Nine for the NightLight: Nine Creepy Tales Just For Kids
Maria Osborne Perry
SwanBeauty Books

Spooky Read ... Recommended … 4 stars

The Table of Contents lists the nine creepy tales. Messages in the Lunch Room is a spooky tale featuring a teacher who should never be allowed near a classroom. While in the lunch room one child after another reads the words, "There will be a terrible accident," in their bowl of soup. And, sure enough, there is. Mushed relates how Jason and Pinch O Luv Nanny, Mrs Cutshaw, get along while Jason’s Mom and Dad are caring for his Grandmother. Ashburger tells the story of Kyle, his parents and Aunt Tanith. Missy Mage and the Mean Old Lady Down The Street :Jayona 10 and Tyler 6 have moved to a new town, before long they meet the mean old lady down the street. Tyler’s favorite toy is Ace, Missy Mage belongs to Jayona. Cal and the Birthday Party is the tale of Cal and his behavior at Mandy Whitemore’s birthday party. Cal was not a pleasant party guest. The Parrot : Jake Swafford likes the cookies his neighbor Mrs. Harrison bakes. Before long the cookies stop and Jake is not happy to find Mrs Harrison is now busy with a new interest. Her nephew brought her a parrot. There must be something Jake can do. In The Overanxious Paddler Tina and Bobby often feel the whack of Father’s paddle and then one day the children disappear. Russell and Aunt Olympia know how to handle bullies in Stone Jimmy . The last tale is The Ghost of Jacob Abel : it is moving day and the family soon learns that a mysterious jar of coins, a table and a ghost are part of the deal.

Writer Perry, mother of 4 youngsters, and respected author of erotic romance has tried her hand at writing for the juvenile market. On the pages of "Nine for the NightLight: Nine Creepy Tales Just For Kids" Perry cleverly captures the pith of the genre with a shrewd adroitness for presentation. Author Perry puts to worthy use her burgeoning writing aptitude as she pens the nine anecdotes meant for the adolescent reader. The narratives offered are easily read, are fast paced and are action packed. Each tale is kept to 4 – 5 pages, vocabulary is within the sphere of most middle school to Young Adult Readers and the anecdotes are eerie enough to fascinate the most picky reader within the target age.

"Nine for the NightLight: Nine Creepy Tales Just For Kids" is sure to prove a winner for ‘the sitting around the campfire telling spooky stories,’ or ‘the supernatural stories at slumber party’ set.

Spooky read, true to the genre. Not for everyone: readers who do not care for gothic tales will not care much for the yarns, those who love the genre will find much to delight their reading senses.

Ravished Wings
Maria Osborne Perry
Zumaya
True to the Genre Recommended 4 stars

Odette is but seven when Boniface and his Frankish bent upon murder and worse ravagers raid her home. The orphaned child finds little solace when placed in the care of her twenty two year old sister Vanda by Boniface. Carried away to Athla: a land where women are slaves whose purpose is provide pleasure Odette is placed in the care of Mistress Helrose. Athla is a place where modesty is forbidden, the judicature decrees that Odette must learn the rites of the Great Balance of sensual equilibrium between men and women and Odette is taught that her body will be used to provide pleasure to her master. Odette is reluctant to accept the teachings until she discovers that disobedient slaves are punished. Odette is punished often. Unknown to Odette are puissant forces working from beyond Athla's boundaries. Aided by Vanda the vampire priests of Loki strive to possess Odette as an honor to the diety. Loki's purpose includes his desire to destroy love and sensuality forever from the world of humans.

Cu'Lugh the mercenary thinks the vision of a feminine manifestation haunting him must be an apparition. He is sure she cannot actually be. When Vanda saves Cu'Lugh's life he vows to set aside his vision and perhaps even marry the dark haired woman to whom he owes so much. It is Vanda's wish to locate the sister she lost many years ago; Cu'Lugh sets out to try to find the girl. Vanda fails to mention that her sister was lost because the vengeful Vanda herself banished the child who was taken to Athla by a compassionate relative. When Cu'Lugh locates Odette he knows she is the woman in his vision and begins to question how she came to live as she does. The more Cu'Lugh learns of Odette's ancestry the more concerned he becomes. Odette is once again carried away and Cu'Lugh sets out for the awful lands laying beyond Athla.

Writer Maria Osborne Perry has crafted a powerful action packed drama in her novel "Ravished Wings". The work is filled with well developed characters motivated with a vast array of very human attributes. Caring, jealousy, passion all abound in the carefully crafted tale set against a back drop intrigue. Filled with sights, scents, emotions brought to life through the skillful writing of Author Perry "Ravished Wings" will stir the passion of those who enjoy reading of a time and place that might have been shrouded in the long ago mists of our collective history.

Dialogue is often graphic, hard hitting and well-delineated between characters. Enough descriptive language is used to give the reader a full sense of the time and place. The opening scene filled with screams, smoke and terror draw the reader right into the narrative from the outset. The impact of Perry's writing does not stop until the last paragraph is reached in this page turner. A well researched, balanced work nicely crafted "Ravished Wings" is sure to delight those who enjoy the genre.

Not for everyone. Some graphic language, some graphic sexual activity, however for
those who enjoy erotica, highly recommended.