In
this issue, Cheri Rosenberg
reviews three new novels:All the Wrong Places
Darkness Descending
When the Dead Speak
In the upcoming issue of IGW, Cheri has promised to fill us in on her recent trip to New Orleans, where she gave a presentation on writing reviews. We hope she took plenty of pictures.
A native
New Yorker, Cheri Rosenberg resides in a New York City suburb with her
husband, three teenagers and two canines. A dietitian by profession,
Cheri enjoys good food, reading, writing, walking, swimming, and
emailing her friends when she finds spare time.
A passionate supporter of gay rights, she firmly believes everyone is entitled to equal rights, regardless of sexual orientation. She has written book reviews for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender newsletters including, Independent Gay Writer, Midwest Book Review, and Just About Write.
Cheri is grateful for her family's patience and support for her new found passion -- writing. A Closet in Syosset is her first novel, coming out soon.
A passionate supporter of gay rights, she firmly believes everyone is entitled to equal rights, regardless of sexual orientation. She has written book reviews for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender newsletters including, Independent Gay Writer, Midwest Book Review, and Just About Write.
Cheri is grateful for her family's patience and support for her new found passion -- writing. A Closet in Syosset is her first novel, coming out soon.
  All
the Wrong Places by Karin Kallmaker ISBN: 1-931513-76-7 Bella Books, Inc. P.O. Box 10543 Tallahassee, Florida 32302 Paperback/2004/174 pages/$12.95 Review by Cheri Rosenberg All the Wrong Places by Karin Kallmaker is a steamy romance novel about Brandy Monsoon, a fitness instructor at a Florida resort who is looking for love in all the wrong places. Brandy gives sex “lessons” to the curious and primarily straight women who frequent Club Sandzibel. After one of her morning stretch classes, Brandy gives a quick lesson to a guest named Paige, but soon tires of such dalliances. “… the allure of straight-but-looking-for-thrills Paiges had paled along the way” (p. 4). During breaks and time off, Brandy hangs out, and ultimately falls in love with her best friend Tess, a fellow instructor who sleeps around—with men! Will Brandy ever find her true love? The tropical setting for All the Wrong Places makes you feel like packing up and heading for a vacation to the alluring paradise, especially when the Ladies on Vacation Enterprises (LOVE), a large group of lesbians, heads for some fun in the sun. Brandy cannot believe her luck when she discovers Club Sandzibel will be host to the members of LOVE for a whole week. One of the guests happens to be the famous lesbian comedienne, Celine Griffin. When Celine shows an interest in Brandy, it’s her dream come true and the fantasy of a lifetime fulfilled. Will a tryst with Celine be enough to satisfy Brandy over the long run? Kallmaker frequently had me laughing out loud, for instance, when Brandy thinks, “…I didn’t think I could ask her to do that for me through some sort of cling plastic wrap…I mean, it’s just not what most people think of when they’re glad they’ve got Glad” (p. 56). When I wasn’t laughing, I was engrossed in the plot. It was easy to root for Brandy’s success at finding love and resolving her issues with her homophobic family, while at the same time enjoying some hot sex scenes. The most notable performance is between Brandy and Celine, (you may want to read this one twice!), but the romps between Brandy and Tess were equally sexy and even more appealing because of love. Kallmaker’s style is clear, crisp, believable, and fun. All the Wrong Places was a Lambda Literary Award finalist in two categories, Erotica and Romance, and exceeded my expectations in both categories. It is also a finalist for a Golden Crown Literary Society Award. Kallmaker is a prolific writer who is not only a crowd pleaser, but in my opinion, a great storyteller. You can read All the Wrong Places in one sitting, but you’ll want to savor each delectable detail. Kallmaker deserves her numerous accolades, and I’m sure her loyal fans will just love this one as well. All the Wrong Places is recommended for both serious fans of erotica and romance as well as anyone who enjoys good, hot storytelling. |
 Darkness
Descending by Penny Mickelbury A Mimi / Gianna Mystery IBSN: 0-9714489-6-5 Kings Crossing Publishing P.O. Box 673121 Atlanta, GA 30006 2004 / Paperback / $14.95 / 207 pages Review by Cheri Rosenberg Penny Mickelbury, a highly acclaimed award-winning author, writes with an authoritative flare about discrimination against homosexuals, particularly black lesbians who dress and act like AGs or Doms (Aggressives or Dominants - new terminology replacing “Butch” within a “counter-culture” or “sub-culture”) within the Washington D.C. gay community. Someone is targeting women who dress and act like men with “…kind of an in-your-face-don’t mess-with-me attitude…” [73]. Pathetically, the police department isn’t doing a thing about it, and the religious fanatics are propagating discrimination of gays in every way imaginable, even condoning murder and rape as God’s will. Darkness Descending is a work of fiction that depicts the disturbing ugliness of homophobia and racism too often seen in the real world. Lieutenant Gianna Maglione, head of the D.C. Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit, and her girlfriend investigative reporter Mimi Patterson, work to solve the brutal murder and mutilation of twenty-nine year old AG, Natasha Hilliard, that occurred as she was leaving a gay nightclub in a seedy part of town. By all appearances, Hilliard looks like an average male hoodlum, but what Gianna and Mimi discover about the victim is very surprising. “Mainstream society finally decides that maybe it’s OK to be queer, as long as the girls look like they belong on The L Word and the boys are interior design and fashion queens, but heaven help anybody who doesn’t fit inside their straight little lines!” [p 72] Mickelbury’s Darkness Descending begins in the “hood” with an accurate portrayal which includes the colorful local language, sights, sounds, and smells. You can cut the tension in the first few scenes with a knife. It “feels” hot, exciting, dangerous, seedy, and incredibly real. Once you move to the nicer neighborhoods, the mood and settings noticeably change, which shows the contrast between the two worlds in a very effective way. Mickelbury’s writing is sharp, her images vivid, her style engaging—all adding up to an educating, but somewhat disturbing piece of fiction you don’t want to believe could be based on truth. Mimi and Gianna are outraged at the blatant irresponsibility of law enforcement officers who do not protect all citizens regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Both deeply committed to their jobs, can they be equally committed to each other? Find out in Darkness Descending, the fourth Mimi / Gianna Mystery. I highly recommend this book to socially conscious readers who enjoy murder mysteries, crime scene investigations, investigative reporting, fighting against hate crimes, and abolishing corruption in law enforcement. Mickelbury does an excellent job of keeping the reader engrossed in this wonderfully written story, rooting for the good guys, and trying to solve the mystery before Mimi and Gianna. Micklebury is a superb author. I didn't feel like I was reading a novel—I felt like I was there. Darkness Descending is deservedly a finalist for the Golden Crown Literary Society award in the mystery category for 2005. |
 When
the Dead Speak by Therese Szymanski The Second Brett Higgins Mystery ISBN: 193151352X Bella Books P.O. Box 10543 Tallahassee, Florida 32303 Paperback/ $11.95/1998/207 pages Review by Cheri Rosenberg For a person who doesn’t believe in ghosts, I found Therese Szymanski’s truly believable and chillingly real. The second Brett Higgins Mystery seamlessly picks up where When the Dancing Stops leaves off, like the next chapter of the continuing saga. Brett’s old life is dead and buried, but can she accept the past, move on, and enjoy her new “quiet” life with her lover, Allie Sullivan? After bumming around California for a year, Brett and Allie move to the sleepy town of Alma, Michigan. Brett misses the fast-paced city life but agrees to settle down. They buy a house next door to a feisty old broad, Madeline, who Brett thinks is “…a few eggs short of an omelet” [p. 31]. “[Madeline’s] ability to see through easy charades…” [p. 31], among other things, makes Brett uneasy, as do the very strange happenings in the house that has Brett’s hair standing on end. Even after she learns her new home had been the scene of a murder, Brett still doesn’t believe in ghosts. In 1967, Liza Swanson was brutally murdered in the house for being gay. Eventually, Brett acknowledges that she feels a presence of some sort – perhaps the house is haunted. Brett undeniably feels connected to Liza after she discovers the tormented soul’s journal, which reveals her harrowing life. Szymanski skillfully weaves the past and present in this engaging mystery. As Brett is learning about Liza’s life, she is remembering Pamela, aka Storm, her dead lover whom she cherished and protected until the day she was murdered. The similarities between Liza and Storm are staggering. When Liza’s ghost haunts Brett and Allie’s house, Brett cannot rest until she finds out who killed Liza Swanson so her ghost may rest in peace. After giving up her life of crime, Brett goes under cover with the assumed name, Samantha Peterson; she is presumed dead by those who wish her no lesser fate. She has trouble leaving her past behind which in turn affects how she deals with uncovering the details of Liza’s life. Mourning the loss of her ex-lover, and her old boss Rick DeSilva, who was also murdered in cold blood, Brett’s feelings are intensified as the details of Liza’s death come to light. Brett wonders whether avenging Liza’s murder will help her put those other deaths behind her. As in her first novel, When the Dancing Stops, Therese Szymanski’s clever plot design keeps readers guessing. The delightful romance between Brett and Allie gets richer even as you wonder if Brett could ever be faithful to one woman. Madeline, a new character, is a wonderful addition, adding spice to the story. Writing a series is not as easy as one might think, but Therese Szymanski pulls it off exceptionally well – it is evident that the author is growing as a writer. Her details are accurate, her characters evolve, and she makes the reader want more. When the Dead Speak is a hit. Don’t miss it. Originally published by The Naiad Press – ISBN 1-56280-198-8 |