Mystery at the Phoenix Festival
Jack and Nicole Spanton and Laura S. Wharton
Broad Creek Press
P.O. Box 43 Mt. Airy, NC 27030
978-0-983714-88-0
$9.99
138 pages
Sandra Heptinstall
Reviewer

This book has no age limit on it. Two of my grandson’s Zach and Elijah Hopkins as well as myself all really enjoyed this book. This maybe a small book but it tells a big and warm hearted story. Cari and Bruce Rivers had saved enough money that they were able to travel the country in a RV, along with their two children Zach and Nicole and their two service dogs Zena and Dolly. It is Bruce and Cari’s hope that their children will learn to grow spiritually, and to share love with others.

The River’s family desire is to bring joy, hope and laughter to very sick children. Their dogs were trained to behave and do tricks to entertain kids. Their first stop was in Phoenix, AZ at a Cancer Treatment Center for kids.

Right from the start Zach and Nicole made many new friends at the center. While there Nicole finds a friend whose family owns a dog shelter. Because of the cost to get help for their daughter they were in danger of having to close the shelter. People who usually donated to cover the cost could not do it anymore because of the economy. But Nicole was already thinking of ways to raise the money to keep it going.

Then one early morning at the campsite the whole family’s faith is tested.
I did not want this story to end. It is hard to find books that encourage children to believe in God and to live for Him. This book did so but in an interesting way to keep kids attention.

Rated G

A Rainbow for Christmas
Mary Montague Sikes
Oak Tree Press, 1400 East Palmer St.
Taylorville, IL 62568
978-1-61009-034-6
$11.95
117 pages
Sandra Heptinstall
Reviewer

Since this book only has 117 pages it is more like a novella. The story is set in 1869. There you find Meg Smith and her niece Eliza, in a wagon train headed toward Denver, Colo. Meg was going to Denver as her dad had arrange for her to marry a man she had never met. Basically her dad sold her for money so that the farm they live on could be saved.


The outcome of the story you pick up within a few pages, but you keep reading the book anyway, because we all need to get away from our normal lives and so we pick up a book. Then we are transported by the author to someplace else.

The history in this book is right on the mark. Meg’s mom had made her a blue dress to be married in. This was normal as only rich people could afford a white wedding gown. It just happens my own mom, was also married in a blue dress in 1949. It was her going to church dress.

I don’t think the younger generation knows about marriages being arranged in our country. Nor do I think they know how hard it was for a lot of people as our country was forming.

I wish I could give this book a five star rating, but I can’t. The book needs more substance in my opinion. Yet since it is a novella I can give it a four star.

Rated G

Scandalous! 50 Shocking Events You Should Know About (so you can impress your friends)

Hallie Fryd

Zest Books

35 Stillman Street, Suite 121, San Francisco, CA 94107

www.zestbooks.net

978-0-9827322-0-5

$11.49

208 pages

Sandra Heptinstall

Reviewer

This was a fun read and I learned things I had no knowledge of. What really blew me away is people who were related by blood and got married. To me that is beyond my comprehension.

The only one I knew before this book was Jerry Lee Lewis who married his thirteen year old cousin. Now I have learned that Franklin D. Roosevelt married his cousin Eleanor. She did not even have to change her last name.

Rudy Giuliani and Regina Peruggi got married and thought they were third cousins so that was not bad. But after 14 years they discovered they were second cousins and had their marriage annulled soon after that.

I have always heard about Jim Thorpe the Olympian winner, but what I did not know is he was stripped of his medals over something that today would not happen. He was guilty of telling the truth when others lied. To learn more you have to read this book.

Oh my stars, talk about a shocker. You have to read the story on page 14. If you need to drop a few pounds then read on. For me I don't think I could ever eat this food again. The story would flash in my mind. Even though it was 1904 we still hear today about people getting sick from foods.

There are more interesting things to read in this book, and I think people will enjoy reading about them.

The Quaker State Affair

Right from the start of this book your brain goes into overdrive and pulls you in. For me it was like reading the newspaper or watching the news. It is totally feasible that everything in this book could actually happen. It is so realistic it is almost scary.

This book is not easy reading at first. In fact for the first fifty-four pages I had to write notes on who is who and what they do. You really have to exercise you’re brain and I found that to be refreshing. In our world today what happens to our economy does have an effect on other countries. I worked for an oil company for five years and know the importance of oil around the world.

This book is filled with action, suspense and mystery. The book is well thought out and the character development is brilliant. I would tell my friends they need to read this book. It totally blew me away in parts.
This book is excellent and never boring.

Fearful Addict: 30 Degrees Below

Fearful Addict: 30 Degrees Below
David Mitchell and Michael O’Toole
CADDIS, INC
107 Coachway GD S.W Calgary, Alberta, Canada
(403) 244-1858
www.fearfuladdict.com
978-0-9868217-7
$14.99
165 pages
Reviewed by:
Sandra Heptinstall and Troy Halliwell

This book gives a very interesting look at one person’s fight to get rid of the addiction to nicotine and the way the author and mind fought was an interesting visit to the deeper levels of ones’ mind and the war of self- doubt and self- depravation. His mental stresses’ as he relapsed, and his fears would be one any smoker would recognize.

I have read a lot of articles and heard the dangers of smoking for years. I think the author approach is something anyone wanting to quit should read this first. He tells his story and it gives hope to people who have failed at quitting before.
If you have tired quitting using the patches, pills and gum and not made it then please read this book first. You really have to get your mind set for the battle to come.

This book is worth the time to read.

Rated G

A Field of Dead Horses

Sometimes you may get a book that starts out slow and then the book gains momentum and your interest as it goes along. Then, there can be books that get you from the first page. This book got me from the start. Elliott Chapel owns a horse ranch that his father had started. His dad Paul Chapel was well known in the horse racing world. He trained thoroughbreds, but after the loss of his wife due to child birth he changed completely. His relationship with his son is sad, and at times makes you want to cry. A man who was filled with so much grief, that he never realized his wife's last gift to him. Elliott and his ranch manager Booley were out mending fences when they came upon a woman who was bloody and beaten, laying face up in the shadow waters of Penny Creek. Elliott told Booley to go and call the sheriff and the doctor to come out to where the woman's body lay. But Booley told Elliott it would be better if he called the people to come out. During the time period of this book a black man was not considered as equal to a white man. They were treated as slaves and not to be trusted. But Booley was different as he was wise and well read. To the Chapel's, Booley was family. They made him their ranch manager and he had his own home. Both things were rare in that time period for a black man. This book defies the normal conventions of its time. Society would not accept a romance, which you will find when you read this book also. Rated PG

Fearful Addict: 3