Lit List Short Reviews Flames of Flamenco by Jennifer Ivy Walker; Slay Bells Ring The Rise of the Banner Elk Slayer by S. David Acuff; Affirmations for Glowing Skin by Rhys Blanco; Blackstone Griddle Cookbook Simple Fast and Delicious Recipes With Photography Your Ultimate Guide to Sizzling Success on the Hottest Griddle in Town by Dr Ezekiel
Flames of Flamenco by Jennifer Ivy Walker
At 136 pages, Jennifer Ivy Walker’s Erotic Romance doesn't have a lot of time for plot twists or individual character depth that goes beyond getting the main couple together. It knows what it wants to be and does it. It is a Romance in which a troubled recently wounded woman gets involved with a handsome stranger who is perfect for her. Expect a great detailed almost fanciful setting and plenty of love making to make the Readers sign and get extremely heated.
American French teacher Ella Jacobs is in Paris for an academic program meeting with other French teachers. She is also recovering from her divorce from her emotionally abusive ex-husband. While seeing and sketching the sites, she sees a muscular, handsome, tattooed artist. She purchases a portrait of a Flamenco dancer and requests for the hunky artist to paint her portrait as well. Said artist is named Jean-Luc Cortes. Jean-Luc takes Ella out to eat and to watch Flamenco dancing. Amidst the spicy dancing and spicy food, the two engage in spice of their own.
The book doesn't lend much in the way of plot. There is a complication later that gets in the way of Ella and Jean Luc’s relationship but it is inserted so late that it bears little bearing to the overall story. By the time it is introduced, Ella and Jean-Luc’s romance is a done deal. It's almost like Walker wanted to add a last minute conflict to add a few more pages.
However the setting and romance are on point. Paris is as cliche for a Romance setting as New Orleans is for a Horror setting. But sometimes there is a reason why authors use those cliches. It's because they work. In this case, Paris adds to the passion between the two characters.
One of the more prominent places that Ella and Jean-Luc visit is The Tablao Flamenco. It's where they see a Flamenco performance and later Jean-Luc shows Ella his own talent for Flamenco dancing. Flamenco is a style of dance developed by Romany Spanish people in the Southern Andalusian region. It is known for the dancers wearing bright colors, moving their arms and feet to indicate rhythm and expression, and conveying sensuality, passion, and vibrance in the music and dance.
Flamenco dancing and portrait painting are Jean-Luc’s ways of expressing his deepest passions and sexuality. That Ella is herself an artist and has a fondness for European culture shows that she has the same creative expressions and shares those passions. Even before they have sex, their devotion to art and dance connects them on an emotional plane before they connect physically.
Of course the sex is plentiful. Ella and Jean-Luc have plenty of chemistry as they have dates that often end with them jumping in the bed and making love. However, the sex scenes are able to be both seductive and romantic as we see Ella and Jean-Luc interact, share ideas, and express themselves.
Flames of Flamenco hits eroticism and romanticism and uses both physically and emotionally to connect the characters to each other and the Readers.
Slay Bells Ring: The Rise of the Banner Elk Slayer by S. David Acuff
S. David Acuff’s Horror Novella Slay Bells Ring: The Rise of the Banner Elk Slayer is a tribute to horror movies and shows like The Lost Boys, The Monster Squad, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Supernatural. Supernatural creatures are thwarted by crafty tough humans who are armed with genre savviness towards folklore and horror movies, an arsenal of awesome killer weapons, and a sardonic outlook in which they make sarcastic quips while battling the undead.
6th grade Math teacher, Daniel Archibald Helsing was a typical teacher until weird things started happening. He was a self-proclaimed pop culture aficionado who has “references up the Ying Yang.” Dan is single but still carries a torch for a female friend, Jan Switcher (despite insisting to his Readers that no it's not like that, he swears!)
Besides loving Math so much that he “wants to marry it and have dozens of babies,” Dan is good at his job. Besides teaching class, he runs the Orphan Fight Club, a club in which he and various orphans play board games like Settlers of Catan, Lord of the Rings Monopoly, and Yahtzee when they get really aggressive (but not Dungeons and Dragons, Ouija, or Tarot cards. The Orphan Fight Club takes place in the local orphanage and the nuns forbid those “Satanic games” on their turf.) He acts like a big brother figure to his students and the orphans and is always on hand to give advice or tell a corny joke.
One of those orphans is Charlie Summers, a mysterious young girl who keeps to herself and sneaks inside the basement. She informs him that the portal to Hell has been opened inside their town of Banner Elk, North Carolina. Monsters and hellhounds have been released. As a slayer, it's her job to kill them. In fact, Dan is also a slayer and comes from a powerful family line of slayers. You might have heard of his ancestor, one Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Dracula's archenemy). At first Dan doesn't believe her but coming face to face with one of those beasts makes him a believer. He then picks up weapons and goes in for the kill.
Slay Bells Ring is a violent, bloody, but mostly funny Dark Comedy. The violent acts and supernatural horrors are augmented by the sardonic witty tone that runs throughout the book. A lot of it is because of Dan’s wisecracking sarcastic observations.
After Jan kills a hellhound, Dan is fixated with how sexy Jan looks. “What, I'm sorry she did!”
He whines to the judgemental Reader. He also complains that his Christmas break should have been filled with “shopping, eating, white elephant gift exchanges, and watching classic Holiday films like Miracle on 34th Street and Die Hard. Instead it's filled with Gothic jewelry, family curses, medieval weapons, hellhounds, fire, death, and half naked temptresses in (his) bed.”He says, “I wanted a do over. A mulligan. A stunt double.”
However, it's not just him. Everyone has something to say and are willing to say it between demon killings. When they receive a ring that will help close the Portal, Jan reminds them that they have “a dwarf” in Charlie and a “clumsy naive Hobbit with the heart of gold and smelly feet” in Dan.
Charlie isn't afraid to get violent and bloody when it comes to killing and hellhounds, but she will not tolerate swearing. Whenever Dan swears, she yells, “Cussbucket,” Reminding him that he owes her money every time he drops four letters words in the conversation.
The humor keeps the plot from being too dark and disturbing. It helps detach the Reader from the circumstances that they are reading about but also serves as a balm for the characters as well.
The characters are faced with a fatal situation that could not only alter their outlook on the world around them but end the entire world as well. But they deal with this dour situation with sarcastic comments and a smiles on their face. They laugh so they don't shiver with fear or cry in grief about their fallen comrades.
Slay Bells Ring is an engaging book that helps the Reader see a darkly comic side to the end of the world. Might as well face it with a weapon in hand and a mouth full of wit.
Dr Ezekiel’s book, Blackstone Griddle Cookbook, is filled with delicious recipes and colorful photographs to encourage good and healthy eating during outdoor cooking season.
The recipes are a nice variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. Some of the most mouth watering dishes include “Honey Mustard Glazed Chicken”, “BBQ Pork Chops” and “Butter Garlic Lobster Tails.”
There are plenty of bright colorful photographs to show chefs what the final results will look like and provide suggestions for future meals. Such pictures include “Garlic Butter Steak Bites,” “Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry,” and “Cajun Grilled Salmon.”
The Blackstone Griddle Cookbook will provide some good meals for anyone who wants to bring some spice and variety for their cookout plans.
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