Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song

• Rated 5 stars

“Vengeance Road is a suspenseful ‘hold-your-breath’ ride, with twists and turns at breakneck speed!

Jack Gannon, a reporter for The Buffalo Sentinel, investigates the brutal murder of one prostitute and the disappearance of another, a woman who had picked herself off the street and cleaned up her life. The investigation points to one suspect—hero cop Karl Styebeck, a man with a secret past brimming with violence. Then there’s the mysterious blue rig that haunts the highways. How is it connected to Styebeck and the victims?

As Gannon digs deeper, he risks losing everything—his career, his reputation and his future. With help from Adell Clark, a former FBI agent turned PI, Gannon gets the inside scoop on the murder investigation. But this puts Gannon and Adell in jeopardy of losing more than their jobs.

Author Rick Mofina has crafted the kind of protagonist that readers will yearn to read more about. Jack Gannon is tough but flawed, and he’s like a pit-bull who won’t let go. In some ways, he’s emotionally disconnected, but the disappearance of his own sister years ago, pushes him onward. I hope the author continues with this character and his back-story. I’d love to see a series!

I think this is my favorite Rick Mofina novel yet! Vengeance Road is a gritty, top-notch thriller, with glimpses of evil thrown in to keep you turning those pages. Mofina’s former career as a crime reporter keeps the writing concise and descriptive, the characters well developed and defined, and the dialogue true and believable.

Vengeance Road is a suspenseful ‘hold-your-breath’ ride, with twists and turns at breakneck speed. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a heart-pounding race against time.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif, bestselling author of Divine Intervention
http://www.cherylktardif.com
”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Friday, August 14 2009. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“5 stars!

ISBN-10: 0778326128; 13: 978-0778326120
Publish date: January 1, 2009
Paperback; 496 pages; $6.99
Fiction, Suspense, Thriller

Recommended for: those who enjoy rollercoaster-like suspense thrillers

Six Seconds is so taut with tension you won’t be able to put it down

Hold your breath while reading the latest thriller by Canadian author Rick Mofina. The opening prologue of Six Seconds will give you chills and sets up the novel for a relentless, mind-blowing resolution.

Samara is an Iraqi nurse who witnesses the brutal slaying of her husband and young son. Overwrought with grief, she is easily influenced by a terrorist group and becomes a willing pawn in an assassination plot. Samara manipulates Jake Conlin, an America contract driver suffering from post-traumatic distress, and convinces him to leave his wife and take his son to start a new life with her in Montana. Little does anyone know, she’s planning on ‘going out’ in a blaze of glory―and she plans to take others with her.

When Maggie Conlin discovers her husband and son have disappeared, she teams up with Corporal Daniel Graham of Canada’s RCMP. He’s investigating the strange disappearance and subsequent murder of an American family holidaying near Banff, Alberta. Clues lead him to the small town of Blue Rose Creek, California, where the Conlins reside and where he meets Maggie. Fighting his own dark shadows from the past, Graham decides to help Maggie locate her missing husband and son.

In a terrifying novel that sweeps across countries and continents, Six Seconds is a story of war, vengeance and terrorism. It explores the war in Iraq and its damaging affect on everyone involved―from soldiers to terrorists to the innocent―and the repercussions that are felt long afterward. It’s also the story of painful loss, guilt and redemption sought by people who are worlds apart and separated by culture and personal beliefs.

I’d recommend Six Seconds to anyone who enjoys rollercoaster-like suspense thrillers. Reading this novel is like watching a ticking time bomb. You know it’s going to blow; you even know where and when, but all the while you’re praying for some form of divine intervention. Rick Mofina has chosen a timely topic and added intriguing characters to the mix, creating a novel that is taut with tension, complex and disturbingly convincing.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
critically acclaimed author of The River
http://www.cherylktardif.com
”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Tuesday, October 14 2008. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“I've always been an avid reader and for the past few months I've been reading novels by Canadian authors as part of The Canadian Book Challenge. Yesterday, I finished reading The Girls by Lori Lansens and I decided to share my review of her book with you here.



The Girls by Lori Lansens



4 solid stars!



ISBN 13: 978-0316066341

Publish date: April 2007

Trade paperback; 368 pages; $13.99

Fiction; Family Drama

Recommended for: Anyone who enjoys an emotional tale of love, loss and life.




Unbelievably believable!




Lyrical, poetic prose opens this heartwarming and unique story of conjoined twins Rose and Ruby and the lives they led, both separately as two individuals with different likes and dislikes and together as sisters who must rely on each other solely for their very existence. Joined at the head, ‘The Girls’―as they are known as in their small Ontario town―are raised by loving adoptive parents Aunt Lovey and Uncle Stash, after their birth mother disappears shortly after giving birth. The conjoined twins are considered the pride of the town, not an oddity, and they rise above what most of us would think of as a handicap or disability and love each other unconditionally.




The Girls is a diary told in two voices―Rose’s and Ruby’s. Rose encourages her sister to contribute to what will become their life story and although she does most of the writing, both characters come to life as they observe the lives of everyone they meet, sharing their innermost thoughts, hopes, fears and dreams with the reader. I found myself so connected to Rose and Ruby that I didn’t want their story to end, and when it did, I was left with a bittersweet ache for more.




The first paragraph reads like pure, sweet poetry that is sure to haunt any reader; it is what first grabbed me and pulled at my heart. The Girls opens like this:

“I have never looked into my sister’s eyes. I have never bathed alone. I have never stood in the grass at night and raised my arms to a beguiling moon. I’ve never used an airplane bathroom. Or worn a hat. Or been kissed like that…So many things I’ve never done, but oh, how I’ve been loved. And, if such things were to be, I’d live a thousand lives as me, to be loved so exponentially.”




Lori Lansens is an extraordinary Canadian author who paints a picture of rural Ontario farm life and two distinct lives with a magic wand of effortlessness, vividly colorful description and heartfelt compassion. At times you’ll forget you’re reading a novel because it reads with such clarity and believability. In fact, this novel is so full of realism, you may find yourself flipping to the author’s photograph at the back of the book to see if she is a conjoined twin. Instead, you’ll find her sitting alone at one end of a sofa, as if waiting for someone to join her.




The Girls: A Novel is a MUST READ for anyone who enjoys an emotional tale of love, loss and the challenges of life. Other books of comparable emotional impact: The Lovely Bones: A Novel and Mothering Mother: A Daughter's Humorous and Heartbreaking Memoir .




~ Cheryl Kaye Tardif is TV, film and book critic, freelance journalist, plus bestselling author of Whale Song: A Novel , "a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart."”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Friday, May 9 2008. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“A tantalizing thriller!

4 solid stars for a great suspense thriller by Canadian author Rick Mofina. This is the first novel by this author that I have read and it did not disappoint me.

Every Fear explores what happens when a child is abducted and the mother is involved in a hit-and-run and left for dead. The investigation and search for the abductors is examined from all angles--from the viewpoint of a reporter, a tough police investigator, the father of the abducted child and many other characters.

If I have any criticism about Every Fear it is this: there is such a large cast of characters that it's difficult to say whose story it really is. The back text led me to believe it was Jason Wade's story--the journalist. Yet, while the characters were three-dimensional and kept fairly distinguishable from each other, I felt at times the large cast took away from the story and from the emotional impact the novel could have explored more. I would have liked to have seen more of how the father was affected by his son's disappearance. I also would have liked to see the relationship between Jason and Grace develop more naturally, with time and with more interaction between them. But that's just me.

Regardless, the action in Mofina's novel is razor sharp, the journey is tense, and the plot of an abducted child is a basic fear of every parent, and ironically, one I also dealt with in my latest (unreleased) novel Children of the Fog.

Overall, a tantalizing thriller that keeps you turning pages. If you're looking for a great beach read, I highly recommend this novel. I took it with me to Mexico and finished it in 3 days! Well written, crisp language and expertly detailed, Every Fear is a novel worth reading.
”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Thursday, April 10 2008. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“Resistance is terrifying! This shockingly realistic novel explores what could happen if a deadly new “superbug” was unleashed on an unsuspecting world and was completely resistant to all known antibiotics. And what if its release was intentional? This is the premise for Daniel Kalla’s medical thriller Resistance. The author brings together some intelligent, tough and realistic characters in a search for the truth: Dr. Graham Kilburn, an infectious disease specialist in Vancouver; Dr. Catalina Lopez, who works at the Centers for Disease Control; and Seth Cohen and Roman Leetch, two Oregon police detectives. Kalla’s writing flows through his characters and really shines when he reaches medical or scientific prose. Not only does he draw on his experience and expertise as an ER physician in a Vancouver hospital, he also gives us a terrifying message about our overuse of antibiotics. The action moves at lightning speed, carrying readers across borders and reminding us that to deadly viruses and superbugs, there are no borders. Furthermore, Resistance delivers a surprising twist just when you think you’ve got it all figured out. Kudos to Kalla! This is the perfect book to take on holiday, although you might want to hold your breath if you’re flying. I probably wouldn’t recommend you bring it with you if you have a hospital stay. And the one thing I have to say for sure, don’t read this book if you have a cold or the flu. I made that error while suffering through a wicked flu and nearly scared myself silly as I read the description of the symptoms caused by the author’s fictional superbug. Daniel Kalla is a Canadian author whose works were unfamiliar to me, but I have to say, I’m HOOKED! I can’t wait to read more! If you enjoy works by Michael Crichton, Robin Cook or Michael Palmer, I guarantee you’ll enjoy Resistance by Daniel Kalla! ”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Thursday, April 10 2008. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“Uplifting and inspiring!

Having Oprah Winfrey say, "Your book is my book club pick" epitomizes a leap in success. It's certainly the dream of almost every author I know. For one Canadian author it's a dream come true. Vancouver-based author and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle must feel like he's riding a wave. His book A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose is Oprah's 61st choice for her book club. Oprah is hugely responsible for Tolle's earlier rise in fame as she launched his 2005 book The Power of Now, skyrocketing it to a million-copy bestseller.

Tolle's A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose is a fantastic book for anyone who is looking for some illumination on life. Many of us want to change, yearn to better ourselves or grow to our fullest potential, yet we have no idea HOW to do this, how to find our life's purpose. We are living on 'ego', surrounded by stuff and are unconnected to who we really are inside.

If you are a reader who really thinks about what you're reading, you'll find some clarity and direction in this book. I found it to be very uplifting, hopeful, thought-provoking and reaffirming. I think any book that can affect a person's thoughts or life as Eckhart's books have done deserves to be read with an open mind and heart. As in The Secret, I found many similarities in the messages in this book and I wish I'd read it years ago. Tolle's writing is quietly blunt and often lyrical, and always honest, as he sees life.

I recommend this book for older teens, especially those graduating and moving into the work force. It is also great for any adult, especially those looking to make changes in their lives, whether in relationships or careers. In many ways, I found it to be a philosophical study of how to 'let go' of old ways of thinking. This is a book about making every minute of your life count for something--being authentic, which reminds me also of Sarah Ban Breathnach's Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self.

I am also pleased to see that Oprah has selected another Canadian author. As a Canadian novelist myself, this brings me some hope. After all, I've discovered that one of my life's purposes is to write novels that make people think.

What's your life's purpose?

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
bestselling author of Whale Song, a novel that will change how you view life...and death
http://www.cherylktardif.com

”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Sunday, February 17 2008. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“4.5 out of 5 stars

ISBN-10: 0778324281 and ISBN-13: 978-0778324287
Publish date: March 1, 2007
Mass market paperback; 384 pages; $6.99
Fiction, Suspense

The Dollmaker is satisfyingly creepy.

The cover of The Dollmaker was what first drew me, its shadowy blue and green tones, and the doll’s face, particularly the eye. I found it mesmerizing and was drawn to it many times before I bought it. And when I did, I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a story about tragic loss―the abduction of a child and the resulting destruction of a marriage.

Claire Doucett’s life spins out of control from the moment she glimpses a doll that looks exactly like her missing daughter Ruby, right down to an identical birthmark on the doll’s arm. To complicate matters, no one believes her and the doll mysteriously disappears.

Then Claire’s ex-husband Dave, a former cop and alcoholic who is investigating the murder of a stripper, comes back to town. He’s looking for answers in the stripper’s death, but also searching for resolution in a cold case―one that has haunted him because it is linked to his daughter’s disappearance.

The plot lines are woven meticulously, connecting then separating, making for a very interesting read. The New Orleans setting is perfect (especially with the Katrina references and haunting visuals), the characters are compelling and flawed, and the pacing is dead on, until the end where I felt that the resolution was a bit rushed. Everything happened so fast, I lost a bit of the emotional connection, which is why I didn’t give this book 5 stars.

Regardless, Amanda Stevens has penned a spine-tingling story about love, loss, lies, guilt and family secrets. This is a great read for that cold winter night. I highly recommend it! And I’ll never look at a doll the same way again. 

―Bestselling author Cheryl Kaye Tardif, http://www.cherylktardif.com

”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Sunday, November 18 2007. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“One of my favorites. His earlier works were so creepy on so many levels. Wonder why I still read them under my covers with a flashlight...?

No wonder he still influences some of my own work. The man is the King of suspense horror.

Cheryl
http://www.cherylktardif.com
”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Tuesday, October 9 2007. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 4 stars

“4.5 stars!

A smart, savvy thriller that will keep you up at night until the last page has turned, Jeff Buick's African Ice is an adventurous tale of conspiracies, murder and the search for treasure. I read this novel while traveling from Alberta to Pennsylvania, and it kept me in its grip.

The characters are interesting and multi-faceted, exploring their pasts and weaknesses. The foreshadowing was solid, the plot twists kept me on my toes and the ending had a quiet justice about it.

If you're looking for a fast-paced adventure through the jungles in search of the motherlode of diamonds while the characters are being hunted by aborigines, hitmen and a deceitful employer, pick up African Ice. You won't be disappointed. I wasn't.”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Thursday, October 4 2007. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“In Calculated Loss, Madeline Carter, an intelligent and somewhat former stockbroker, investigates the suspicious suicide of her ex-husband Braydon Gauthier, a man who had seemingly become someone completely different from the one she had married.

Remarried and far more successulf than Madeline had ever known, Braydon apparently committed suicide because of a lost star in the restautrant rating business. But his note and last meal are definitely suspect, especially since Madeline knew Braydon well enough to know he'd never eat duck a l'orange, much less wash it down with Shiraz.

Filled with interesting characters and witty humor, Calculated Loss is a crash course in stocks and pinks, day trading and the world of haute cuisine. Linda L. Richards has penned another sensational, tasty mystery that will take you through the city of Vancouver in such rich detail you'd swear you were standing there. From one Canadian author to another, kudos, Linda! ”

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of Whale Song wrote this review Saturday, August 11 2007. ( reply | permalink )