Barry's Book Reviews: "The Ambassador's Wife" by Jake Needham

THREE STARS:  "The Ambassador's Wife" by Jake Needham is an entertaining read.  The book is not a page turner but more of a comfortable friend that you will want to visit at a leisurely pace.  The story takes place in Singapore and Bangkok. The venue descriptions are real and gritty. You will learn a little about the culture and atmosphere of these places although the imagery is not as extensive as I would have liked. The main character, Sam Tay, is a likable fellow, a sad sack of a guy whose entire life is his job as a police detective. He is not your typical cop and therefore shines as a character. The book lacks tension although there are some surprises that will satisfy.  Overall it is a light story that will entertain those who enjoy mystery with a bit of unfulfilled romance.

Barry's Book Reviews: "She Belongs to Me" by Carmen DeSousa

FOUR STARS: "She Belongs to Me" by Carmen DeSousa is predominantly a romance novel but the thing that a guy like me can really sink his teeth into is the element of mystery. The book grabs you at the first sound of gunfire. There are several twists and turns before the story comes to its satisfying conclusion.  We are brought back and forth from the "love at first sight", courtship and marriage to the struggle over life and death and solution to the mystery. I have to say that I enjoyed the present day story more than the courtship because that part of the story dragged in places. The characters were generally believable although Jordan's vacillation between domination, kisses and tears was a bit over the top.  There was even well developed sympathy for the "never do well" paramour turned good guy.  Overall a good story for romantic types.

Barry's Book Reviews: "Falling Under" by Danielle Younge-Ullman

FOUR STARS: Falling Under by Danielle Younge-Ullman was a roller coaster ride of emotion.  The scenes artfully switched from the main character's, Mara's, youth to present time as a young adult. This technique successfully developed the richness of her character. There was a strong element of deep neurosis in her character as she sought to deaden her emotional turmoil with raw and dark sex with other artistic souls.  The plot was rather a simple one and although there were some surprises they were superficial and I found the book dragging in parts. Too much of a good thing is still too much. Danielle's writing style is sharp and biting and therefore unusually wonderful. I found that she indicted the ills of our modern world in a subtle way. She did not get into details but they were a backdrop to highlight the deep seated fears of the lead character's personality. Overall I enjoyed the book although it will not be loved by everyone.

Barry's Book Reviews: "Brava, Valentine" by Adriana Trigiani

FOUR STARS: Adriana Trigiani's "Brava, Valentine: A Novel (Valentine Trilogy, Book 2)" is another great book from my favorite Italian-American contemporary author.  The portraits of "real" characters are undoubtedly patterned after people in her life.   The love of family was well portrayed.  The elements of surprise in the storyline was also welcomed.  The love story was touching. Adriana can weave a great story.  At times some of the family dialogue was a bit boring but always reprieved by elements of the story and careful painting of the imagery. The color indigo is a favorite and perhaps once less description with it could have sufficed. Despite these little irritations the story was fun, engaging and a great read.

Barry's Book Reviews: "The Shoemaker's Wife" by Adriana Trigiani

FIVE STARS: Adriana Trigiani's novel, The Shoemaker's Wife, was a beautifully touching story with a wealth of characters. It could be a story told of many Italian immigrants as they passed through Ellis Island and settled into many towns and cities in America. The writing is exceptional. There are many wonderfully detailed scenes describing the natural beauty of the Italian Alps, the stark cold winters of Minnesota, the Metropolitan Music Center and the streets of little Italy in NYC. The story portrays real life, complete with its joy and sorrow. The characters are well developed, particularly Enza and the brothers Ciro and Eduardo. Enza's strength and ability to meet life's challenges are reminiscent of my own dear grandmother who emigrated from Italy at about the same time. The description of Enrico Caruso was marvelous. It made me wish I could have met him. There are some very sad scenes so be prepared for some tears. I love everything Italian-American, in general, but this story will go down as a favorite novel.

Barry's Book Reviews: "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

FIVE STARS: Elephants, a love  triangle and circus performers: What could be a better storyline? I enjoyed this book as evidenced by the fact that it only took me a few days to read.  The characters are engrossing and realistic.  It is amazing that Sara was able to write the part of an old man with such realism. When I read a book, I also like to learn well researched real facts. This book did not disappoint in that area. The history is interesting and accurate.  The end of the book is satisfying.  If you would like to "get lost" in a great book, this is a good choice.

"Take the Silk Road Home" Free Promotion Results

Take the Silk Road Home is being promoted to readers in a free program for two days.  The novel has achieved great results on Day One of the two program!  Here are the ranking results as of 8:30 am on Day Two:

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)

• #5 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Historical