scharliesbookz

Beware That Old Spoonin' Moon: An Adult Psychological Thriller is a spellbinding novel by Sharlie Martin. Russell doesn’t particularly remember when things got bad with Maria, his wife. But he does remember the time she asked if he thought he could become a Catholic. Now, she informs him that she is leaving, and it happens so quickly that he feels helpless, frustrated, and angry, so he follows her to Florida and fires an arrow at her. While running from his crime, he witnesses an abduction and manages to rescue the victim, Wendy, from the kidnapper. He tracks the sexual predator with few clues to work on, ending in the lair of a serial killer and his partner with other victims. Can Russell save the captives and redeem himself of his own crime? The story starts slowly and I enjoyed how the author writes the setting, giving readers a great experience of place and character, then suddenly creating a crisis when Maria informs Russell that she will be leaving him. I loved the way the author captures the rage of the protagonist and his impulsive decision to follow Maria. The writing is gorgeous and it is sprinkled with lovely dialogues. Beware That Old Spoonin' Moon is a psychological thriller and I loved the pacing. It is fast and intriguing. Each character is well-written and William and the partner are killers who raise the stakes. Sharlie Martin creates believable characters and a plot that is multilayered and strong, filled with surprises. It was an enjoyable reading experience for me.

There is a lot to enjoy in Scharlie Martin’s collection of poems entitled Brandy Apple Days n’ Dandelions. The aspect that intrigued me most was the differences. There I would be reading a poem that features a prosaic airport scene, and I would find myself plunged into water. Contrast is promised, and Brandy Apple Days n’ Dandelions delivers in spades, dandelions being the downside, the weeds growing in the sea of love. Or maybe I should quote from Dandelions: “Because that’s what man made street corners for – And – God – Girls”. Or perhaps just enjoy the pencil sketches scattered here and there and muse that Janie matters. She pops up in Unravelling, Harvest, and In the Dark, but the book is dedicated to Janie, so why not? Poetry lovers, people in love, or who have loved and lost will all find a treasure trove in Brandy Apple Days n’ Dandelions. Every reader will find favorites, but there are lines in some poems I simply cannot resist such as Not Knowing, “I don’t particularly care where snow comes from” or Carnival Girls, “Love, like carnival girls, is sometimes a gypsy guest camping in your heart”. Water is a constant theme, as in Water and Wallpaper Blues but Scharlie Martin has the guile, and the talent, to interrupt. Tease does tease, Serengeti Plains talks of elephants, and Revelation is rooted in myths, albeit sea-going. Read on and you will find intensely sensual Enigma and sexy Salsa. Buy and enjoy Scharlie Martin's Brandy Apple Days n’ Dandelions; it is irresistible.

To the constant refrain of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (with appropriate variations), Scott Shepard, a wounded Vietnam vet just back from the war, tells his own story of his adjustment to life back home. He’s in college now—Iowa State—and finds himself involved with a teen prodigy [Diane] who is enrolled at the age of sixteen. [Author's note: Diane is only fifteen at this point.] The plot of Marching As To War by Scharlie Martin follows the stages of this topsy-turvy love affair especially as it affects Shep’s ongoing responses to his service. Diane is as much a challenge, it seems, as his life and death actions overseas. Further crises, some quite comic, arise from members of Diane’s family. But the most pressing—and often moving—crises take place in Shep’s mind as he grapples with the vagaries of romance and especially of his combat experience, of which he has flashbacks that grow in intensity as his love affair develops. The ending is a blend of surprise and whimsy. Shep is intelligent, perceptive, caring, and funny. He has a cynical wit about life and shows a flair for spontaneous, self-cutting similes and metaphors—as though he doesn’t deserve to be happy or even to live at all. My concern and respect for him kept me turning the pages because I needed to find out if Shep resolves his difficulties in both spheres. Scharlie Martin’s characterization of this searching, brilliant, suffering, and witty man made me care. Martin’s skill at keeping things moving made Marching As To War a breeze and the final conclusion was both disturbing and profound.