mystery

Cold Tuscan Stone

Bergers Book Reviews

Cold Tuscan Stone
Author: David P. Wagner
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Genre: Mystery
ISBN: 978-1-4642-0190-5
Pages: 250
Price: $24.95

Author’s website
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Rick Montoya is living in Rome, busy with his translation service, when his school chum Beppo Rinaldi from the Ministry of Culture rings him up for lunch. Half American and half Italian, Rick is the perfect guy to sniff out an antiquities smuggling ring in Volterra. Posing as an agent for a Santa Fe art gallery, his job is to infiltrate their operations by pretending to be a buyer.

Armed with a list of suspects and contacts to be made in Volterra, Rick joins forces with the local police force, who reluctantly support him in his efforts. But soon after making his first contact, a man is murdered, and he is the last person known to have seen him alive. Now a suspect in the murder, Rick wonders if this assignment is going to be more dangerous than he thought.

Cold Tuscan Stone is a charming mystery set in an isolated location off the main tourist track. Steeped in history and culture, it’s a fun read for any armchair traveler interested in Europe’s past. I look forward to reading more of this new series.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Monster Party!

Bergers Book Reviews

Monster Party!
Author & Illustrator: Annie Bach
Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-1-4549-1051-0
Pages: 24
Price: $9.95

Author’s website
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Monster is invited to a party, and is he ever excited! In Monster Party! we see Monster join his friends for a birthday blast. These young monsters enjoy dancing, eating buggy food, and playing party games – and even indulge in a sticky food fight!

But all good times must come to an end, and Monster is sad when the party is over. That is, until he receives an invitation for another party. Monster is so excited once again!

Monster and his friends are colorfully and charmingly illustrated, without even a hint of scariness. Children will enjoy their party antics and join in Monster’s excitement over fun times spent with his friends. Monster Party! is sure to be a hit with kids.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

business

Not in the Club

Bergers Book Reviews

Not in the Club
Author: Janet Pucino
Publisher: Deep Canyon Media
Genre: Business
ISBN: 978-0-9859027-1-1
Pages: 171
Price: $24.99

Author’s website
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Some women have been able to break through the glass ceiling and rise to top management positions. But the majority face hurdles that men usually don’t have to deal with. “Club” behaviors favor men while excluding women. How does a woman recognize she’s dealing with The Club, and how can she learn to thrive anyway?

Janet Pucino has served as a top IT executive and has seen the effects of Club mentality on an organization. In Not in the Club, she addresses the problems women face and how to deal with them effectively. From acceptance to confrontation to simply leaving the company, women have choices in how they react to The Club.

Women have a disadvantage in climbing the corporate ladder. While not every woman wants to find herself in the corner office, she should have the same opportunity and respect for her skills that men have. Not in the Club addresses the effects of gender inequality in the office, and is a must-read for all business executives.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

journal, teen

The Isobel Journal

Bergers Book Reviews

The Isobel Journal
Author: Isobel Harrop
Publisher: Switch Press
Genre: Teen
ISBN: 978-1-63079-003-5
Pages: 208
Price: $16.95

Author’s website
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Isobel Harrop has provided an intimate glimpse into teen thoughts in The Isobel Journal. Using a scrapbook filled with words and drawings, the 18 year-old artist comments on friends, family, dreams, school, fashion, cute animals, growing up, and first love.

Isobel’s thoughts run from topic to topic in a free-flowing manner, loosely grouped into categories. Ramblings are sometimes humorous – “Underwear shopping at the supermarket with Dad = embarrassment,” occasionally thoughtful – “I think I put you on too much of a pedestal,” and always very much herself – “I just can’t get over how much I love otters.” Accompanying illustrations dramatize her commentary.

Teens (and those who still remember their teen years) will enjoy reading Isobel’s journal as they ruminate on their own feelings about life and impending adulthood. Quirky and fun, The Isobel Journal is a great read.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

audio book, romance

Sylvester (Naxos Audio)

Bergers Book Reviews

Sylvester
Author: Georgette Heyer
Read by: Nicholas Rowe
Publisher: Naxos AudioBooks
Genre: Romance
ISBN: 978-184-379-757-9
Length: 9 CDs (10:59:09)
Price: $59.95

Naxos AudioBooks website
Buy it at Amazon

Sylvester, Duke of Salford, has decided it’s time to marry. After consulting with his godmother, Lady Ingham, he reluctantly agrees to meet her granddaughter, Phoebe Marlow, to determine if she might be a suitable match. But Phoebe is horrified when she learns of his intentions, since she intensely dislikes him, and has cast him as the villain in her soon to be published novel.

When Sylvester and Phoebe suddenly find themselves stranded in a small country inn for a few days, they get to know each other better and question their initial impressions. But as circumstances unravel around them, their relationship goes from bad to worse. Is it possible that they both could be so wrong about the other?

Listening to Nicholas Rowe’s rendition of Sylvester is an absolute delight. Since the text is heavy on dialog, it reads more like a play than a book, and it is easy to immerse oneself fully in the story. Many scenes are laugh-out-loud funny, and the characters are well-developed and even comical in their actions. I absolutely adored Sylvester, and Phoebe is a spunky girl with a good heart. Anyone who enjoys a good, clean romance will love this book.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns Too Much of a Good Thing is Bad

Bergers Book Reviews

Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns Too Much of a Good Thing is Bad
Author: Howard Binkow
Illustrator: Susan F. Cornelison
Publisher: Thunderbolt Publishing
Genre: Children
ISBN: 978-0-9826165-3-6
Pages: 32
Price: $15.00

Author’s website
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It’s Howard B. Wigglebottom’s birthday, and he plans to have everything he wants. But a huge brownie sundae for breakfast makes his tummy hurt, the large bag of bubblegum in his mouth prevents him from talking, and the whole bunch of balloons sends him flying across the sky. Why are all the things that normally make him happy making him so miserable instead? Is it because he’s got too much of a good thing?

Howard is a quick learner, and soon realizes that he needs to keep good things in moderation. A discussion guide at the end of the story also provides insights for kids in knowing when enough is enough. Discipline and moderation are skills kids need to be successful in life, and Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns Too Much of a Good Thing is Bad reminds them in a fun and non-preachy manner.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health

Body Mind Therapies for the Bodyworker

Bergers Book Reviews

Body Mind Therapies for the Bodyworker
Author: Kathy Gruver, PhD, LMT
Publisher: Infinity Publishing
Genre: Health
ISBN: 978-0-7414-8142-9
Pages: 198
Price: $15.95

Author’s website
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Massage therapy is a wonderful way to pamper and nurture our bodies. But what if there are ways to incorporate deeper levels of healing during a session? Kathy Gruver explores these options in Body Mind Therapies for the Bodyworker.

A massage session doesn’t only have to work on the body. Massage therapists can also use stress reduction, affirmations, and visualization with a client, as well as many other healing techniques such as Reiki and aromatherapy, which can be used simultaneously. And should the client be open-minded, other non-massage therapies may be used.

Traditional medicine often ignores the powerful alternative healing options we have available to us, but Gruver reminds us that these should always be used with caution. Serious medical conditions are best treated by a doctor, and there are quacks selling snake oil to the unwary. But this book shows how to carefully use these remedies which often help in the healing process. Although some techniques are only discussed briefly, websites are provided for the practitioner who is looking for more information. Body Mind Therapies for the Bodyworker provides a nice overview of options available to any massage therapist interested in expanding her healing practice.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children, Christian

Stella Strawberry: The Fruit of Love

Bergers Book Reviews

Stella Strawberry
Author: Yira Bernard Jones
Illustrator: David C. Rhoades
Publisher: Lightning House
Genre: Children / Christian
ISBN: 978-0615632391
Pages: 32
Price: $12.00

Author’s website – buy it here

The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In Stella Strawberry: The Fruit of Love, children are introduced to love.

This is not a fictional work, but instead it offers children various ways to look at love. Each concept is presented along with the corresponding Bible verse as reinforcement of God’s word to us on this subject. The final page is a prayer of thanks for God’s love and a request for help in loving others.

Stella Strawberry is beautifully written and illustrated, with a powerful message of God’s never-ending love for us and His demands that we show others that same love. This book would be a wonderful addition to any Christian home or Sunday School classroom.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

children

Mom Goes to War

Bergers Book Reviews

Mom Goes to War
Author: Irene Aparici Martín
Illustrator: Monica Carretero
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
Genre: Children
ISBN: 9788415503200
Pages: 24
Price: $15.95

Buy it at Amazon

The Queen is about to go to war and the two princes listen intently as she explains her predicament. She is battling breast cancer, and there will be allies fighting with her and villains to conquer. But she hopes to be successful and feel much better when she is healed.

Facing something as difficult as cancer is scary for kids, and Mom Goes to War attempts to present this battle in a somewhat less heavy manner. Using the images of a battlefield, it shows kids that there is good reason to hope and they should never give up. Beautiful illustrations lighten the feel of this story, and a wealth of information is provided. This would be a wonderful book for any family dealing with cancer.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

fantasy, romance, teen

Doon

Bergers Book Reviews

Doon
Authors: Carey Corp & Lorie Langdon
Publisher: Blink Books
Genre: Young Adult/ Romance
ISBN: 978-0-310-74230-2
Pages: 400
Price: $17.99

Author’s website
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When Veronica begins seeing visions of a kilt-wearing teen boy, she wonders if she’s imagining him. But when he follows her to Scotland, she’s sure there must be something more to his appearances. After being transported to the magical kingdom of Doon, she finally comes face to face with him – as the formidable Prince Jamie. But after practically begging Veronica to come to him, he now rejects her, declaring that she and her best friend, McKenna, are in cahoots with the witch.

Thanks to the intervention of Jamie’s brother, Duncan, who is sweet on McKenna, the girls avoid a long stay in the dungeon, and begin to explore this new world. They have only a short time before they will be able to go back home, and they try to make the most of it. But will they both find true love before they’re forced to leave?

Doon is inspired by Brigadoon, and is more romance than fantasy. Although this story takes place in a magical world, it feels more down-to-earth as the girls discover modern plumbing and pizzas. Although Veronica and Jamie have a turbulent relationship, one hopes they can sort through their differences and work things out. But the reader may very well end up swooning over Duncan’s sweet and tender ways with McKenna. This is an enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to the sequel.

Reviewer: Alice Berger