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Thursday, September 1, 2016

Tattle and Wrye column September 2016 edition

FROM THE DESK OF
DONA PENZA TATTLE, ESQ.
AND
ASSOCIATE WRYE BALDERDASH

Greetings,

Tattle waltzes into the office, dreamy contentment etching her face. “I was thinking.”

“Then keep going because the conclusion is the part where you get tired of thinking, and you might not start up again.”

“Huh?” Shakes off Wrye’s strange humor. “As I was saying, if money did grow on trees, autumn would be the best season ever, and in this part of the world autumn in upon us! Yea!”

“Huh?” Shakes off Tattle’s odd humor. “Speaking of autumn, it is strange that a time of year when everything is so beautiful is actually the time of year everything is really drying.”

“I think our funny bones might be dying,” Tattle muttered, and then aloud, “Time for our Love of Literature Leap review.”


The two leap into the first book of Paula Kennedy’s series Angels of the Night, DISCOVERY, a supernatural, vampire romantic young adult suspense.

“Hide! Hide!” The warning bursts from Tattle with urgency as they land in Chapter One.

“Ummm, m’snooping sleuth, the characters can’t see us.” Wrye pats Tattle’s shoulder.

“But it feels so real, and the killer is so creepy and totally merciless. I think we should move along, this is way too scary.”

Ut oh!” declares Tattle, still jumpy. “I saw that.”

“What?” Wrye’s head swishes back and forth, scanning.

“Shadows. Allison Webber sees them, too. Has always seen them, and thinks she might be a bit of a freaky-deaky. But, she’s not. Sure, she is a bit depressed having broken up with her boyfriend, Darren Clark, and is a bit unsettled about it being the second day of school, annnnd is slightly unnerved about the murder/suicide on St. Joseph Island, but it’s mostly about the shadows.”

“That part of the insanity is about to be explained. Her father takes her to his secret society meeting place, rather than school, where she discovers vampires exist, and da da da daaaa, she is a mystic. Being very rare, she is one of the few who can help defeat highbinders, vicious female vamps.” Wrye makes a classic gonna-bite-your-neck face, with mouth gaping open and fingers clawed.

“She also discovers the vampires need to feed off her energy daily. Voila, hence the answer to the shadows that have been whisking in and out of her world!” 

Tattle winces. “The feeding hurts, but never have or will harm her. The Free Masons offer to make her the first female Mason, so they can protect her. But also so her assigned twin-hottie vamp bodyguards, Darcy and Thane, can siphon her energy for strength when taking out the latest vamp threat. There is a highbinder on a sadistic killing spree and it has been rumored she is hiding in plain sight at Allison’s school.”

 “Unlike the light vampires, physically different with their white blonde hair and pale complexions, the highbinders, and male counterparts, look human. The light vamps are working with the Masons in order to one day have a world where both species can co-exist peacefully.” Wrye forms a benevolent Buddha grin.

“Upon reluctantly agreeing to help, Allison finds herself drawn to Darcy and Thane, which is forbidden. To have love, she must become a vampire, but a female vamp is unable to resist the bloodlust and must be destroyed.” Mimes stabbing herself with a dagger.”

Wrye uses a nasal tone, reminiscent of a 1930’s radio newscaster. “So the questions are: Can she find the courage to help defeat the highbinder preying on humans? Can she figure out which of the brothers has her heart, and which will betray her? Or will she become the ultimate victim, leaving the vampires to starve without their mystic to feed on?” 


“Kennedy’s Angels of the Night: Discovery is a brilliantly plotted book. Though it models the legendary vampire blood sucking scenario…” Tattle slurps air as if sipping on a straw, “…Paula Kennedy adds more complex and intriguing twists, which makes one eager to follow the series. The characters are fully formulated for a young adult audience, with Allison being true to a teenager’s personality with expressive hormonal reactions, uncertainties and fears. The romance is titillating while still in the proper parameters for a Young Adult drama. At the same time, the love-triangle interplay between Darcy and Thane and Allison has a fully mature tilt, allowing us older adults to enjoy the book as much as the young. It is a sensuous, thrilling ride, I’d certainly recommend.”

“Whooeee! Vampires, secrets, murders and romance, oh my. The complexities in this story kept me reading without stop. I walked around the house holding my reader while getting a bite to eat or answering the door. I simply couldn’t put it down. There were more twists and turns than a narrow mountain road. Just when I thought I had the answer, another question would unfold. This is not a series to be ignored, especially if you are a vampire follower. The writing is snappy; the pacing quick; the characters believable. Read the books!”


Wrye and Tattle leap into BLOOD UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN by Steven Ure, a dramatic World War II novel.

Wrye’s voice changes to that of a 1940 radio announcer, “At the start of World War II, twenty-one year old Julie Stewart’s younger twin brothers, Adam and Adrian, enlisted in the army at only fifteen years of age. Though both Julie and her father tried to deter them, the two were incorrigible. Julie woefully suspected it was more the trend than an actual dedication toward serving the King and country. Soon enough Norway had been invaded by the Germans, and the boys went missing in action.”

Tattle follows his cue and adopts a sultry yesteryear starlet tone, “An acquaintance of her father with military contacts believes the boys are still alive, and her father plans to attempt a rescue by flying into Norway. He had told his sons, if ever compromised to go to the nearest city and blend with the inhabitants. Julie is determined to stow away on the plane.  Only, her father anticipated exactly what she would do, and had already packed a parachute for her.”

“From there the story takes off at a rapid, heart pounding pace with a heaping helping of drama and suspense and a sprinkling of romance.” Wrye pumps his chest with a fist for emphasis. “As always Steven Ure’s clear, concise writing style shines through, no clutter, no extra baggage, no nonsense.  It holds you and makes you yearn for more. Every time you think you have a handle on the plot, the plot thickens…” Bushy brows do a wiggle. “And you are tugged in a surprising direction. Although this is quite different from his other works, it has the same depth and dimension I’ve come to expect from this author.”

Settling down on settee in an obvious pondering pose, Tattle adds, “There is something very soulful with an undercurrent of darkness in the prose of this story, an innate quality that pulls you so fully into the plotline, you are the characters, you are the evil, you are the peril, you are the courage, you are the history, you are the fabric of the reality that Ure created.”

“I especially adore the heroine, Julie,” Wrye interjects. “She is indeed a character of quality and grit but with enough heart and humanity to make her genuine. Even the secondary characters that drift in and out of the storyline have dimensional appeal.”

Tattle further declares, “The historical details add an interesting backdrop especially since it investigates portions of the war that aren’t normally emphasized. Also, the ending has a startling climatic twist that makes the entire read all the more satisfying. Once again Steven Ure has provided a tale that stays with you long after you finish the book.”

It was a pleasure reading these two fabulous works by CBG’s brilliant authors. 

Until next time, keep reading!

Dona Penza Rutabaga Tattle, Esq. and Associate Wrye Balderdash
of Blather City, Wannachat

Created and written by:  Angelica Hart and Zi

Books by: Angelica Hart and Zi
KILLER DOLLS ~ SNAKE DANCE ~
CHASING YESTERDAY ~ CHRISTMAS EVE...VIL
Books by: Vixen Bright and Zachary Zane
STEEL EMBRACE
BOOK NOOKIE-A LIBRARIAN'S BUIDE TO THE DO-ME DECIMAL SYSTEM
angelicahartandzi.com


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