The Pagan & The Pen Book Reviews: May 2010

May 20, 2010

The God's Wife by Lena Austin

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: The God’s Wife

Author: Lena Austin

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Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press

Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance

Length: 222 pgs.

Other: M/F/rape

Reviewed by: Violet Harper

The Book: Hatshepsut is a God’s Wife, a member of a secret political society of Egyptian noblewomen who use whatever it takes for the good of Egypt—money, assassination, even sex. Royal by birth, her entire life is spent in training to be the consort of the Pharaoh, Tutmose.

Despite her love for Senmut, who as a humble scribe is an unacceptable husband, Hati succeeds in winning the Pharaoh’s affections. But when Tutmose dies unexpectedly she is left as Regent of Egypt and pregnant with the dead Pharaoh’s heir.

Akenmose, her husband’s brother, is plotting to kill her and the babe—and to take the throne of Egypt for himself. Hati must protect Egypt against his deadly schemes until her son is old enough to take the throne. With Senmut and the God’s Wives standing behind her, Hati will use every weapon she finds to keep her infant son alive. Will her sacrifices be enough to save Egypt? Or will Akenmose’s schemes succeed despite the power of the God’s Wife?

The Review: Hatshepsut has long been a controversial figure from ancient Egypt. She was the first female regent to exercise the full power of a Pharaoh. She assumed the appearance of a man to keep others from challenging her claim. Not much is known about her historically because everything she left behind was obliterated. Her name and face were removed from pillars and tombs. The discovery of her existence was accidental. Scholars have ideas about why this might have happened, but no hard evidence.

Lena Austin takes the mystique behind Hatshepsut and spins a wonderfully believable tale about what kind of person she might have been and how the events in her life might have unfolded. Adding in the concept of the God’s Wives, a group of women who secretly wield all the power in Egypt, Ms. Austin creates one of the best tales I’ve had the pleasure to read. The God’s Wives are good women, charged with keeping all of Egypt safe and healthy. Not since I, Claudius have I been so enraptured by the tale of an ancient ruler.

Rarely does historical fiction take a reader so into a time period that an interruption in reading causes the reader to blink and wonder why she isn’t in Egypt. The details of the description create vivid pictures for the reader without overwhelming them with information and needless facts. Even someone unfamiliar with ancient Egyptian culture would have an easy time figuring it all out.

Though it was not a quick read, it moved fast and it kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen next. This is one of those undiscovered gems that should be on the New York Times Bestseller list. Lovers of historical fiction will find this one of those novels you want to read over and over again because the characters and the story are so riveting. Upon rereading it, discoveries will be made about details that seemed irrelevant or just there for the sake of description. They will reveal themselves to be important background knowledge or foreshadowing.

I loved the strong characters and how real they became to me. This story had it all—love, hate, sacrifices, murder, betrayal, sword fights, espionage, royal intrigue, soul-searching, and true friendship. The complex plot is worthy of the complex characters. The God’s Wife is an expertly woven epic tale that should be read by everyone.

Pagan Elements:

The God’s Wives are a group of women with different abilities. Some have the gift of precognition, others can sense or control the emotions or thought of people around them, and others are trained in the properties and uses of herbs, flowers, etc. The secretly rule Egypt, keeping it safe from evil. Whether or not you recognize the specific Egyptian Gods and Goddesses they cite, all Pagans will recognize and appreciate the underlying principles guiding The God’s Wives.

Cover (Rated 1-10): 7-Shades of gold and hieroglyphics catch the eye, but it’s a generic cover that could go with any Egyptian romance novel.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Lives-Perception Is Reality by JJ McMoon

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: Lives-Perception Is Reality
Author: JJ McMoon

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Publisher: Virtual Everything Press

Genre: Thriller/Paranormal/Suspense

Length: 323 pgs.

Other: M/F

Reviewed by: Keri Stratton Alley

About The Book: A prom queen turned lot lizard. A floundering jock. A devil-worshipping rock star. An assassin and the FBI agent tracking him. A jilted girlfriend and a telepathic psychopath. Coincidence is bringing them all together, but for what purpose? Hailed as “Stand by Me” for the new millennium, “Lives” will leave you questioning your own coincidences for a long time to come.

The Review: If we were old friends, I could simply tell you, “I never even suspected the ending!” and you’d immediately know how highly I thought of this book. I love reading mysteries, thrillers, suspense novels—and I frequently figure out who-dunnit before the answer is revealed. If it’s a well-written book, I don’t mind—watching the characters figure out the answer is enough entertainment to warrant continuing. “Lives” blew me away. The final chapter was such a fascinating, creative, bizarre twist to a story of strung-together coincidences that I was floored. I immediately re-read the entire book, just to pick up the clues that I only realized were clues after the big reveal. And I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, the second time through.

Each chapter of Lives is told from a different character’s perspective, making a chain of individual stories that connect through a seemingly random series of coincidences. For example, in chapter one we hear about a major life changing event from one character, who interacts with a second character towards the end of the chapter. Chapter two is from the perspective of the second character, who interacts with a third character. Chapter three is from the perspective of the third character, and so on. Typically in a style such as this, the writer’s voice is still dominant even though the character perspective has changed. However, Mr. McMoon does an astounding job of portraying entirely separate, distinctly different characters that each have their own voice, thought patterns, and unique, disturbingly haunting, stories. Though his writing style remains similar throughout the novel, each chapter might as well have been written by a different person.

My ONLY complaint about this book was the Readers Guide and Questions for Discussion at the end. If I was actually part of a discussion group I would love to have access to these questions. However, I felt that including them in every publication of the book was a bit pretentious.

But I whole-heartedly agree with the long list of positive reviews included at the outset of the book and listed on the website. Lives is the kind of vivid story that sticks with you, even after you finish reading. I couldn’t put it down, and when I was forced to stop for incidental things like going to the bathroom, eating, and sleeping, I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters and their stories. I read it twice within 72 hours, and thoroughly enjoyed both reads.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 6-The cover of the book didn’t grab me as much as the introductory blurb.

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Off Limits by Stella Noble

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: Off Limits

Author: Stella Noble

Author Site

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Publisher: Juke Joint Press

Genre: Erotic/Contemporary/Romance

Other: M/F/Interracial

Length: 39 pgs.

Reviewed by: Violet Harper

About The Book:

Jake knew Selena was trouble from the first moment he saw her. She's smart, funny, and sexy as hell, and he aches every time he gets near her. But she's also his best friend's sister - so he is determined to stick to the "look but don't touch" policy. But after a wild evening out, Jake is ready to admit his true feelings - regardless of the consequences.

The Review:

This story is one hot little bite. Jake and Selena are perfectly matched in every way. They’re good friends who find one another very attractive. This quick read is a snippet detailing the moment when they both decide to take what they want and not worry about the consequences. The problem of the brother is handled the way a strong woman who knows what she wants in life handles things.

I like when a strong woman finds the right lover. Stella Noble’s characters are charismatic and full of life. The writing flows and the storyline moves quickly without leaving out important details. The sex is steamy and the story is satisfying. Or the sex is satisfying and the story is steamy. Either way, you won’t be sorry you read this one.

Pagan Elements: none

Cover (Rated 1-10): 7

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Essence by Michael W. Davis

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: Essence
Author: Michael W. Davis

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Publisher: Champagne Books

Genre: Science Fiction/Romance

Length: 24 pgs.

Pagan & Pagan Elements: no/no

Reviewed by: Karmyn Klein

About The Book: On a deep mining exploration, Drake and Lara are exuberant to discover the largest source of Tallium ever recorded, until they're forced to make a desperate choice.

The Review: In the fascinating and intense short story, Essence, Michael W. Davis exposes us to a beautifully written world of deep space missions and enduring love. As with his other works, Davis does an amazing job with detailed and emotionally-driven descriptions. The fast paced plot, likable characters, and twist at the end make this story a pleasure to read…and reread. I recommend Essence to science fiction and non science fiction lovers alike. A great read.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 7-visually uninteresting, but it is clear by the cover that this is a sci-fi.

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Hell Bent by Arlene Knowell w/Judith Noelle

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: Hell Bent
Author: Arlene Knowell with Judith Noelle

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Publisher: Carnal Passions

Genre: Contemporary/Erotic Romance

Length: 96 pgs.
Other: M/F

Reviewed by: Violet Harper

About The Book:

While living with her two Special Forces brothers, the last thing Mindy Austin expected was a stalker. After growing up in a military family, she wanted no part of a military man. So why was she naked on the California Cliffs with the military policeman assigned to her case?

The Review:

You know you’re enjoying a book when you argue with decisions a character makes, even when the decisions are stupid ones you can relate to because you’ve made the same mistakes yourself. Mindy is a woman trying to break free from an upbringing she wants to reject, but she can’t. Falling for Shane means she is consigning herself to the very life she doesn’t want. However, her objections must have been superficial because she sure got over the implications of loving Shane quickly.

Knowell and Noelle have created four characters that are easy to like, which was a bit of a problem. I liked Mindy’s brothers Pat and Pete as much as the author intended for the reader to like them, but the story should have been told only from Mindy and Shane’s POV. During one point, the narrative shifts to Pat’s point of view, and while I’d love to read both Pat’s and Pete’s stories—this one isn’t it. An editor should have caught that.

In some parts, the order of events is confusing. I overlooked it in the first chapter because I figured that Mindy was so distraught she would be thinking in a random order, and so pertinent information made sense coming out of order. It was a little confusing at first, but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the story. However, it happens again when Pat confronts Shane, and then Shane describes getting the phone call that brought him face-to-face with Pat in the first place. This could have been solved by writing the entire scene from Shane’s point of view.

I liked the friendly writing style, and I laughed at some of the similes during sexual situations, like “hovered over her like a plane waiting for permission to land” and “The pressure building within her was intense. It would soon release like her grandmother’s pressure cooker on the stove.” Hell Bent is a cute tale full of romance and suspense, and it’s a great way to spend a relaxing afternoon.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 7-Two people embracing in front of a postcard view. It’s a pretty cover, but generic.

Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & the Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

Her Maine Man by Sylvie Kaye

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: Her Maine Man
Author: Sylvie Kaye

Author Site

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Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Genre: romance

Length: 315 pgs.
Other: M/F

Reviewed by: Keri Stratton Alley

About The Book: One weekend a year to bare your soul and your passion. He couldn’t believe the sweet deal she was offering. No commitment, just pure release.

The Review:

The premise for the plot was good enough: city boy Jon travels to a tiny Maine island to tell his mother’s clandestine lover that she has died. Unbeknownst to Jon, that lover has sent his daughter, Maddie, to tell Jon’s mother that he is unable to make it to their yearly tryst. The two of them meet, have instant romantic chemistry, and proceed to meddle in each other’s lives until the happy ending, after discovering and destroying a secret plot that could ruin the rural island. Pretty typical romance novel fare.

If left on their own, the two main characters would not have been quite enough to keep me interested through the whole story. The sex scenes were marginally steamy, and the dialogue between them was occasionally strained. But the background characters the couple continued to encounter gave the story a well needed, and well written, humorous overtone. From the retiree doing wheelies on his lime green motorcycle, to the overzealous baseball mother who beats on Jon for sitting on the wrong side of the stands, to a Stetson wearing vacationer with a wry sense of humor and hilarious jammie pants, the background characters are all well thought out, quirky, and hilarious. “Next thing Jon knew he was in the middle of a catfight with the biggest, baddest, geriatric lion in the stands… “Take that and that.” She clobbered him with her pink donut-shaped hemorrhoid cushion.”

As a story, it would have been a delightfully pleasant bit of brain candy was it not for the author’s frequently awkward sentence structure. Though I am far from a Grammar Queen, I was distracted from the story by the frequent use of incomplete sentences instead of semi colons. I think the effect the author was trying for was an internal monologue quality, but that style took my attention away from the plot. I find it difficult to truly enjoy a story if I’m constantly distracted by the mechanics of the writing.

Pagan Elements: None.

Cover (Rated 1-10): 5-The image is a nice variation on the standard romance novel cover. Plus, I’m a “Maine-ah” so I was immediately interested in reading a story set in my home state.

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Captivated by Ava Delany

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Book Title: Captivated (Book 1 in the Fetish Club Series)
Author Name: Ava Delany
Author Website
Release Date: May 14, 2010
Genre: Contemporary/Erotic/Romance/M/F

Other: Voyeurism/Sex toy play/Menage/M/M/F
Length: 20 pages
Publisher: Breathless Press
Buy Link

Reviewer: Strega

The Book:

Tonya is hot, wet, and ready to get kinky. She convinces a shy friend to go to a fetish club for her birthday, and it seems like the perfect place to let her wild side run free.

Liam likes to watch, but when he sees the raven-haired beauty, he follows her through the club, ready to oblige her lustful needs. She is sure that a man like him is not the foreplay type. Boy, is she wrong.

The Review:

This is a very short read, and once I got started, it was even shorter because I read so fast. The story begins with three twenty-somethings getting ready for a night out at a fetish club to celebrate one of their birthdays. I’ve never been to a fetish club, and I don’t really even know if they actually exist, but I’m sure they must. The girls are dressed up like it’s Halloween, and I don’t know if this is common fetish club couture or not, but the clothing doesn’t last long anyway.

The first chapter is a little on the silly side and I was afraid I wasn’t going to like the rest of the story, but hold on to your hat! First of all, the things going on inside this club are probably illegal in every southern state, and maybe even some northern ones. Secondly, the things going on inside this club are hot, and come chapter three they get even hotter. Sex written like this will arouse, titillate, thrill, and turn on anyone no matter the condition of their libido. What I liked best about this story was the no commitment stranger sex that allowed the women to walk away when it was over with no HEA or HFN endings, although they were completely satisfied when they left the club.

What I didn’t like, and I know it’s going to seem like I’m nit-picking here, but it did draw me away from the frenzied state my libido was enjoying. Although correct, the author's use of "blond" and "blonde" was distracting, given that the spelling here in the U.S. is generally used one way or the other.

Also, in the first chapter when the women are getting ready for their night out, the author talks about the reason for the night out as a birthday celebration for Mandy, who is turning twenty-five. This conversation goes on about Mandy being uptight, in need of having a good orgasm, and the other two conspire to leave her alone by splitting up when they arrive at the club so she can’t hide behind them, thus, forcing her to mingle. When they arrive at the club, they do split up but it’s Tonya who gets all the action and Jacqueline and Mandy aren’t seen again until they end of the story and they are all comparing notes and heading home.

Over all, this is a good way to spend a few minutes alone, or to get revved up for something more waiting for you in your own bedroom.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover Art Rating: 8-I liked the cover, it gave me the impression that this would be a hot story, and it was. I would definitely pick it up to flip through it if I had seen it on the shelf.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan & The Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.

The Serpent and the Stag by Julie Ann Maahs

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: The Serpent and the Stag
Author: Julie Ann Maahs

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Publisher: Smashwords

Genre: thriller/mystery/romance

Length: 271 pgs.
Other: M/F romance/M/F/sexual abuse

Reviewed by: Keri Stratton Alley

About The Book: A serial killer lurks in the Northern California fog, and young women are disappearing. Sarah is 16, pretty and naive. Her beloved mother now dead, Sarah must run away from her hated aunt to search for the father she barely knows. Right into the serpent's den. What she finds horrifies her. Is the strange boy she meets there the real killer? Is her father involved? Can she escape before it's too late?

The Review:

Somewhere in the middle of the third chapter I began to get frustrated. Sure the book was well written, but the sheer righteous piety of the main character was giving me a sugar rush. However, I liked her spunky determination so I stuck around for chapter four. Boy, am I glad that I did! It turns out that the first few chapters served as a pointed contrast between her Fundamentalist Christian childhood and her subsequent experiences in a Unitarian/Pagan hippy commune.

I couldn’t put this down; once I started, I read the entire book in one satisfying session.

The author has an amazing knack for storytelling that allows the reader to know exactly who the bad guy is without losing interest in the story. It’s the interaction between the characters, rather than the mystery itself, that creates that I-don’t-want-to-put-it-down feeling. With a fantastic, rotating third person perspective the reader gets to see through the eyes of many of the main characters, including the antagonist. The characters are well rounded and believable, the scenes are detailed, and the pace of the book is unflagging until the finish. A warning for those with a history of sexual abuse – the scenes between the antagonist and his victims are very well written, and disturbing.

Though there is a romantic element to the story, it is not the overwhelming theme. Rather, it is simply a spice added to the story for additional flavor. I thought the author did a great job of exploring Sarah’s difficulty with falling for a pagan man.

Pagan Elements: The commune where Sarah, the protagonist, winds up is a mix of religious preferences, but predominantly pagan. The members adopt magickal names that reflect their connection to the earth. In one scene, Sarah watches a very well written Beltane ritual.

Cover (Rated 1-10): 4

The misty quality of the book cover is an accurate reflection of the climate and environment in which the characters are interacting. I liked the simplistic nature of the image, but felt that without knowing the story, the cover is too vague.

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The Next Move by Lauren Gallagher

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: The Next Move

Author: Lauren Gallagher

Author Site

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Publisher: Carnal Passions

Genre: Erotic Contemporary Romance

Length: 238 pgs.

Other: (light) BDSM, M/F

Reviewed by: Violet Harper

About The Book: After a quiet evening of chess and wine turns into a sizzling hot night in the bedroom, Christian Bailey and Katrina Morgan think they’ve done irreparable damage to their longstanding friendship. When they sit down to talk things over, though, it isn’t long before they’re in bed again. The sexual chemistry is undeniable, but neither wants to risk their friendship with a relationship, so they agree to a casual arrangement as friends with benefits. The rules are simple: No lying, no strings, and nothing more than friends with benefits.

What they don’t realize is that at least one of those rules may be harder to follow than they thought, and Chris and Kat may very well be putting their friendship in checkmate.

The Review: Friends make the best lovers. This is a recurring theme in Ms. Gallagher’s novels, but she treats it differently each time, so it’s not repetitious. There’s nothing worse than reading an author’s second book to find out that only the character’s names are different.

From the first page, The Next Move drew me in. Like a game of chess, Chris and Kat move through their developing relationship going through great lengths to hide their next move. It’s a story that’s been done before, so it ultimately comes down to the writer’s skill. Ms. Gallagher delivers realistic, likeable people whose yearning for one another that they won’t admit out loud creates a tension that carries through the entire novel. They are friends first and lovers second. As I read, that old Gloria Loring/Carl Anderson song, Friends and Lovers, played through my head. Chris and Kat learn that they can be both to each other.

My only criticism is that the story seemed to drag on for too long. I understand that neither of them wanted to admit a deeper emotional involvement because it would violate the terms of their agreement, thus ending their affair. The scenes that hop back and forth from Chris to Kat fall short of furthering the tension in the novel because the reader isn’t allowed to stay with one character long enough to feel their pain. As a reader, I felt short-changed because I was looking forward to feeling that pain with Kat, and then I wanted to experience her joy when things finally worked out. Later, when Chris ends the affair and we see only Kat’s side, this happens.

Overall, I liked the novel and I recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. I liked the way the metaphor of chess was carried through the entire novel. The sex was hot and erotic, more so as Kat and Chris admitted their feelings for one another to themselves, heightening the emotionality of the scenes. I’m looking forward to reading more from Lauren Gallagher.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 8-The chess pieces tumbling from the embracing couple catch my eye and make me want to read the book. The come-hither expression on Kat’s face is inviting, but I would have liked to have seen Chris’s eyes.

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Rimfire by Michael Davis

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: Rimfire
Author: Michael Davis

Author Site

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Publisher: Champagne Books

Genre: Horror/Suspense/Science Fiction

Length: 21 pgs.

Pagan & Pagan Elements: no/no

Reviewed by: Karmyn Klein

About The Book: Dr. Jonathan Emery searches for an answer to his wife's unexplained death, but what he finds rocks the foundations of what we accept as the human condition. Then he makes a costly mistake by sharing the truth with the wrong people.

The Review: Author Michael Davis has a twisted mind, and I mean that in the best possible way. In this short science fiction horror story, he explores rim fire, the phenomenon where a burst of red flashes on the rim of your peripheral vision when you quickly turn your head.

Once believed to be a glimpse of the devil, rim fire is now explained by medical science as the result of exposure to bright light. But Dr. Emery suspects differently and is determined to prove his theory.

The author does a good job of manipulating details and making the reader stick with the characters on this journey into the unknown. He continues to present new questions and build tension. Talented at creating beautiful / horrific visuals, Davis’ world sucked me in from the first sentence and didn’t release me until the last word in this tightly constructed story.

In fact, if I have one criticism, it is that I wish this story was longer, more robust. Thankfully, I have his short story, Essence, to read next. I recommend this story to lovers of horror. A fast, intriguing read.

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 9-vibrant and interesting.

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Dangerous Desire by Romona Hilliger

The Pagan & The Pen Reviews

Title: Dangerous Desire

Author: Romona Hilliger

Author Site

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Publisher: Champagne Books

Genre: Contemporary Romance/M/F

Length: 151 pgs.

Reviewed by: Gabrielle

The Book:
Dangerously sexy and with eyes full of seduction, Jamie is a leather-clad, tattooed biker teaching an evening writing class. And he is fascinated by one of his students--a sophisticated and elegant older career-woman. Amy, in search of a little diversion, has taken up Creative Writing hardly expecting her teacher to be a woman's ultimate fantasy. But now, Amy is faced with the challenge of her life. With her marriage crumbling at her feet, she and Jamie develop a relationship that is too hot for mere friendship. Should she surrender to one night of passion in a younger man's arms or would it unleash what she didn't dare hope for--love?

The Review:

Amy a frustrated housewife decides to take a writing class. Writing is something she has always enjoyed and needing to take time for herself away from her husband and his money-flaunting friends she enrolls in an evening class. To her surprise her teacher is a young man who rides a motorcycle. Jamie and Amy hit it off rather well but with each having a significant other things can go no farther. Will Amy and Jamie ever get together as fate seems to want them to?

This was an interesting book about parts of one woman’s life and her journey through it. We meet her money-grubbing husband intent on furthering his career by flaunting her money and Amy’s distaste of it all. She wants them to get back to loving one another not show everyone all the comforts they have. As Amy tries to deal with things she finds herself at a writing class enjoying not only the lessons but the teacher as well and it looks as if Jamie feels the same way towards her. Yet there are so many things in their way. Throughout the whole book Amy must decide what she truly wants. Amy is a naïve woman and does not grow a backbone until the very end of the book. I enjoy heroines with a lot more spunk that Amy seemed to have. Jamie was a great hero. I loved his no nonsense view of life. He constantly shows Amy how he feels yet she continues to hem and haw. The bond that they form is one that only comes along once in a lifetime and it seems that Amy needed to find herself before she could fight for it or them.

This was a story about a woman and a man in love but they must fight against insurmountable odds before they may be together. Every time the two have a chance to begin it seems fate intervenes and they must wait. If you enjoy old-fashioned romance you are sure to like this story

Pagan Elements: None

Cover (Rated 1-10): 6-I love motorcycles so this picture grabbed my attention.

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Disclaimer: Due to FTC regulations, any book reviewed on this site was sent for free by the author to The Pagan the Pen. We are not paid to give reviews by Author or Publisher. Once review has been made, said books are deleted.