Bernard Jan's Blog - Posts Tagged "james-j-cudney"

Father Figure by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I can understand but cannot fully grasp the intensity of need, desire and obsession to find the identity of biological parents because I was lucky enough to have them both. I guess it is something primal, something that runs in our blood and doesn’t leave us at peace until we know.

That restless need, disturbance in our consciousness and ability to identify ourselves are beautifully described in the novel Father Figure by James J. Cudney. A story of two young women living twenty years apart, one desperately trying to hide and forget her past, the other one eager to find the answers to her origins and sexuality.

Father Figure is a modern story of love, hatred, romance, monstrosity, family issues, sexual challenges, doubts, failures, sadness, redemption, forgiveness, acceptance and coming to peace with ourselves. The story I thought would read in a straight line of logical events surprised me with an unexpected number of twists and turns and smartly delivered booby traps-cliffhangers. Marvelous is how the author made me loath one protagonist in the story!

I am always happy when I discover a new book or author worthy of my time, attention and love. James J. Cudney and his Father Figure are among them, the latest additions to my private hall of fame and darlings.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

Bernard Jan



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Academic Curveball by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


After Watching Glass Shatter (still have to read it) and Father Figure, James J. Cudney is back to deliver us his third book, Academic Curveball, the first in his Braxton Campus Mysteries. And, oh boy, I’m glad he is!

There is something neat when you set a mystery story in a cozy rural area and spice it with a dead body, a possible culprit as a member of your family, a net of intrigue, an affair connected to the college's athletic program, memorable and sarcastic residents (Nana D you rock!), and a mad cliffhanger! James (or Jay as he prefers to be called) gives us all that in a right and timely manner and his rich and capturing writing style.

I don’t like baseball (which is probably a weakness of 99% Europeans) but I like Jay’s curveball. If the real game is as half as interesting, intriguing and exciting as his book is, baseball would have many more followers outside the States. As things look from my point of view, baseball will remain a nationally popular home game while Academic Curveball and Braxton Campus Mysteries will enchant the hordes of both domestic and international fans. And that is not a bad thing at all!

BJ
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Bernard Jan

Broken Heart Attack by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Have you already read one or both books from Braxton Campus Mysteries? If not, this is a good moment because James J. Cudney is about to release the third book from the series!

After finding a dead body on campus in Academic Curveball, the main protagonist of the series Kellan has the opportunity to solve a sudden death mystery in the second book Broken Heart Attack which happens during the King Lear play’s dress rehearsal. His grandmother’s friend succumbs to a suspicious heart attack, and Kellan and Nana D are ready to solve a possible crime.

This is a cozy mystery that will make you love it, not only because of its intrigue, strongly characterized and entertaining protagonists and another masterful cliffhanger, but also because of the genuine humour that keeps forcing the hearty laughter out of you. Nana D rocks even more than in Academic Curveball, and her relationship with her grandson Kellan is a pure fun and entertainment.

Broken Heart Attack is another book in which James J. Cudney proves himself as intelligent, skilful and humorous author ready to push boundaries. I have no doubt his third book Flower Power Trip from Braxton Campus Mysteries will be yet another success in the series.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

Bernard Jan



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Flower Power Trip by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


While Kellan Ayrwick, a brilliant one, as his Nana D likes to call him, is trying to resolve a new Braxton murder, he is not aware of another mystery that will hit closer to his home.

Flower Power Trip is a multilayer story full of memorable characters, blooming with an irresistible charm. This is the third book in the Braxton Campus Mysteries and if you haven’t read the first two books, please do that. As the author takes us deeper into the life of Braxton, the more we love it. From book to book his characters are more alive, more realistic, more present and funnier and we want to hang out with them more!

Their creator James J. Cudney, a brilliant one, is making us addicted to his cozies and people we’ll miss and wait with expectation until the next book from the series downloads to our Kindle or lands on our bookshelves.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Bernard Jan



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Mistaken Identity Crisis by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


It is not an action book, but it’s packed with so much adrenaline that you rush through it like on a speed wagon. In Mistaken Identity Crisis James J. Cudney throws his main character Kellan into a series of challenging situations ranging from a string of jewelry thefts to a discovered electrified body smelling of murder for which his brother Gabriel is a suspect, the kidnapping of his wife Francesca and the mafia war between Castiglianos and Las Vargas families, his nana taking mayor’s office, an unexpected phone call from Hollywood, and, and, and.

Excitement never stops in a brilliant fourth book of the Braxton Campus Mysteries. Is it just my feeling or has James J. Cudney just added another notch on his golden belt?

BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Bernard Jan



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Haunted House Ghost by James J. Cudney




The title says it best: you have a haunted house; you have a ghost. But you also have Halloween, the Fall Festival, a murder, a killer, and a 50-year-old skeleton. What more do we need to get intrigued and dive into this macabre story!

Haunted House Ghost is a cozy mystery novel finely dosed with excitement, expectation, curiosity, and humor. James J. Cudney has created a true holiday atmosphere and charismatic and funny characters we love more and more as the popular series develops. In the fifth book in Braxton Campus Mysteries, he raised the ladder even higher. How far he will go? Only the sky’s the limit!

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

My reviews of Academic Curveball, Broken Heart Attack, Flower Power Trip, and Mistaken Identity Crisis.

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Bernard Jan



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Watching Glass Shatter by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’m glad that the first book I’ve read in the new year is the book from the author I very much respect and love reading, James J. Cudney. I can say nothing but praise for his debut novel Watching Glass Shatter, a moving family drama with strong and memorable characters, which I’ve read after all his other books published to this day.

Two letters that Benjamin Glass leaves to his wife Olivia after his unexpected death, explode with a threat of shattering the whole family. Supported by her sister Diane, Olivia struggles with many family secrets she learns about while visiting each of her five sons. Will she be able to reunite them as a family as each secret cuts her heart like a shattered piece of glass?

Watching Glass Shatter is an impressive portrait of the Glass family members with their real problems, successes and quickly-to-like personalities. It is a story of sadness, pain and love, but also a story of humanity and determination to rise from the sorrow and differences and build a garden where everyone will belong and bloom.

A note to the author: I uncovered Ben’s secret already in Chapter 2 after the family gathering to read his will. That should be a compliment, for you allowed me to connect and empathize with Ben’s sons and their personal situations so early in the book. Thanks and kudos!

BJ
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Bernard Jan



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I have a great honor and pleasure to be featured with my guest post on the blog of the author I highly respect, value, and love reading.

This Is My Truth Now is author James J. Cudney’s portal and stepping stone to tons of features and segments where he hopes to collaborate and communicate with as many people around the world as possible throughout the year. While this site primarily focuses on literature, writing, and marketing, there are many other types of posts and fun content.

In my guest post “Tips & Advice: Readers & Authors—What is Your Value?” I talk about a controversial topic, about the value we place on ourselves and our books.

Thank you; Jay, for this opportunity to express my thoughts!

Please read it here and give it a thumbs up! Even if you don’t like it, give it a thumbs up.

James J. Cudney is the author of contemporary and mystery fiction where family drama meets suspense: the cozy mystery series Braxton Campus Mysteries, and two stand-alone novels Father Figure and Watching Glass Shatter.

Connect with Jay on Amazon, Goodreads, Twitter, BookBub, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

My guest post “Tips & Advice: Readers & Authors—What is Your Value?”

Follow me on Twitter.

Bernard Jan

Hiding Cracked Glass by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Fascinatingly delightful book. James J. Cudney did a fantastic job in morphing a big family drama full of suspense, mystery and intrigue into a warm, gentle, kind, and loving story. I’m amazed.

I loved Watching Glass Shatter. I loved Hiding Cracked Glass a crack of shattered Glass even more.

Eager and impatient to read the third book in Perceptions of Glass series. Jay, please hurry!

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

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Bernard Jan



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Sleigh Bell Tower by James J. Cudney

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Sleigh Bell Tower: Murder at the Campus Holiday Gala (Braxton Campus Mysteries #8)
by James J. Cudney is an incredible book. When I thought the author said it all in his previous seven books, he surprised us with another cozy mystery delight of a book.

A carefully and finely plotted mystery, Sleigh Bell Tower gives us a small army of interesting characters, a taste and smell of holiday festivities, a dispute over the proposed landsite to build a new boutique hotel, a suspense of a new murder, twists and turns of an exciting amateur sleuthing, pleasant creeps of paranormal, and a lot a lot of humor, family drama and intrigue (my favorite parts).

The most stellar part of the book is again Kellan’s and Nana D’s relationship. I wanted to start my review with quoting some of their dialogue, because already from the first opening lines of Chapter 1, Nana D and Kellan shine in being sassy wisecrackers. But as I flew through the book, pulled by its great promises, I realized that wouldn’t be possible. My review would end up pages and pages long as I would copy-paste all their hilarious thoughts and conversation. Their dialogues are brilliant, cunning, and contagiously funny, almost unreal! Both Kellan and Nana D are utterly charming and strong characters you must love. It hurts your bowels while you laugh at their verbal fights and outwitting. I would like to know if there are real Kellan and Nana D in the author’s life and not only in his imagination because they are more lively, convincing, and tangible than some real people I know.

Thank you, Kellan, and Nana D, for all the laughter, guffaws, and smiles; thank you, Jay, for yet another humorous and adorable hit from the Braxton Campus Mysteries!

BJ
www.bernardjan.com

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Bernard Jan