A Scarecrow's Dream

Rating:
Summary: An unexpected treat
Review: I say "unexpected" because books of the murder/mystery ilk are not exactly my cup of tea. However, I was looking for a bite-sized book with which to spend a day or two and a friend handed me a copy of "A Scarecrow's Dream."

I shan't give a chapter-by-chapter synopsis, because that would spoil the many surprises offered in this book. Many times I think that writers of this type of book try to throw in plot twist after plot twist merely to advance the complexity of their story. As so often happens, this only gets in the way of the telling of that story; but, Batal's book is an exception to this rule. Although it is certainly full of twists and turns, they all contribute to what turns out to be a very satisfying (and surprisingly logical) conclusion.

Another oft-overused convention these days is the "Pulp Fiction" effect, wherein authors hop around chronologically as tho' it's a de rigueur device. Again, this often serves only to confuse the story and thus distract and even frustrate the reader. Batal uses this method, but fortunately for the reader she wields it well, using a flashback or flash-forward in such a way that it provides a well-timed solution for one of the many question marks with which the book forces its reader to wrestle.

This is a relatively short book, but a well-written one with a good story...certainly worth taking a long summer evening to relax with and enjoy. I recommend it and am anxious to see what the author comes up with next.

Rating:
Summary: An unexpected treat
Review: I say "unexpected" because books of the murder/mystery ilk are not exactly my cup of tea. However, I was looking for a bite-sized book with which to spend a day or two and a friend handed me a copy of "A Scarecrow's Dream."

I shan't give a chapter-by-chapter synopsis, because that would spoil the many surprises offered in this book. Many times I think that writers of this type of book try to throw in plot twist after plot twist merely to advance the complexity of their story. As so often happens, this only gets in the way of the telling of that story; but, Batal's book is an exception to this rule. Although it is certainly full of twists and turns, they all contribute to what turns out to be a very satisfying (and surprisingly logical) conclusion.

Another oft-overused convention these days is the "Pulp Fiction" effect, wherein authors hop around chronologically as tho' it's a de rigueur device. Again, this often serves only to confuse the story and thus distract and even frustrate the reader. Batal uses this method, but fortunately for the reader she wields it well, using a flashback or flash-forward in such a way that it provides a well-timed solution for one of the many question marks with which the book forces its reader to wrestle.

This is a relatively short book, but a well-written one with a good story...certainly worth taking a long summer evening to relax with and enjoy. I recommend it and am anxious to see what the author comes up with next.

Rating:
Summary: A Captivating, Page-turning Journey.
Review: I wrote the book, and then I read the book ... twice! It kept me entertained even though I knew the outcome. If you need a nice escape, let Destin Synclair take you through her romantic and insightful journey from her ordinary routine when she crosses paths with the multi-millionaire, Arien Arcencil as they join forces to rescue the kidnapped daughter of Knoxville's police chief. You just may find yourself holding your breath with the heroes and dumfounded by the villians. Can you survive the twists of this intricate plot and discover the Scarecrow's Dream?

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and thought provoking
Review: This is a very good read from beginning to end. Although, it was an easy to read book and I found it most enjoybale, it was a book that kept turning the pages it's self. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next, and how each character would handle his or her situation. I highly reccommend this book to all. I feel that it is a good book to read during summer vacation.