August 31, 2016
Book Reviews from New Indie Authors
This week, I have three Indie books (in Carrie Rubin’s case, she has a micro-publisher) that stand out in that crowded field:
- Conflicted Hearts is the story of a damaged child who struggles as an adult to make sense of a childhood where she always seemed to be the problem
- Brothers in Arms is a futuristic science fiction story about a world where men and women are brothers in arms, both struggling for the same goals, be it personal or national.
- Eating Bull is a medical thriller about one obese teen’s struggle to fight the food industry, even when he becomes the target of a madman
Conflicted Hearts: A Daughter’s Quest for Solace from Emotional Guilt
by D.G. Kaye
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The preview for the book reads: A lifetime of guilt — What does it take to finally break free? And that’s exactly what this story is. A young woman’s guilt over parents who couldn’t love her, a childhood that included none of the nurturing events so critical to children, and mistakes made by the child–because she was a child–which she believed caused her parents to be distant and uncaring. Add to this horrible mix heartbreak, abuse, an incurable immune-deficiency disease, and almost losing the love of her life.– thank God children are resilient. You will want to hug this child and tell her it’s just not her fault.
Told with DG Kaye’s typical honesty and openness, and a writing style that draws readers right into the emotion. Plan to give this book to anyone suffering from childhood issues that simply aren’t their fault and they can’t fix.
Brothers in Arms
by Melissa Barker-Simpson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Third in the Morgan and Fairchild series, this picks up where the last left off–starting with a big surprise: Andrew Butcher (who dropped off the grid in an earlier book) is back. He’s taken a questionable job and wants to reconnect with family. But can he? Or has too much changed?
Melissa is a stand-out writer when it comes to character development. Her dialogue, the ability to get to know her characters in scene, and the authenticity of their interactions are second to none. Read this not only for the story, but to analyze how to build your actors the right way. Me, I just purchased the first in the series so I get to know how everyone ended up where they are in Brothers in Arms.
Eating Bull
by Carrie Rubin
This compelling medical thriller starts when Jeremy, a lonely and obese teenager, is persuaded to sue the food industry. Between the storm of media buzz and bullying, the teen draws the attention of a deranged killer who’s targeting the obese. Soon the boy and his loved ones find their life turned upside down and there doesn’t seem to be any way to get back to where they were.
Once you start this book, don’t plan on taking a break. Carrie Rubin is a medical doctor so includes lots of insider information that keeps the pace frenetic and the stakes high. I know this isn’t Carrie Rubin’s first book, which is good. I can’t wait to order the rest of her library.
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman
