Selfless by David Michael Slater

In 1980 s Pittsburgh, Jonathan Schwartz's carefree life is under assault. His sisters seem intent on doing him irreparable psychological harm. There s Nadia, with her unfathomable Machiavellian schemes, and Olivia, tease and temptress, whose beauty wreaks havoc among his friends. And his Holocaust survivor grandparents? There are no words. When his father, the acclaimed writer, is accused of stealing the books that made him famous, Jon's family implodes once and for all, and he must set off in search of what has been lost. His is a journey that ultimately requires him to find more than answers. It requires him to find himself.


Another first time author for me. Mr. Slater did an excellent job writing this book. I did not want to put down this book because I had to know what happened next. The characters in this novel are something you wont forget to easily. I had to laugh a few times and wondered what would happen next. Definitely a must read.


Paperback: 415 pages
Publisher: Absey & Company; First edition (March 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1888842563
ISBN-13: 978-1888842562

The Never Pals by Rocky Kuznik

Frenchy Mandril, considered Frank Bingham as his best salesman and top producer. Many times throughout their many years together, Frenchy would still be held spellbound and amazed by Frank's natural ability to close deals when certain customers were just in shopping and not prepared to buy anything. On many occasions he would step out to the curb of his lot and yell across the busy boulevard to his competitors... "I wish I had a hundred and twenty Frankie's working for me! I'd sell out every hour...!"

Frank Bingham being in his early forties, held contrary views and opinions of his boss. This was evidenced by most of their senseless conversations, where his ending thoughts would be something similar in effect to- "Why did his parents choose to drop that perfected moron and afford him breathing space on this planet?"..!"

January Thornton, also single for years and about Frank's age, lived next door. This however did very little to develop any facet of their relationship for more than twelve years. In plain talk, they had nothing in common except a hedge line dividing the properties and the like kind of people they individually worked for or others they held in short term friendships. In addition, there was this wayward thinking on their part that kept both of them mired in their individual and dysfunctional circumstances.

Jan was and has been employed by a national hotel chain for a number of years, at one of it's northern Ohio locations. Here he was it's head chef and restaurant manager. His director was a W.Wenchman, for whom Jan had less then a finger tip of respect. This was brought about by most of their so called business conversations, which were of the off the wall variety and applicable to very little. Whenever W.W. summoned him to his office it always was verbal launch time, directed toward Jan. -After knocking lightly and slowly opening the door, he said. "I'm here boss, is it okay for me to come in?"-"Now what the hell do you think Thornton? Like maybe I should come out there? Another thing! I was getting tired of holding my breath waiting for your appearance!"("Dam! I should have waited another five minutes and then no more Wenchman.") Thought Jan.

Will a two week vacation to Florida bring about change to their stale lifestyles and personal relationships? Some reading of their exploits may find them a bit humorous or even hilarious. But the main characters seem to accept them as a matter of fact occurrences.

This book was enjoyable and fun to read. The pals trip goes from Ohio to Florida and makes an interesting read. I am looking forward to read more by this author.


Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: Outskirts Press (February 13, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 143270303X

Knockout Entrepreneur

Knockout Entrepreneur by George Foreman

Readers remember George Foreman as the Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion and the spokesman for the popular George Foreman Grill. What they may not know is that he is also a successful entrepreneur whose portfolio today boasts the George Foreman Grill, George Foreman's Knockout Cleaner, a line of clothing with Casual Male, fitness videos, Elgin watches, and many more. In The Knockout Entrepreneur, Foreman shares his success secrets with aspiring and current entrepreneurs.

As a small business owner this this book was an interesting read for me. This book is well written and easy to read. It gives you the basics principles and strategies on how to start and run a business.
At the end of each chapter there are "Knockout Ideas to Stimulate Your Success" which I really enjoyed reading. It makes you think about what you read in the chapter and answer some questions.
This book is a Nelsonfree book and along with the hard copy, you also get an ebook and an audio version.


Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0785222081
ISBN-13: 978-0785222088

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.
The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels—first love, love between parents and children — that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.


I was fortunate to receive an ARC of this book. This is another must read novel by one of my favorite authors. An unforgettable story of love in all its myriad forms-- first love, love between parents and children--- The last Song demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts… and heal them. This great love story will have you in tears at times.


Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (September 8, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446547565
ISBN-13: 978-0446547567

On The Bluffs by Steven Schindler

On the Bluffs by Steven Schindler


SOMETIMES THE BIGGEST LIES ARE THE ONES WE LIVE While Brian DeLouise was working the graveyard shift at a conspiracy theory-crazed radio station his wife was alley-catting around Washington, DC. But a cheating wife and a dead-end job no longer made him angry or depressed. He was just numb. It took a daring brush with death to awaken his senses and a few clicks on Google to begin a journey to recapture a love he believed was gone forever. Brian finds his lost lover in a rundown mansion on the windswept bluffs of Cape Cod, where he must confront a fast approaching evil while he risks losing everything he now cherishes.


This is the first book I read by this author and I am looking forward to read more books from Steven Schindler. It was hard for me to put this book down for a few minutes. I just wanted to keep on reading, finding out what happened next. ON THE BLUFFS is very well written, I loved the characters, they are so believable and makes you think you know them.

Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: The Elevated Press; 1st edition (August 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0966240812
ISBN-13: 978-0966240818

Stand the Storm by Breena Clarke

Even though Sewing Annie Coats and her son, Gabriel, have managed to buy their freedom, their lives are still plagued by constant struggle and sacrifice. Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood, where the Coatses operate a tailor shop and laundry, is supposed to be a promised land for former slaves but is effectively a frontier town, gritty and dangerous, with no laws protecting black people.
The remarkable emotional energy with which the Coatses wage their daily battles- as they negotiate with their former owner, as they assist escaped slave en route to freedom, as they prepare for the encroaching war, and as they strive to love each other enough- is what makes this novel so powerfully affecting.

Stand in the Storm will be in your mind for a long time after you finish the book. This is a powerful novel that includes drama, romance and history.
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Back Bay Books; Reprint edition (June 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316007056
ISBN-13: 978-0316007054

Spooner by Pete Dexter

Warren Spooner was born after a prolonged delivery in a makeshift delivery room in a doctor's office in Milledgeville, Georgia, on the first Saturday of December, 1956. His father died shortly afterward, long before Spooner had even a memory of his face, and was replaced eventually by a once-brilliant young naval officer, Calmer Ottosson, recently court-martialed out of service. This is the story of the lifelong tie between the two men, poles apart, of Spooner's troubled childhood, troubled adolescence, violent and troubled adulthood and Calmer Ottosson's inexhaustible patience, undertaking a life-long struggle to salvage his step-son, a man he will never understand.

I enjoyed reading this book. The author grabbed me from the first chapter and I was laughing so hard. Very well written story, looking forward to read more by this author.




Hardcover: 480 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (September 24, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446540722
ISBN-13: 978-0446540728

Dutch by Teri Woods

James Bernard Jr., a.k.a. Dutch, has become the most dangerous criminal in New Jersey. From his early skill as a car thief, Dutch recognized the opportunity to rule the streets and he seized it. Feared by all, and completely fearless, Dutch and his dangerous clique take over the lucrative heroin business of a local African drug lord. With both the protection and respect of the Mafia, Dutch becomes the most terrifying force on the streets. District Attorney Anthony Jacobs is determined to take down Dutch and his crew, and he's confident that his witnesses will testify against them. But a sudden turn of events will soon make the DA's job harder than he imagined.

A great novel by Teri Woods. Very well written, easy to read. I enjoyed this novel very much, it gripped me from the very first page and I read the book in a few hours. Can’t wait for Dutch II to come out next year in April. If you like to read crime novels then this is a must read for you.



Paperback: 256 pag
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (September 23, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446551538
ISBN-13: 978-0446551533

Cult Insanity by Irene Spencer

Life for Irene Spencer was a series of devastating disappointments and hardships. Irene's first book, Shattered Dreams, is the staggering chronicle of her struggle to provide for her children in abject poverty and feelings of abandonment each time her husband left to be with one of his other wives. Irene was raised to believe polygamy was the way of life necessary for her ticket to heaven. The hard knocks of her environment were just the beginning of Irene's shocking tale. CULT INSANITY takes readers into her story to uncover the outrageous behaviour of her brother-in-law Ervil - a self-proclaimed prophet who determined he was called to set the house of God in order - and how he terrorized their colony. Claiming to be God's avenger and to have a licence to kill in the name of God, Ervil ordered the murders of friends and family members, eliminating all those who challenged his authority. CULT INSANITY is a riveting, terrifying memoir of polygamist life under the tyranny of a madman.


This is a good read if you want to learn more about polygamy. It was very shocking to me to read how these people live. Ervil the self-proclaimed prophet is evil and terrorizes everyone. This book will stick with you for a while and make you think about what some of these people go through every day of there lives.



Publisher: Center Street
Pub. Date: August 2009
ISBN-13: 9780446538190
352pp

On theBluffs by Steven Schindler

ON THE BLUFFS by Steven Schindler

SOMETIMES THE BIGGEST LIES ARE THE ONES WE LIVE While Brian DeLouise was working the graveyard shift at a conspiracy theory-crazed radio station his wife was alley-catting around Washington, DC. But a cheating wife and a dead-end job no longer made him angry or depressed. He was just numb. It took a daring brush with death to awaken his senses and a few clicks on Google to begin a journey to recapture a love he believed was gone forever. Brian finds his lost lover in a rundown mansion on the windswept bluffs of Cape Cod, where he must confront a fast approaching evil while he risks losing everything he now cherishes.


This is a pretty good novel. The author did an excellent job. I really enjoyed reading ON THE BLUFFS. This novel has some mystery, romance and humor. The characters make you feel like they are real, like you are right there. Definitely a must read.



Paperback: 300 pages
Publisher: The Elevated Press; 1st edition (August 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0966240812
ISBN-13: 978-0966240818