diary entry).
Scott’s photographs are small silver-gelatin contact prints measuring four inches by 3.25 inches. They were stored in a standard black, plastic photograph folder but the negatives have disappeared.
Author David M. Wilson includes entries from Scott’s diaries, along with facts from other documents. Wilson has compiled a detailed description of the events leading Scott and his fellow explorers to make the scientific endeavor to the South Pole. There are also a number of maps detailing the route the group took.
The photographs show the harsh elements the explorers and their animals encountered on their journey. While some of the photos are blurry, foggy and a bit grainy, they still speak volumes of what the group endured.
THE LOST PHOTOGRAPHS OF CAPTAIN SCOTT is truly an amazing look at a part of history.
Wilson is the great-nephew of Dr. Edward Wilson, chief of the Scientific Staff, who perished with Captain Scott.
The Lost Photographs of Captain Scott: Unseen Images From The Legendary Antarctic Expedition by David M. Wilson, Little, Brown and Company, @2011, ISBN: 978-0316178501, Hardcover, 192 Pages
FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
Thanks as always for stopping by today. Hopefully I’ve shared something that will spark your interest or possibly that of someone you know.
BTW, be sure to check out the fundraising button on the right sidebar to aid Author Sandi Rog.
Hi Mason .. I can imagine all three books would be very interesting to read .. I heard a real estate guy, who repossesses houses talking this a.m. - how some are gutted, some are clean and tidy with all instruction booklets on the kitchen counter shelf .. etc etc
ReplyDeleteThe Argentina tale - many interesting ideas there ..
While the Scott book has some amazing information in it - next year I see is the 100 year anniversary ..
Thanks for sharing all three with us .. cheers Hilary
Mason - Thanks for these three reviews. I just love the variety of books you review, and the good ideas I get from them. Those 'photos must be absolutely stunning; it sounds like a beautiful book. And the other two novels sound interesting, too. Hmm... a loan shark portrayed as a protagonist - an interesting reversal of the stereotypical role...
ReplyDeleteWow, they all look like fabulous books. The photos in the last one I'm sure are marvelous. The cover on the second looks fantastic. I'll check them out. Thanks, Mason.
ReplyDeleteHilary, I could image a real estate agent reclaiming houses might run into the same problems the loan shark does. Say You'll Be Mine is filled with great details about Argentina. The Scott photos are unbelievable considering the equipment he used and the weather conditions.
ReplyDeleteMargot, I enjoy sharing books from different genres. It makes life interesting.
ReplyDeleteClarissa, I was amazed at Scott's photos. They show the terrible conditions they had to endure. I can't image trying to take a photograph in those conditions.
ReplyDeleteThe last one sounds interesting! Amazing the photos made it while none of the people survived.
ReplyDeleteThese all sound like excellent books! Thanks for featuring them, Mason.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I've wondered how the film survived too. They must have had it stored very well.
ReplyDeleteKaren, all three books are interesting reads.
ReplyDeleteSAY YOU'LL BE MINE sound delightful
ReplyDeleteThis author sounds quite interesting. I've written this book down to try to find it. Thanks.
ReplyDelete