Book Reviews – Linda Cassidy Lewis

A sale, an interview, and a review!

4 May 201619 December 2016 Linda Cassidy Lewis

SALE!!! High Tea & Flip-Flops will be priced in the US for only $1.99 the whole month of May! As one reviewer said, it’s “Perfect for a lazy afternoon and an umbrella drink.” Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YNKHFII in case you’d like to share it with a friend.

I’m working on a sequel now. I mean, you knew Chelsea would insist on going to London and meeting Jeremy’s parents, didn’t you? After all—what could possibly go wrong?

Recently author Craig Hart interviewed me, and the result is up now at his blog. Among other things, he asked me how I managed the change in genre and tone in following up the romantic comedy of High Tea & Flip-Flops with the dark suspense of Forever. A friend assured me I didn’t embarrass myself in this interview … but judge for yourself. Read it here.

I suspect the genre of my latest book surprised some—a lot?—of you. My publisher mainly promotes it as suspense with subcategories of horror, occult, and ghosts. I think of it as psychological supernatural suspense, the story of a marriage under extreme—and extremely unusual—stress. So it pleased me when one recent reviewer gave it five stars and said this:

A Gripping and Original Tale!
Linda Cassidy Lewis has penned a unique story line in her new novel FOREVER. Tom and Julie are at a crossroads in their marriage. Their daughter is going off to college and that development will change the dynamics of their relationship. Will it be for the better? Or will their marriage crumble without the glue that is their child. Like many long endured marriages, the passion between them has waned. Still, there’s a comfort level between them that Tom believes will help them weather the storm.

Until he touches the hands of an unlikely woman working at the cinema. Only then does a powerful force stir within his soul. Or is it his soul? His obsession with Annie, for whatever vague reason consumes him, and little by little, their past-life affair awakens within a vortex in his soul. The monster—and I do mean monster—that once destroyed them, has returned in full force to once again exact his savage revenge.

Lewis has created an engaging plot that combines horror, romance and the supernatural. Be warned: it is violent and horrific, some of it sexual. But for me it only heightened the monster that was Eddie. Lewis keenly understands the rhythms of domestic life and uses it in FOREVER to give this story a feeling of authenticity. Intelligent, very scary at times, and filled with supernatural twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, FOREVER is an original and entertaining take on true love and the evil that tries to break its eternal bond. I really enjoyed this book.

By the way, author Joseph Souza wrote that review. No, I didn’t pay him to write it. But I’ve read two of his books so far—Unpaved Surfaces and Need to Find You—and can tell you he’s a very good writer. Here’s a link to his Amazon page.

I wish all the mothers out there a HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! To everyone, I wish you the blessing of joy.

Linda

Book Reviews, Opinion, Writing

Why give 4 stars to a book when the climax disappointed me?

25 January 201514 October 2015 Linda Cassidy Lewis

I read Stephen King’s latest novel, Revival, this month. I didn’t look at reader reviews until after I finished the book. But I’d seen some quotes from professional reviewers who called it terrifying, scary, or horrifying. But then, King’s publisher wouldn’t choose to quote any reviewer who said otherwise, would they?

revival

When I checked the reviews at Amazon and Goodreads, I saw the majority of them had rated the book with four or five stars, but a considerable number, especially on Goodreads, had given only one star. Many of the low-raters cited the “ending” as their reason for dissing the book. It was clear from the comments they were not talking about the actual end of the book, which is an epilogue, but the climax of the story, which I also found disappointing, yet I gave Revival four stars.

Why give 4 stars to a book when the climax disappointed me? Simple answer: the fault is not Mr. King’s. Though the climax failed to terrify me as illustrious reviews promised, I was captivated by 399 of the 403 pages in this book. I even correctly anticipated Jacobs’ final “healing.” On those remaining 4 pages, Mr. King described what horrifies him and, obviously, many other readers. But his vision didn’t horrify everyone, and some of those not scared rated this book with 1 star.

I’m an author, and I know it’s impossible to write a book that pleases everyone. If I were to write a horror novel that ended with a peek behind that “hidden door,” I would describe a far different scene—what horrifies me. Some readers would shiver in terror with me; others would shake their heads or maybe laugh. King’s vision didn’t horrify me, but because of the solid writing, the skilled storytelling in 99% of the book, I rated it with four stars.

Have you read Revival? How did/would you rate it?

Linda

Author, Book Reviews, My Books, Writing

Christa Polkinhorn is talking about me!

7 June 2013 Linda Cassidy Lewis

Since I confused a lot of you on Tuesday, I’m playing it safe today. So I’ll just let you know that Christa Polkinhorn is talking about me on her blog today.

Also, I’ll say thank you to those who signed up for my newsletter after they saw my announcement about the June issue on Facebook and Twitter. Welcome aboard.

The temps will be over 100° F here in the San Joaquin Valley the next few days. I hope the weather is more human-friendly where you are. Have a fabulous weekend!

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Book Reviews, Books

Time out for reading!

7 April 201315 April 2013 Linda Cassidy Lewis

As you may know—since I said it on Facebook, this blog, and in my April newsletter—I’m in the midst of a hiatus from writing. That’s difficult for me because I’m used to working on something nearly every day, so I wander around looking lost. I vowed to get caught up on housework, and I do have nice shiny windows—inside and out—now, but it doesn’t take much to distract me from cleaning.

Reading is an infinitely more interesting way I’ve been occupying my time. Like many of you, I have an out of control “pile” of books I want to read. The two I’ve read so far during this break, have been on my Kindle for so long they’ve spawned sequels which I’m now anxious to read.

First, I read The Breakaway by Michelle Davidson Argyle. I’d read other works by Michelle: Cinders, True Colors, and Monarch, so I knew her writing would please me. The Breakaway was no exception. It’s aptly described as contemporary suspense and it’s categorized as mature YA – New Adult, but I’m well past that age and loved it.

When Naomi Jensen is kidnapped, it takes her parents two days to realize she’s missing. Escape isn’t high on her list of priorities when all she has to return to is an abusive boyfriend and parents who never paid much attention to her. For the first time in her life she’s part of a family—even if it is a family of criminals. But she’s still a captive. In a desperate attempt to regain some control in her life, Naomi embarks on a dangerous plan to make one of her kidnappers think she’s falling in love with him. The plan works too well, and when faced with the chance to escape, Naomi isn’t sure she wants to take it.

The second book I read is Dance on Fire by James Garcia, Jr. When I first heard this book was a Christian vampire story, I thought hunh? What it turns out to be is an excellently told vampire story centered around a family that happens to be devoutly Christian. And that works out very well because one of these vampires desperately desires hope that he’s not eternally damned.

Two Kingsburg police officers have been butchered in an attack as ferocious as it is mystifying. Now two detectives and their families are being drawn into a battle that threatens to destroy them and those around them. In a marriage of horror and Christian themes of good conquering evil and redemption, Dance on Fire is the fictional account of characters drawn into the fire by supernatural forces.

I’m a slow reader, but now I’m halfway through another book. And many others have been patiently waiting their turn, so I’ll probably have more book recommendations before my hiatus ends. And next week, I’ll have my first ever guest blogger, so stay tuned for that.

elle

Author, Book Reviews, Books

Kasie West is my hero!

13 February 201313 February 2013 Linda Cassidy Lewis

Last night, I had the thrill of attending a book signing at my local Barnes & Noble. This was no ordinary signing. The event marked the first sell date of Kasie West’s debut novel Pivot Point. The place was packed. They sold out all the copies in stock and took orders for more.

I’ve known Kasie for four and a half years. We’ve been in three critique groups together. In many ways, she’s my mentor. She’s certainly my biggest cheerleader. And now it’s her well-deserved turn to shine.

I whole-heartedly recommend you read Pivot Point—and I’m not just saying that because she’s my friend. I don’t usually read YA books, but I loved this one. Kasie’s writing sparkles as brightly as she does! Here’s the description:

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with–her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school–but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through…and who she can’t live without.

Kasie’s been writing for eight years, and she writes fast, so she probably has hundreds of novels stored away somewhere. She set her sights on getting her work published and never gave up that dream. Harper Collins was smart to recognize her talent and contract four of her books. Like the title of this post says, Kasie West is my hero!