No Bass, No Party

Sketches of My Life in Music

by

Gary Shea

Fascinating, passionate, entertaining, and eye-opening!

No Bass, No Party (Sketches of My Life in Music) by premier bassist and now author Gary Shea is a fascinating, fun, and passion-filled look back over his more than 60 years creating music. Not a “tell-all” tale by any means, Shea instead reveals what it was like for him, a kid with little formal musical training but a lot of heart, desire, and natural ability, to forge a successful career in one of the hardest industries around. 

Gary, who started out playing guitar, quickly transitioned to bass to fill a need in his first band and was mostly self-taught. However, his desire and passion for his instrument of choice overcame his lack of training and pushed him to excel. Throughout the years, he was a driving force behind several well-known rock and roll bands, including New England and Alcatrazz. His story and past are filled with renowned musicians, singers, and industry legends, a veritable who’s who that most readers will recognize. His recounting includes the many stumbling blocks he and his bandmates encountered along the way, proving that “the best laid plans” can go sideways at any time. 

The biggest surprise for me was reading about how fluid the composition of bands actually was. These musicians came together, bonded over music and performing, and became like family to one another. However, an opportunity for one would entice them away, or a change in vision might see another member tossed out, abandoned, and left behind. Personal situations would arise for others that would require them to quit. All good reasons, perhaps, but each one had a lasting impact on the three or four, or more, others in the band, a family now torn apart. As Shea explained, some changes would prove to have happy outcomes, and members remained friends despite the parting of ways or, at least, reconciled down the road. 

I enjoyed Shea’s many tales of writing and creating new, original material, as well as the story behind the tracks. He even explains how to access some of the results online when they weren’t included on an album or from bands that only existed for a short time. It would be great to compile a playlist of all the music mentioned in the book and listen to it while reading Shea’s reminiscences. From one chapter to another later in the book, there tended to be some repetitions of earlier information or stores that could be eliminated as well as spelling, typos, wrong words, and other production issues that need to be cleaned up. However, none were difficult to pass over in order to continue reading about his fascinating life. 

I recommend NO BASS, NO PARTY to nonfiction readers with an interest in rock music. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.

Close Enough to Burn

by

Daniela R. Morassutti

Engaging character-driven young adult story of personal ambition, determination, and maturing romance.

Close Enough to Burn by Daniela R. Morassutti is an engaging, character-driven young adult story of personal ambition, determination, and the singular focus to achieve one’s dreams. At the same time, a sweet childhood attraction grows into mature adult love, all set in the exciting world of formula car racing. A sister and a brother, along with their two lifelong friends, compete against each other at the entry level of the California F4 racing circuit, hoping to attract sponsors and an invitation to one of the European F3 training teams. But as they focus on achieving their goals, romantic entanglements threaten to derail one racer’s dream. 

High school junior Isabella Rossi has wanted to be a Formula One racer like her father since her race against her brother and their friend, Marco. That desire has kept her on course ever since. She has also secretly longed to be more than just a friend to Marco. While never articulating her romantic yearning, her best friend and fellow racer, Matias, probably knows, as he seems to understand Isabella better than she does herself. However, Marco has always had his eyes on his future in racing and had a relationship with another girl, until the tension between him and Isabella became too great to ignore. When the smoldering feelings between Marco and Isabella finally ignite, their romance is sweet but fast-burning. 

Morassutti’s young adult characters are intensely motivated, whether it is for racing success or, as in Matias’s case, acceptance into the college of his dreams: Caltech. However, Matias is more balanced and patient in his pursuits than either Marco or Isabella. The three main characters are able to analyze their feelings and actions well enough to follow up after conflicts appropriately; in fact, they are better at it than most adults. As a result, the story progresses with just the right amount of tension and angst without becoming bogged down in overly lengthy drama. 

The story is more novella-length than novel, so the plot moves quickly. The racing scenes were thrilling and well-choreographed, especially the final Las Vegas race. I did encounter a little confusion at the beginning of the story when the characters were being introduced and their relationships established due to mixed up pronouns (i.e., Rocco is referred to as “his brother” rather than “her’ brother) and later when the name Matias is used when Marco was actually correct. Perhaps, this was an unconscious projection of Matias always being there for Isabella rather than Marco. 

With its engaging, reflective young characters and unique formula racing setting, I recommend CLOSE ENOUGH TO BURN to readers of young adult fiction, especially those who enjoy stories of romance or have an interest in racecar driving. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.

A Camping Conundrum

Liz Adams Mystery, #5

by

Stacy Wilder

A camping trip turns deadly!

A Camping Conundrum is the fifth book in author Stacy Wilder’s excellent Liz Adams Mystery series, which features the private investigator and her husband, Brad, attempting to enjoy a weekend camping trip to one of his much-loved childhood destinations. Brad, the last living member of his nuclear family, wanted to recapture some of the highlights of his childhood by visiting a campground that was the scene of many happy memories with his parents and younger sister, now all gone. But unbeknownst to Brad, Liz was traumatized as a child on her only camping experience, but she agrees to attend without divulging her past. While at the campground, they discover that guests have been plagued by thefts from their campsites, a factor that reminds Liz of her traumatic childhood trip, making her all the more anxious about their plans. But nature and the otherwise tranquil setting work their magic on Liz until Brad discovers the body of a local woman in the lake, and her death is no accident. 

Liz and Brad are a lovely couple, and each is super responsive to the other’s emotional needs, as is their perceptive canine companion, Duke. Both husband and wife are willing to bend to accommodate the special circumstances they encounter during their trip, such as Brad’s need to re-live happier times versus Liz’s unfortunate memories from her one and only attempt at camping when she was a young Girl Scout. I enjoyed all of Liz’s shopping throughout the story, and even Brad gets some new gear; this inevitably led to her crossing paths with the unpleasant commercial landlord in Sumter. 

The plot is well-paced, with the discovery of the victim occurring early in the story and unfortunately mirroring the death of Brad’s younger sister, deeply affecting him in the process. The victim was a real piece of work, so it was easy to see the writing on the wall that she was not long for this world. Her nasty attitude and interactions with her business tenants during her life created a wide pool of suspects for her murderer. Liz searches for answers in a methodical and practical manner, and even with some surprising twists, the final resolution is quickly at hand. 

I recommend A CAMPING CONUNDRUM to cozy mystery readers, especially those with an interest in camping and shopping while on vacation. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours.

The Lost Concerto

Maggie O’Shea Romantic Suspense, #1

by

Helaine Mario

Thrilling mystery and romantic suspense novel featuring a missing child and a classical music theme!

The Lost Concerto is the first book in author Helaine Mario’s thrilling Maggie O’Shea Romantic Suspense series and features a grieving classical pianist searching for her godson, the child of her best friend, who went missing at the time of her murder. With its compelling plot, immersive settings, and well-drawn characters, I couldn’t put this book down. 

Life has often dealt Maggie O’Shea a tough hand, but the past year has been devastating with the murder of her best friend, former US diplomat Sofia Orsini on a remote island off the coast of France and the disappearance of Sofia’s young son, followed by the accidental death of her husband in a boating accident as he searched for clues to the child’s location. But when Special Agent Simon Sugarman approaches her with a clue to the child’s whereabouts out of Maggie’s own past, she knows she must go to France and follow it up herself even if it means reuniting with her first love and the father of her only son who’s been MIA/Presumed Dead for over 30 years. 

Maggie is an engaging and sympathetic heroine who, as the story opens, is barely keeping it together after the events of the previous year. She’s sunk deeply into her depression over her beloved husband’s death, steeped in guilt for having involved Jimmy, an experienced investigative reporter, in the search for the missing Tommy and Sofia’s murderer. Due to her grief, Maggie, an acclaimed concert pianist, no longer has the will to play, but she’s determined to do anything she can to find Tommy, including traveling to France under the guise of performing at their upcoming musical events. She’s convinced the boy’s father, a man suspected of heading up and financing a deadly international terror organization, is responsible for his mother’s death. Sugarman teams her up with a retired government operative who’s facing his own demons, and their initial meeting is anything but positive. I loved watching their relationship turn into something completely different. 

Told from multiple points of view as our protagonists follow their meager clues and travel across the pond to France. The descriptions of the various settings are vivid and authentic, making you feel you are viewing the action from inside the scenes themselves. Throughout the book, the questions of who they can trust and what clues will bring them the answers they need to rescue the missing boy from his own father remain key to their success. 

I recommend THE LOST CONCERTO to readers of mysteries, thrillers, and romantic suspense, especially those with an interest in classical music. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.

Shadowed Skies

by

Haley Cavanagh

Exciting YA dystopian tale with a sweet romance.

Shadowed Skies by Haley Cavanagh is an exciting young adult dystopian tale of a horrifying future, where the human population has been decimated by deadly viruses while leaving an enhanced, winged human hybrid race untouched. The surviving humans hunt the Evol-humans almost to extinction for their blood, whose properties can reverse the virus, saving its victims. 

Told from the alternating points of view of the last two Evol-humans, River and Delene, the story grabbed my attention from the start, with both protagonists in dire situations. As they struggle to escape their human captors, the author deftly inserts the backstories of the two and how the world came to its current state. 

The romantic subplot develops slowly and sweetly, making it suitable for most ages. I was relieved that there were at least two of their kind left and rooted for this sweet relationship from the beginning. The harsh settings and evil characters are well-drawn, providing real struggles for the characters to overcome. The compelling yet easy-to-read story made this one of my favorites in this genre. 

I recommend SHADOWED SKIES to readers of young adult dystopian stories. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.