Book and Product Reviews by Roundtable Reviews

Released July 2012 Stuart Neville Soho Crime Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Ghosts of Belfast is a book I wholeheartedly recommend. It's not quite a mystery, not quite horror/paranormal, kind of a mix of the two. It keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering who is next. Gerry Fegan, a retired hit man for the Irish Republic Army, never expected his "retirement" to go so off course. He's followed by the ghosts of the people he killed. Their spirits won't rest until he kills the people behind their deaths. He'll keep seeing them and hearing their screams until he does their bidding, but that means committing crimes he swore he'd never commit again. I never would have imagined finding Gerry to be such a likeable character, but he really was. The ghosts that haunt him play an important part in the story, and you learn more about them as the story progresses. That's where the mystery comes into play. You don't know who is next or why th

Released March 31, 2012 Kevin J. Garrity Smashwords Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Sparrow River: Death and Intrigue in the North Woods is set in Michigan , not Maine . I know around here North Woods is associated with upstate Maine, and the show North Woods Law might add to the confusion, so I figured I'd put the clarification out there for my local readers. On an average day, Walt Pitowski isn't the most positive of men. Things don't general go his way. It's his dream of competing in a canoe marathon and the companionship of his dog Doofus that seems to bring the most joy to his life. During his normal work day, Walt finds a body in Sparrow River. This kicks off a chain of events that will leave Will experiencing things he didn't expect and delving into a possible murder that seems impossible to solve. Walt comes off as pretty gruff, but despite this I found him quite endearing. While there is the mystery to solve, I felt a bigger portion of the bo

Released December 2012 Mira Lyn Kelly Harlequin Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth I don't know how long it will last, but at the time of this review, Amazon Kindle is giving away Waking Up Married . At that price, there's no reason you shouldn't read this book. When the paperback version comes out in April, I still think it will be a worthwhile read. Megan Scott wakes up on the morning of her cousin's Vegas wedding and finds herself married to a complete stranger. It takes a little thought to try to recall the events from the night before, but it's clear she's married and her new husband doesn't want the quick annulment she's after. He wants to give their new marriage a trial run. This poses problematic for Megan. She's tired of not finding Mr. Right and, as a result, made arrangements to have a baby through a sperm donor. Her new husband, Connor Reed, is offering her the chance to have a baby, and that's almost too tempting to pass up

Released January 2013 Amy B. Scher Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Author Amy B. Scher lived in pain for years without doctor's coming up with any idea what was wrong. Test after test provided no relief. Eventually, they discovered she had Lyme disease , and that meant heavy-duty antibiotics, up to 44 pills a day and intramuscular injections. Seeking a better answer, Scher headed to India for embryonic stem cell therapy . That was the beginning of a huge change in her health. This is How I Save My Life is her journey, as written in a blog she wrote during her experience. For anyone not familiar with Lyme disease, it's preventable, but only if you avoid all deer ticks or get the tick that's biting you off within 24 hours. Even then, many doctors feel it's best to take a course of antibiotics if you've been bitten. The ticks don't have to bite in an obvious place. After a bite from a tick with the bacteria behind Lyme, a bright red, circular rash may ap

Released November 2012 Dave Lavinsky Wiley Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Start at the End offers insightful advice into starting and growing your business. What impressed me most is that the author, co-founder of Growthink, starts with the thing that most businesses seem to overlook: What do your customers expect? This is followed by What would investors expect? Once you have that information down, you move on to other steps: setting goals, reaching financial goals, forming lasting customer relationships, creating your HR team, etc. Every step of this business guide is backed by solid narrative/instruction and worksheets that you print out at Growthink.com. The advice is spot-on, and I found myself, from a customer viewpoint, nodding my head more than once. It's nice to hear a business guide putting customers first. I'm finding that many businesses are all about the bottom line and treat customers appallingly. I just dealt with Sears , a company that has such a

Released January 2013 Lisa O'Donnell HarperCollins Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth I received a copy of The Death of Bees , but I'd already reviewed it for Amazon's Vine program. Rather than form a completely new review, here's the link to my Amazon reviews . In a nutshell, The Death of Bees is the story of a very dysfunctional family and the girls who are trying to survive a life where their parents are more involved in their drug use than they are the well being of their daughters. It's dark, addicting, and kicks this year off to a great start in the world of fiction. Related articles 'Death Of Bees' Captures A Grim, Gory Coming-Of-Age

Released June 2012 Laurel Bradley Storyteller Publishing Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Taylor Wilson receives the shock of her life when a bomb destroys her house minutes after her husband leaves. He's vanished and the FBI suspect he's behind the bombing. Taylor can't believe that the man she loves would do something like this, yet his absence is odd. Soon, she receives a strange text message from him stating that she should "trust no one," and then he leaves her cryptic clues as to his whereabouts. Ditching the FBI isn't easy, but Taylor truly believes the key to her safety involves finding her husband. Trust No One keeps you on the edge of your seat. Taylor's strength is apparent and makes her a very riveting character, and her husband is a little more secretive and has the reader wondering if he is the loving man she thinks he is. If you enjoy suspense/thriller with a touch of romance, you will not want to miss Laurel Bradley's sto

Released August 2012 Roxanne Snopek Entangled Publishing Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth Rory McAllister left everything to start a new life at Three River Ranch. Her realtor certainly didn't bother to tell her that the guesthouse she was leasing was dirty, run down, and in desperate need of an overhaul. Rory's pregnant, alone, and not sure what to do next. Carson Granger is shocked to find a pregnant woman on his family's ranch. He has dreams of turning the ranch into a sanctuary for wild horses. His late father put certain provisions into his will, however, that has it either reverting to a cattle ranch or finding Carson married before Carson can inherit the land. Carson's lawyer thinks Rory might be the answer to their prayers. Carson's views on marriage are skewed and that's the last thing he'd do to Rory. As the pair get to know each other, sparks fly, but is a relationship truly best for either of them? Rory's still nursing a broken he

John of God is world renown for healing people from life-threatening diseases, such as cancer and other ailments. Oprah has visited him. Acclaimed author Wayne Dyer credits him with healing his leukemia. Gail Thackray , a powerful healer and medium herself, has experienced this life-altering healing firsthand, as well as having her own psychic abilities increased many times just from being in his presence. In her book Gail Thackray’s Spiritual Journeys: Visiting John of God , Gail shares stories of not only the physical healings, but emotional, relationship, and financial help, as well. Readers report actually feeling the energy coming through the book and some even say that they have received a healing just from reading it. Reviewers say you cannot put this book down and some say reading it has changed their lives. The book follows one woman’s personal journey as she travels to the spiritual healing center of John of God in Brazil. However, this is no “ordinary” w

Released January 22, 2013 Nikki Logan Harlequin Kiss Book Review by Tracy Farnsworth One of the first releases in Harlequin's new Kiss line, you can't beat the price. At under $3, you enjoy a short and sweet romance that's available in Kindle or paperback format. How to Get Over Your Ex is a good story, not amazing, but well worth the price. What is worthwhile is the general message behind the story - one about following your dreams and doing what inspires you and not what  you feel others want from you. Georgia Stone is humiliated when her on-air Valentine's Day proposal is rejected by her boyfriend. She's humiliated, simply wants to get home unnoticed, and still has a radio station to get out of. Thankfully, a stranger offers to let her follow him out of a back entrance. Zander Rush feels horrible that his idea turned into a disaster for Georgia. The contract he'd offered that would last a year with monthly follow-ups into the wedding planning is