Reviews Archives - Page 5 of 7

Reviewing “The Unfinished Sonata”, K.D. McCrite, author

Name that tune!
K.D. McCrite, author

A mysterious, beautiful music box that belonged to Annie’s grandmother, Betsey, also contains a musical manuscript tucked away in a secret compartment.

When the music is played, it is clear the song isn’t finished.

Love and courage overcome fears for family, community and friends, new and old. as Annie and the members of the Hook and Needle Club track down the composer who had the most beautiful love story of all. I won’t tell you more detail — I want you to enjoy your read!

A delightful premise for a pleasure read. I enjoyed this well-written book and especially love the presentation in fine binding and elegantly designed book jacket. Annie’s Mysteries presents a book that offers a good read and beauty on the shelf as these books are ‘keepers’.

I am pleased to tell you that I am acquainted with K.D. McCrite. The Annie’s Mysteries that she has written exhibit her ability to write an elegant, lyrical story that all can enjoy reading. I highly recommend The Unfinished Sonata.

Reviewing THE WEST PLAINS DANCE HALL EXPLOSION | Lin Waterhouse, author

I’m at a loss for decent adjectives for describing how well Lin Waterhouse has written this moving, dramatic tragedy in a midwestern community, West Plains, MO. The book takes readers along the path directly into the flames and back out into real sorrow and pain.

Readers become acquainted with the people who were looking for a convivial gathering that was typical of their community along with the people who were living nearby and those who lived with the nightmare of survival. The class differences in terms of economy, but apparently not such divisive social terms as were prominent in much of society still in the decade of the 1920s.

Using family memories, notes, testimony and photos from the community, Lin Waterhouse puts seriously realistic faces on the people (not characters, but real life people) who where living in West Plains, Missouri that night.

A true cold case, there has been no determination of cause or identification of perpetrators for the West Plains Dance Hall Explosion. But, it wasn’t a bad dream — it really happened and 39 people died. Some never knew what hit them; many knew it more than any soul can endure.

The author includes some basic foundational history of West Plains, including Civil War troubles for many residents. Today, we think of West Plains and think of the fine Missouri State University there, the thriving business community and happier history as a center for Country Music with native resident, Porter Wagoner who was a babe in arms (8/1927 — 10/2007) on that terrible spring evening. Some people still stop for a quiet moment at the memorial headstone marking the grave field sheltering the victims that could not be identified. I admire the spiritual bravery of their survivors who simply committed them to hometown soil together from the tunes of this plain until the music of eternity.

I highly recommend this book and this author. I’m proud to be personally and professionally acquainted with her and look forward to reading everything she writes.

Playing Chicken at Uncle Roosters Restaurant in Seymour, MO

Uncle Roosters Restaurant in Seymour, MO is a favorite of our, if you haven’t guessed. More than just another chicken joint, Uncle Roosters menu includes Italian beef (proclaimed the best to be eaten), an exotic assortment of hot dogs, especially the Chicago Dog which isn’t an ordinary Weiner with pickles and mustard. The Chicago Dog is a spicy sausage with all those dizzying condiments!

We were there a few nights ago and I decided to try the chicken, though. After all, the commercials on Big Country 99.3 fm (KUNQ) list all of the yummy options on the menu and end with a reference to chicken. There are often promotions going on with the commercials at Big Country 99.3 (KUNQ), so tune in and enjoy the contest along with the cute commercials. Big Country 99.3 fm (KUNQ) is available live streaming online, too! Ricky V and the Rock Star in company with The Flash have been known to show up at Uncle Roosters and have a good time with the chicken hat.

While I know there are only so many things you can do with chicken, the battered deliciousness of the three piece chicken dinner is over-the-top good! The chicken was prepared AFTER I ordered — not saved on a steam table or over done. When I made the order, the server reminded me that this could take up to 15 minutes. That was fine, fresh appeals to me and we weren’t on a ‘speed eat’ trip.

Because I wanted to eat the sides of sweet potato fries and beans, plus the angel soft roll, I limited myself to one piece of the golden chicken and got a go-box for the rest. (more about that experience in a minute). All Dick has was a HUGE piece of the carrot cake/cheese cake. He should have taken some of that in a box too because he was stuffed when his plate was clean!

When I had extra chicken, the server fixed me up with a ‘doggy bag’ — don’t kid ypurself, the dog won’t even see this — by wrapping it all in double foil and slipping it into a cute white bag stamped with Uncle Roosters logo. Wrapped it up so well that the cats were clueless when I brought it in the house!

At Uncle Roosters, servers are extra friendly — we enjoy visiting with them. They are often ‘armed’ with coin tricks and quick questions to have fun with their customers while taking orders.

There is so much to observe at Uncle Roosters. New diners are handed a fist full of super Sharpies in bright colors so they can write their name on the floor. There are some very interesting and artistic signatures on that floor! A nice assortment of craft foods and other craft items or art are available for you to take home as a souvenir of your visit to Uncle Roosters.

We rank Uncle Roosters as our favorite spot for a treat and good eating. Conveniently located at a stop light on Hwy 60 at Seymour, you can test the menu and see what we mean.

Reviewing A Peace at A Time | C.J. Braden, author

One woman’s journey from the beginning. C.J. Braden tells her experiences as she made her own choices without solid communication with God, but thinking she was doing things right.

An impulsive Bible study group at a dark time in her life opened the doors of her heart to God completely. A spiritual experience that revealed God’s protection and love for her through the years, Along with this new peace, C.J. received a view of how things could have been different had she been walking with Him instead of trying to work it all out under her own control. That view became this book.

Believing that life would fall into place for her and giving in about dreams became the way things went for C.J. and many other young women. Dreams of being an artist and living in the West that were in her heart from childhood were put on hold.

Without making a boring, specific road map and ‘how to’ statement, C.J. Braden writes about her experience and how things could have been different. Readers have personally told her that they can read about her path to God and understand their path more clearly.

A statement of love and joy to bring God’s encouragement and comfort to believers, new and mature as well as searchers who, like the younger C.J., still wonder what they believe.

I am well acquainted with C.J. Braden. I was blessed to be there when ‘the lights came on’ for her spiritually. I recommend a Peace at a Time — that is how life with the Lord works, just taking the days one peace at a time. He keeps sending the peace every morning.

I bought A Peace at a Time for my Kindle and have received treasured autographed copies from the Author. At C.J. Braden’s website you can find an excerpt from the book and blog updates, plus spiritual shares.

Eastgate Keeps on Singing | K.D. McCrite, author

Eastgate Church has a mystery — someone was murdered right in the church. There are suspects among the congregation and Assistant Pastor Carrie Lockwood feels she has to be involved in sorting out who might be guilty and who is innocent. I enjoyed the description of the various members of Eastgate Church, especially the Unholy Trinity — a trio of caring, interfering and gossipy women who are friends and who seem determined to sabotage Pastor Carrie’s efforts to eat and exercise for her health.

The victim, a choir director who was hired while Pastor Carrie was on vacation was a fraud. Did he deserve what he got? Of course, if you’ve read my reviews, you KNOW I won’t tell!

I enjoyed the mystery, Eastgate Keeps on Singing. What I especially like is the possibility that this could be the first in a series. Another thing I especially like is that the author lives and works in her native Ozarks. K.D. McCrite turns a mighty fine story that I highly recommend.

Ashton Park, Murray Pura, author

Ashton Park has been compared to Downton Abbey, a British TV epic which I enjoy in almost every review and in trailers.

I believe that no author, in any country, on any continent, can make up stories that are more complicated than real life. Ashton Park is not Downton Abby. They are two tales about an era that is particularly intriguing to readers and TV viewers at the present time, but I also believe they are stories in either venue that will be able to hold their foundational place in literature after the present craze has faded.

In Ashton Park, the large family is supportive — I would say if I had to find a TV comparable in family, it would be Blue Bloods with featuring Tom Selleck and a fantastic cast. Each member of the family has to deal with what must have been traumatic social changes in the era. There is political unrest in the Empire and around the world. Social unrest — people are beginning to return to human, individual character, something that has been bound by corsets and politics for at least a generation in a stagnating culture. The economy isn’t addressed much in the story, but I think that had some bearing on the changes as well. The class structure is fragile and will crumble.

The Christian aspect of Ashton Park is gentle, but does address doctrines and a lot of tolerance. Other reviewers have had problems with the passion of the characters and some of their entanglements. I see people maturing in a manner that they wouldn’t be expecting, driven by a desire to break out of the ‘safe’ but incredibly stifling culture of the day. Their ‘social media’ group is incredible small and closely bound. They will always be a sort of “all for one and one for all” set of people connected for generations. As their expectations mature, other cultures are blended in and I see an enriched social group where each has become less self-centered, more tolerant and caring. They are a mirror of society at the time in the Empire.

This is a solid book that may not become a classic, but you can be proud of have it on your bookshelf. You can let someone see that you’ve stored it on your Kindle without worry that you will appear to have ‘lower reading taste’. The book has tension and adventure, but no smut. That appeals to me as a reader. There are more books in the series, building a saga, so some strings have been left dangling for us to wonder about.

I bought a copy of this book for my Kindle and received a printed copy from Harvest House to peruse and enjoy. Enjoy it I did and I’m looking forward to the next one. As you shop for pleasure reading, I recommend this book as I do all of Murray Pura’s writing. You will be pleasantly surprised at the variety across his style — you can read one right after the other without the “seen one, seen ’em all” experience. I do read other authors, but not simply as an exercise to break literary monotony.

I don’t do a book report, but a review of my opinion and experience with a book. I don’t like to spoil surprises for you.