Las Vegas Books

There are few authors who continue to provide strong plots and great, long lasting characters after their first few novels. Fortunately for fans, Janet Evanovich knows how to deliver. Stephanie Plum, Jersey's wild and outrageous bounty hunter returns in the ninth novel of the series strong as ever. Once again Stephanie partners with Ranger, the secretive and sexual bounty hunter superstar to find Samuel Singh. Singh has disappeared and the chase to find him lands Stephanie in the middle of a dangerous and sinister game. With bodies piling up and startling e-mails appearing on her computer, Stephanie is caught between two protective men in her life. Ranger sends his mysteriously, muscle clad men to protect her while she seeks refuge in the home of Trenton cop Joe Morelli, also her current boyfriend. On top of everything crazy that makes up her life, her sister Valerie is ready to deliver a baby and Stephanie can not get her own biological clock to stop ticking. To the Nines take Stephanie, LuLu and Connie from Jersey to Vegas and back again in this spectacular book. Janet Evanovich's writing will leave your stomach muscles tightened from laughing out loud and you will find yourself panting and flushed from the sensual encounters between the two leading men. On top of that, you will enjoy a suspenseful mystery that will keep the pages turning and the night-light on. High praises for To the Nines.
Valerie Jones
mrsvaljones@netzero.net

This was another great book in the series. I read 1-10 in about 2 weeks. There are a great read w/action, mystery, comedy and a little romance. A great book.

I must first explain that this is my first Evanovich novel, so I had no expectations! I did like the fact that the book was a quick and easy read, and I didn't really have to think. The story was interesting and evolved into more than I initially anticipated. And there were frankly parts of the story where I laughed out loud (hint: dinner scene and conversation between future brother-in-law and grandmother).

Stepahnie Plum is a sassy bounty hunter who is trying desperately to locate Samuel Singh, a computer nerd who has skipped bail for her Boss, who fears that he will lose everything if he doesn't get him back. Following several clues and having many misadventures, a seemingly simple case has evolved into one that involved serial killings and a game, where Stephanie may be the ultimate prize. There are a host of very interesting characters, from Stephanie's pregnant sister Valarie (who refuses to marry the father of her baby); her elderly grandmother (who is overly concerned with her hair); her present boyfriend (Joe Morelli, who is a cop and who swears she will be the death of him); her partners, Ranger (ex-special forces/scary guy/hot ex-lover), and Lula (overweight ex-prostitute whose ultimate goal is to have the body of a supermodel by eating only meat); Vinnie (her cousin and Boss); and a very unstable killer.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel and probably would read another installment so that I could find out what ever becomes of the love triangle between Plum, Morelli and Ranger.

I listened to Loralei King narrate the audio version of this story. I thought CJ Critt was the best narrator for the Plum stories, but King does an amazing job with the voices and accents too. Great story that moves along quickly. Some very funny scenes, especially with Lula on her diet. Also some good scenes with yummy Morelli and Ranger. You can't go wrong with this series - very entertaining!

another fantastic stephanie adventure. these books get funnier and funnier. i am totally in love with Ranger and this book doesn't damper the feeling

This was a good book. Solid characters. The story moved along at a good pace. My only criticism is that sometimes the characters use words or discuss things that aren't explained really well. Overall, a good story and I look forward to reading the sequels.

A decent fantasy. A bit more towards the pragmatic or realistic end of the high fantasy genre, I suppose you could say.

The main character in the beginning being a forester, not a knight, or princess. Those turn up later, though.

Plots to overthrow the queen, nasty magic, mythological monster-gods, all that sort of thing is here. So, a pretty decent read.

The Briar King is the first in a four book series which is well representative of the more recent trend in fantasy writing that eschews the typical fantasy cliches. The series starts out with a glimpse of an ancient event in which humanity is rescued from slavery to an opressive overlording race and in doing so curses itself to eventual destruction. As the series progresses the mystery of that curse and its ultimate conclusion unfolds. The story itself is very detailed and intelligent. There is enough complexity to keep you interested without feeling like you are reading teenage fantasy. It is very easy to get involved in without much tedious historical background or excessive character building However, there is a tradeoff here.

There are a few mechanisms that Keyes uses which I feel cheapen the work. First of all, Keyes is a big fan of the "cliff hanger." Virtually every chapter in all four books ends with a cliff hanger. This sort of makes it read like a fantasy soap opera, where right before the commercial the actor turns away from the camera slowly in suspense as some dreadful revelation or event has just been revealed. This keeps you reading but it becomes tacky after a while. It also makes the reading predictable because eventually you learn that even though things look terrible at the end of every chapter, they will turn around abruptly at the resumption of that story line a few chapters later. Another device that Keyes uses which I feel cheapens the work is his replacement of several English words with "native" replacements. So, everyone speaks flawless English except for now and then when, without any consistency, they suddenly switch to some replacement word. He does this with about 4-5 words and I found it irritating. It did not help to immerse me in the work but rather distracted from it.

The story focuses on several main characters who are well developed. However, the world itself feels somewhat underdeveloped. Recent works by Martin and Erickson spend a lot more time with world building but this can be tedious as it tends to involve a lot of dry, historical reading. There is a lot of fantasy-politik in this series which I feel is also underdeveloped - just concentrating on the ruling family, allies, enemies, and the church - but there is no real depth to the politics.

I think this series falls squarely in-between the more esoteric works of Erickson and Bakker, and the heavy fantasy-politik works of Martin. It still has a very progressive feel to it and was a pleasure to read. While I was not a big fan of a few of his devices I found it overall very fun and intelligent reading and I would highly recommend it.

I bought this book about 5 months ago and didn't start reading it until earlier this month. As soon as I picked it up I was glad I finally did. The story was so much fun to read, and I enjoyed each of the characters. They are all lovable and believable. The ending kind of fell flat, but that was just because he ended it in a way that put readers in a position where they have to get the second book to find out what really went on. Thas was a little dissapointing, but this one was good enough that I wanted to pick up at least the second one as well. Two thumbs up, all fans of fantasy must read this book.

The briar king has that chivalrous medieval feel when kings and queens ruled and knights were sworn to loyalty. Keyes does a wonderful job at making this environment come alive and describes the different cultures of the area splendidly. As the novel progresses the reader is introduced to several different story lines happening simultaneously throughout the world. Each if these characters in the stories become easily connected to through Keyes brilliant characterization and once you become familiar the plot thickens quickly. Keyes easily turns this seemingly uncomplicated fantasy to epic when the evil starts showing up in the book. The evil is somewhat typical, but refreshing due to the authors prose style. Through the thickening of the plot the separate storylines then start to come together making for a climatic ending leaving you running to the book store for the next installment.

Overall, great read, not too complicated, but beautifully written. The author has a wonderful abiltity to end a chapter on a cliffhanger which leaves you reading a few more chapters to figure out what happened only to find yet another cliffhanger at the end of that chapter. Needless to say you will find yourself reading this book of almost 600 pages in a time frame closer to a book half that size. Highly recommended.

I needed to listen to this since I had listened to Stripped, the book that follows this one.

It explained a lot that I did not understand. That is the problem with finding a new author and reading a later book.

It was a good read.

My first and last time reading anything by Brian Freeman. It started out pretty good, but then when he got to describing the lesbian Nancy Carver, his homophobia and hatred of lesbians came raging out in his completely unrealistic and stereotypical description of her. From there, the entire book went downhill. He painted every single other adult female as surrealistically beautiful with incredible bodies. Apparently he's never seen an actual female police officer: they don't fit his stereotype. His Hispanic police officer in Las Vegas sounded more like a pimp than a cop. And the ending just cracked me up. His own wife and her ex-husband?? Give me a break!

I thought this book was a wonderfully well-weaved tale of mystery, murder & mayhem.
I'm an avid reader of mystery novels and while I truly enjoy the settings, detective characters and so on - I have always prided myself on figuring out the "guilty party" early in a book.

Not so with this piece of entertainment.

At various stages along the way I had it "figured out" only to discover later that I full of beans and I learned what I wanted to know only when it's crafty author let me.
This masterpiece provided me with hours of entertainment and it was so infused with twists and turns that I constantly felt as if I were riding a rollercoaster of emotions and intrigue.

Be warned that it is an addictive page turner.
The dishes & laundry can and will wait. Time spent reading this one is time well spent. Period.

Let me get straight to the point. If you like crime fiction, especially the novels that really twist your mind in knots while you try to figure out what's going on, then you need to buy IMMORAL. If, like me, you read and enjoy the likes of Connelly, Gerritsen, Deaver, Coben, Slaughter, Connolly and Child you will not be disappointed by this relative newcomer to the genre. He's good. He's very good, in fact.

This novel actually represents the first in a series featuring Lieutenant Jonathan Stride, later to be joined by Las Vegas Police Detective Serena Dial. Stride is based in Duluth, north Minnesota, a town on the edge of Lake Superior that I had never heard of before, and presumably not many others know it either as it doesn't even have a Starbucks (shock, horror). The story revolves around the disappearance of a rebellious, sexy and in many ways mysterious teenage girl named Rachel, whose behaviour affected several people before she disappeared and whose personality continues to influence others - including Stride - years after she was last seen. The tale also involves the love life of forty-something Stride himself, initially a widower having lost his wife to cancer a year before the story begins. His bedroom exploits are a little too graphically detailed for my own personal tastes, but it's fair to say that his romantic asides are very relevant to the plot and are not merely bolted-on to please a certain sector of the readership. Most importantly though the central story of what happened to Rachel is very well told and I was kept guessing right to the end. More than guessing, actually - at times I felt like shouting at the page demanding to know what's going on! The only disappointment was finishing it, because I simply did not want it to end. It more than held my interest at all times, there is never a dull moment and there is a complete absence of gratuitous violence. Brian Freeman has written two follow-ups to this debut novel and I'm going to buy them both. Definitely a crime fiction writer who knows his way around the courtroom and one to watch out for in the future.

The action flowed continually. The dialouge was first rate. This author has got it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book--I finished it in only a couple days. I don't really agree with a lot of the reviewers about how "it drags" and there was too much filler--I thought it was pretty hard to put down. Since I am probably moving down to Vegas soon (I live in Reno currently) I liked the parts where he wrote about locals and life outside of the Strip--but I also think this would be interesting to anyone in general. I also liked all the different descriptions of the casinos he stayed at--since the book was written before all the new casinos opened (Venetian, Wynn, etc) you read about some of the lesser-known or older ones, which I thought was pretty interesting. The book draws you in quickly--I would become genuinely anxious/excited during his gambling sprees and "nest egg" fluctuations. I will agree with another reviewer that said he should have talked more about actual gambling theory--which I find fascinating-- and the games he was playing. I found myself wondering if he even knew what he was doing most of the time...but overall a very fun read for anyone who likes gambling/casinos/Vegas, etc.

I just read this book after it being recommended by a dealer. I play pretty high stakes baccarat and BJ and when in Vegas live those crazy hours. I was extremely excited when I first bought the book and read the plot outline and the first few pages. However it begins to drag on far too long when he spends time with people like conventioneers. It is pretty surprising that he had such wild swings in his bankroll, at times he'd be down 10-20 grand and come back with a couple thousand dollars left. There wasn't enough about a "wild time" in Vegas in my opinion, it seems his stay while nice because his free bankroll, was fairly dull in many ways.

I read this when I need a Vegas fix. If you like Vegas or casino gambling you will love this book. This is the reality show of books. Martinez go head to head with the casinos and experiences the up and downs of a real gambler. Enjoying the high of winning and the despair of losing.

Its a cliche but the phrase "A great read" is applicable. Book is entertaining throughout, one that I reread a few years later and enjoyed equally the second time around. Mr Martinez is one of the few writers that captures the adrenaline of Las Vegas, the feeling of non-stop action.
You won't be disappointed.

24/7 sounds like an adrenaline and hormone ride, but it actually isn't. Andres Martinez is a middle class, stable guy who is given $50,000 by a publisher and told to go to Las Vegas and gamble it up or down. What he makes in profit he gets to keep. I won't ruin the plot for you, but Martinez plays a great deal of baccarat and blackjack along with some slots and a single game of poker. As a narrator, he seems like a kind man whose decency, unfortunately, detracts from the story's value. Everything's pretty tame here, and for those of us who read books as a way to vicariously escape our own moderation, it's more bourgeois than ideal. Martinez is strongest when talking about his own childhood in Mexico or about The World Cup. He's weakest and annoying when talking politics. He appears to have all the usual biases of the mainstream press. Indeed, he views "libertarian" as a pejorative even though a careful study of his former country would prove to him the extent in which socialism impoverishes the masses.

One problem that I should mention is that the book is now dated. Oh, it wouldn't be if it were written about any other city, but 1999, in Vegas years, was four decades ago. Many of his observations, such as those about the former mayor, have little application to the present. Much has changed since 2000 and the changes will continue ad infinitum. I do have to say though that the sections on baccarat were educational and very entertaining. It's a game of which most of us small timers know absolutely nothing. Another reason for my mild recommendation is that the role of casino host, such as the one he had at the Luxor, is really fleshed out. We see their tremendous dedication their clients here. The hosts, like the high stakes gaming areas, are another side to Vegas which most of us rarely see.

A must have for technical writing, this handbook is a resource that should be at hand for anyone writing for or about research.

AS a professor and editor of Research; this style guide has detailed information for the serious paper writer; and provides examples that show how to format difficult passages. Used extensively at the Community College level.

You must have this book! It is not just for research papers, as the title of the book suggests. Its a necessity for those who wish improve their writing overall.

I am from a French speaking country and was used to an academic style of writing different from the American method. The Modern Language Association is very helpful to international students in the sense that it helps to achieve a successful writing of research papers in most American colleges and universities. It is an efficient guide to a writing style which is simple and clear in order to satisfy readers. Other important insights from the MLA are the way it helps to avoid plagiarism and to use electronic resources in an academic research paper. The last is most appreciated because of the amount of information one can get from internet.

I was very impressed by the fast service and perfect quality of my Amazon purchase! It came days sooner than I expected and arrived in perfect condition!

Happy to see that Brian Malloy has a new book out, I had another run at "The Year of Ice," his first novel. I liked it as much on the second read. He has captured an authentic voice in the story--a gay 18-year old struggling to live a "normal" teenager's life, but finding it next to impossible with a psychotic father, eccentric aunt and assorted other characters that have staked out pieces of his heart and attention. This is one of the few gay coming of age stories that rings true in all ways, notwithstanding the dysfunctional relatives and friends that litter the protagonist's personal landscape. Desperately hoping to discover a roadmap for living that most young people--and particularly gay youth--long for and forced instead to ad hoc it, we leave him at the end of the book feeling that he will be one of life's winners despite all of the road hazards that have already been thrown in his way. Brian Malloy will have a distinguished career as a writer ahead of him if any of his subsequent stories match this first one.

I thought this book was fairly slight. It is an interesting enough read but does not really leave any lasting impression. It is reasonably well written but again I did not think it was anything beyond average.
I thought the character development was not particularly strong except for Aunt Nora, and sadly this character was not really explored or developed.

In The Year of Ice, Kevin Doyle gives an account of the troubled year that he turns eighteen. Kevin is a good looking boy, well built, likes to think of himself as the alpha male, he's an average student and no angel who's quite capable of getting into trouble; a likeable and popular lad with both his peers and adults. However he has a problem, he likes guys in the way other guys like girls and has a crush on a fellow student, the beautiful Jon Thompson. Kevin is not sure if Jon likes guys or girls; but he lives in hope and in the mean time makes do with an imaginary Jon Thompson in the form of his pillow and with which he converses each night as he goes to bed.
Kevin lives with his dysfunctional father Pat; his mother was killed in a car accident two years ago. His good looking father is now vigorously pursed by all the neighbourhood widows. Pat had an affair with divorcee Carol Gunderson who's niece Laurie Lindstrom has a crush on Kevin. Kevin's bombastic Aunt Nora, his mother's sister, thinks Pat is a waste of space; she wants Kevin to live with her.
Kevin has a girl friend, Allison; it's a good camouflage for someone who likes guys. He has two good friends: his best friend the near delinquent Tommy, and Rick Foley.
Kevin thinks he is the only guy in the world who likes other guys that is apart from his English teacher Mr Hayes (nickname Fey Hayes, addressed by Kevin as Miss TerHaze).
Although naïve when it comes to what two guys who like each other do together, Kevin dreams of what it would be like to run his hands over another guy's body. When he meets Chuck, a twenty two year old student, he gets his hopes up, but much as Chuck likes Kevin, he is straight. However Chuck's unflinching acceptance of Kevin's sexuality gives him hope.
Kevin narrates the year's events frankly, holding nothing back. He tells the story with great and at times cutting wit and immense humour. The characters come over as vivid and believable, but it is Kevin who is the real star; thoroughly likeable, honest and loyal, capable of losing it at times when provoked, but large hearted and true to himself.
Brian Malloy's book is a real gem, extremely funny even when dealing with heartbreaking events; it is an absolute joy to read.

This book is one of the best gay novels I have read. The story tells of a gay high school students who dealing with the sexual frustration, being in the closet, a deceased mother, an irresponsible father, and more all within the mid 60's or 70's.

I found the main character's insight to the story to be quite comical. Many times
I burst into laughter from his aggressive/sarcastic thought process. I think that Brian Malloy has done an excellent job at creating the essence of a real boy (and I mean this gay or straight). The writing was excellent, an easy read, and quite enjoyable. This is a book that everyone should read once.

I never got tired reading this book. I did not feel that this book had any cliché themes that many gay novels seem to possess. This story is very tangible.

Brian Malloy tells his story with simple words but memorable, wholly fleshed-out characters. He puts us inside the mind of Kevin Doyle, a 17-year-old Irish boy in Minnesota in the 1970's, who is gearing up for his eighteenth birthday and adulthood. In reading this story, I learned not only about Kevin's struggles to cope with late adolescence, but also about myself, as the story forced me to look back and re-examine my own late teen years. I'm a 23-year-old young black man in Georgia who is reading this, so that should tell you something about the story's universality. However, don't get the impression that it's a typical coming of age novel. It's hardly anything like the other books that have been put out there.

Apart from both being gay and both having been teenagers, I guess you could say on the surface-level that Kevin and I don't have that much in common. But, though our lives may have been lived quite differently, with different types of drama, I still see myself in this story. Malloy's talent is that he writes the way a 17-year-old boy would actually think. In this way, he appeals to a broad audience.

Malloy helps bring back youthful, vibrant memories of what it was like to once live at that age. Feelings of school daze and invincibility pour off the pages. Kevin, as we shall find, it just like any other teenager, only he's a little bit "different" in way that will soon be big and wild for him. But don't worry, the story doesn't center too much time around him being gay. The author does well in giving him a whole life apart from that.

The novel's material is appropriate for any 17-year-old, but it can be read by older adults. I don't want to give away the plot, but I will say this... It is one of the best novels I've ever read. The characters seem real and not like their serving in token roles. The author surprises you with the turn of every page and you never know what to expect. There are times when I laughed, times when I cried, and times when I felt angry.

Malloy has remarkable talent and thank him for writing this book and allowing me to have this experience. I'll definitely be getting a copy of his next book, whenever that comes out.

In some ways this could be considered a story about negotiating terms and conditions - these factors were key in determining the outcome of "the game". Very interesting backstories about some of the players that appear at so many final tables of big tournaments.

This is a great book, I believe for a poker player although someone who wants insights into the High Stakes world would also enjoy it. It was absolutely riveting and it was extremely difficult to lay it down. An exceptionally fast read. I would recommend the book wholeheartedly. The ending was a bit off with the author forcibly interjectedly himself into the story. I found that trivial and quite unnecessary.

This book was very interesting and hard to put down. It talks about a lot of the poker pros that live and play in Las Vegas and L.A. And is a good insight into some of the highest stakes poker games in the world. If you ever wanted to know what it would be like to be a high stakes poker player you should read this book. It is also very interesting to read about what goes on behind the scenes in the high stakes poker rooms in Las Vegas.

Michael Craig does a great job of mixing reportorial style with novelistic pacing. He tells the story of Andy Beal, a very rich man even among rich men, whose motivations for taking on the greatest poker players in the world by definition transcend the money. At the same time, he raised the stakes for the heads-up hold 'em games to levels never before seen -- even among the highest stakes players who joined financial forces to accept the challenge. Craig also gives insight into the "gambler's mindset" -- that itch that sits in the mind of anyone who gets off in a casino -- as it applies to the game of poker. This is the most interesting part for me, as poker is the only widely spread casino game where the house's advantage is 100% but capped (in other words, they charge a fee or "rake", rather than making money off of a statistical advantage). Thus, Poker combines the skill and gambling -- which is why it attracts some of the brightest people you will find in a casino. Michael digs into this phenomenon, both in his interviews of Beal and of many of the successful players who played against Beal.

This book is a must-have for any poker player or enthusiast. It's an awesome story of the biggest cash game in the history of poker! It takes you inside and behind the scenes of a poker game which very little people were privileged enough to see. Michael Craig, the author, is a regular writer for several leading poker magazines, including Card Player magazine (where he first broke the story). He was the only journalist allowed to get close to the action. He does an excellent job in giving you the most accurate details of the game. He introduces the players as they assemble to take on their wealthiest opponent ever, Texas billionaire Andy Beal. It's full of surprises, colorful characters, and of course, drama. You won't want to put it down once you start reading it. I bet on it!!

Very very very repetitive, probably could have cut the book in half if not more. If you like to read over nearly every bet this guy made they go ahead and buy this book, otherwise save your money.

The Smart Money was an exciting page turner; I found it similar to Bringing Down the House, except it explores the world of high stakes sports gambling instead of blackjack. It depicts Vegas and the action in a way amateur bettors only dream about. I do think the author was excessive with his thesaurus though. Also, the title is a little misleading, in that you never learn how the picks are made. Still, it's well worth the money and the time. You'll want to check out the current lines before you're finished.

This was an incredibly entertaining read. If you're not interested in Las Vegas, you probably won't enjoy this. If you're into sports but not sports betting, this might bring you around. If you're a sports bettor I think you'll enjoy this read.

The one thing I was missing was any specific example of how the picks were made. It's clear why Konik wasn't given access to the formulas and calculations. [...]. My respect and appreciation for what Google has accomplished is because they gave me a taste of how complex it is with PageRank. I wish this book had done the same with a single formula that would have illuminated while also not giving away the store.

Overall, the book is a good time. Check it out.

The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I don't get much time to read for pleasure and haven't read an entire book in 4 years. This book was suggested to me by a colleague as an entertainment read and entertaining it was. When he gave me the copy, I figured that I would read the cover (maybe the first and last chapter). Well, one page led to the next chapter and I eventually finished the entire book in 4 days. I have some prior knowledge of this business, yet I can honestly say that I learned a few things about the intricasies of the sports betting markets.

Great story and an easy read. You would be hard pressed to find a better storyteller and story in this genre.

Michael Konik provides the reader with a rare glimpse of what we all dream the world of sports betting will be like. He tells an amazing story of how he became involved in one of the most successful betting teams of all times. For any reader that has tried to overcome the 11/10 odds the bookmakers provide, this is an enjoyable story of a few men who actually did it.
For non-gamblers, this provides the details of what obstacles the casino's put in front of successful handicappers and anyone who actually wins consistantly at a casino.
Mr. Konik does not intend to provide the reader with statistical data and computer programs on how to beat these odds makers, however he does provide the reader with an accurate reflection of what life is like for those who do it. Gambling can become all-consuming, and Mr. konik had the smarts to see what direction his life was taking and change that.
An absolute must read for all those interested in Sports Handicapping, and those who don't know a thing about it!

Up there with Bukowski as "must read but be prepared", I've been avoiding Fear and Loathing for a while for no particular reason. I'm glad I finally broke down and read it, it's really a great book!

For the uninitiated (do you exist?), Hunter S. Thompson was a man famous for drugs, brilliance, and hard-living -- and in roughly that order. This story is 'journalism' in that it actually happened(!!), sorta... Thompson would embellish profusely, but in life he was fully capable of Fear and Loathing's boozy, head-on, wildly narcotic journalism.

This is Thompson's masterwork. Within the vague framework of "Gonzo" journalism, he packs in surges of cultural subversion and hallucinatory absurdity-as-humanity. Reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a singular experience, a rarity in contemporary lit. You will be shocked and amused. You will both yearn for mind drugs and fear them. You will, at times, feel as if peering into the soul of humanity. And you will laugh, always. Don't miss out.

Also, a secret: This is a *tremendous* book to read aloud.

I went into this novel thinking about all of the other publicly spoken peer reviews I have heard. Of course the drug crazed part sounded hilarious, but also after my very brief prior knowledge to Thompson's writing, i knew it would have some redeeming literate values. Picking up strong from the start, the novel made me laugh in disbelief at some of the experiences the reporter and his lawyer went through. Some of them even made me question reality.I am not a psychadelic enthusiast so I cannot judge if it is actually possible to hallucinate to the point of actually seeing huge lizards devouring humans.

This piece works in very strange ways, almost putting you in the journalist's position. It made me feel very "strange" to say the least. Overall, this novel is a fine choice whether you are looking for anything from a bathroom read all the way up to an analysis. A warning though is to not be too closed-minded when reading this novel. Expand your thought train and think about what the 2 are going through, whether you approve or you don't. My best comparison would be to read this tale as you would listen to Dark Side of the Moon.

Pick this visionary piece up and enjoy it for yourself.
there are so many things in this book that you can stretch out and mold in your mind to better suit your imagination. It was a great read.

This is one of the great books. This Modern Library hardcover edition is beautifully made - good paper, clear font.

"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream" by Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter Thompson practiced total immersion journalism. This form of reporting is called gonzo journalism.

Hunter Thompson drove to Las Vegas to report on a motorcycle race and ended up writing a story about himself writing a story about a motorcycle race. If he would have written a conventional report on motorcycle racing it would have been interesting to motorcycle enthusiasts for a few days. Since he wrote a gonzo story he had a very wide canvas and he used it well to create a classic.

The reader might be turned off by the obstreperous behavior, extreme self indulgence and offensive inconsiderate language. If you can look past this offensive conduct and you will see that Hunter Thompson gave us an insight into the American character of the 1970's.

See also: Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library)

I completely enjoyed this book and recommend it to others.

Jeff even emails you back with his suggestions. I've been passing this wonderful novel around to younger friends. I'll buy any book written by Jeff Rivera.

Dio Rodriguez knows the side of Las Vegas that the high rollers and tourists never see. He has grown up in a rough neighborhood far from the glitter of the neon lights of the Strip or the Downtown. At thirteen, he joined a gang because that was the only way to survive, but understands that he must always act tough.

However, now seventeen, Dio hides his soft side from the world because if his peers learn of any trait they consider a weakness, they will use and abuse it to get at him. Only his girlfriend Jennifer knows the inner Dio. However, his life spins out of control when his beloved Jennifer is hospitalized following a drive by shooting and Dio is sent to prison boot camp. He worries about her and when he learns she is carrying his offspring, Dio vows to turn his life around and make a family with her although his options to leave the mean streets seem limited.

Jeff Rivera provides a terrific character driven redemption tale starring an interesting protagonist who much of the audience will not initially like and anticipate his lying dead in the streets. When the audience meets Jennifer they see the inner soft side of Dio that he hides from everyone else as a protective mechanism. At the boot camp, with a goal for the future, he detests authority figures, especially his drill instructor yet at the same time gains a deep understanding of the need for self- discipline if he is to make it. Mr. Rivera provides a powerful relationship tale focusing on the concept of caring for someone else proves a strong motivator to get off the streets and make it.

Harriet Klausner

A powerful love story that is not pure soft. Jeff Rivera does a great job in taking the reader throug a ride of Dio Rodrigez caught in a hold while fighting his inner battle of holding back his acts of pride and violence to better his life out of pure love. I absolutely loved it and I look foward to the next read!

Forever My Lady is a story of perseverance, growth in mentality, and the coming of age of a boy as he matures into a man.

The story is centralized around Dio Rodriguez and his lover Jennifer. Dio gets a second chance at life at the beginning of the story in a prison boot camp. Dio grew up with an abusive, alcoholic mom, which was instrumental in his becoming enveloped in the gang life. He encounters his love interest on the mean streets as she has also run from an abusive life with her family and has resorted to prostitution with dreams of fame and fortune via her gift as a singer. Their love and loyalty to each other is strong but due to his destructive lifestyle, tragedy strikes and the games really begin.

Forever My Lady paints a sordid picture of young love with the dysfunctional mentality and how despite Dio's background, and the numerous obstacles that he encounters on his journey, how he's able to overcome each and every trial. He becomes a better person because of all that he has endured.

I commend Mr. Rivera for the completion of his debut novel. Forever My Lady is full of subliminal messages aimed to inspire as the tale unfolds of one troubled youth in today's cruel and uncaring society. I liked Rivera's consistency in the unveiling of his characters and how he developed their personalities. However, this story needed more spice. There wasn't any real excitement, just a narration of a story. All in all, Forever My Lady is still a decent novel by Jeff Rivera.

Reviewed by Tazzytbossye
for Urban Reviews

Forever My Lady
Jeff Rivera
Genre: Urban Fiction
APOOO rating: 4
Amazon.com rating: 4

A Hard Knock Life

Forever My Lady is a book that vividly tells the influence the street life can have on a person's mind, body and soul. Jeff Rivera shows the constant struggle an individual can have within themselves to survive on a daily basis and in life when they are dealt a bad hand. Rivera proves through his eloquent use of words that the path one chooses in their life comes with many twists and turns.

Dio "Playboy" Rodriguez grows up with many strikes against him. The family that he shares a home with causes mental anguish and abuse in what should be a nurturing environment. It is the family on the streets that welcomes him into the fold and will serve as the force that raises him. The rules of the street life will prove to be conflicting to Dio's heart as he finds love in another lost soul, his middle school sweetheart, Jennifer. The walls that surround the heart of this thug come tumbling down when he falls deeply for Jennifer and the glistening of hope of the life that they could share together. But the future of these two young lovers will hit a brick wall with such force when a tragic event occurs in their life and Dio is sent to boot camp. Will Dio clean up his act while in boot camp? Will love truly prevail for Dio and Jennifer?

Jeff Rivera tells an extraordinary tale of struggle, abuse, perseverance and transformation. In doing all of this, Rivera was able to acquaint the readers with a love story from the streets. Rivera is a talented author with the ability to breathe life into the characters on the pages. Rivera has pieced together a well-crafted book that I would recommend to lovers of urban fiction and young adults.

Reviewed by Sharon Russ
APOOO BookClub