Blogcritics Author: NancyGail

Book Review: Havana Nocturne - How The Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost it To The Revolution by T.J. English

NancyGail — Sat, 5 Jul 2008 11:59:06 EDT

A fascinating tale of Cuba's most notorious times, when the Mob took control of life, from day to day politics to nighttime activities.
Havana Nocturne: How The Mob Owned Cuba And Then Lost It To The Revolution, by T.J. English, is a compelling story about life in Cuba when the Mob took control of life, from day to day politics to nighttime activities, both legal and less than. By history's standards, the time span took place over a couple of decades. The United States has been...

Book Review: In the Driver's Seat by Helen Simpson

NancyGail — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:23:30 EDT

A wry collection of stories from everyday life.
In the Driver's Seat, by Helen Simpson, is a collection of short stories which talk about ordinary people as they travel on the highway called life. Sometimes the trip takes one down a straight path right to the desired destination. Other times, the road has bumps. These can be large or small, but they jolt the driver out of thinking 'it...

TV Review: Tony Awards 2008 - Magic of the Musical (and a few plays too!)

NancyGail — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:54:40 EDT

A look at some of the winning shows and actors of the 2008 Tony Awards.
Every year, the entertainment awards season begins with Emmys and ends with Tonys. Lesser known trophies occur whenever production companies feel they can draw enough viewers to get decent ratings, but as for the major ones, that's the start and end of it.Whoopi Goldberg hosted the theater version of the Oscars 2008. I have to say, Hugh Jackman...

Book Review: Rules Are Rules by Julie Scandora

NancyGail — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 11:42:34 EDT

Maya learns how to deal with one of her biggest problems.
Rules Are Rules, by Julie Scandora, is a writer's response after discovering she had a pedophile in her family. While this book does not directly deal with the issue, the story is meant to give children tools for handling difficult situations. Scandora first decided she was an artist as a child growing up in Milwaukee. Children were not always paid...

Music Review: Clay Aiken - On My Way Here

NancyGail — Fri, 23 May 2008 07:49:12 EDT

Clay Aiken sends out a new CD which will wow his fans and audiences alike.
Clay Aiken recently released his newest CD On My Way Here, which is both poignant and entertaining. Taking a hard look at himself, Aiken sings about private moments and shares them with loyal fans."On My Way Here" is the title song, and perhaps the most heart tugging of all. It is a discussion of life from childhood on. It might have been...

TV Review: CSI: NY - "Hostage"

NancyGail — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:55:27 EDT

Mac and team must stop a bank robber before someone gets hurt.
Talk about starting your day with a bang! A bank holdup sends Det. Don Flack (Eddie Cahill) racing to the scene along with SWAT. To nobody's surprise, there is a typical list of demands. What IS unexpected is the perpetrator asking for a CSI member to prove the dead body is someone else's fault. Det. Mac Taylor (Gary Sinse) steps in. He...

Music Review: Phil Vassar - Prayer Of A Common Man

NancyGail — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:13:17 EDT

Phil Vassar blends a solid beat while singing simple songs of life in this latest CD.
Phil Vassar's latest CD, Prayer Of A Common Man, blends simple lyrics with a country beat which rocks in some places and rolls gently along in others. No matter how much one likes or dislikes the singer, one can easily find a tune which sticks in both head and heart after the disc has finished."This Is My Life" opens the song selection with a few...

TV Review: CSI: NY - "Taxi"

NancyGail — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:44:54 EDT

Mac and his team must contend with a serial killer who suddenly hits close to home.
New Yorkers always have an opinion, and this time is no exception. For weeks, a serial killer has been on the loose. Det. Mac Taylor (Gary Sinise) feels heat from all sides. Considering it's only one person, citizens are not sympathetic. The problem partly stems from the fact that the killer is apparently a cab driver. Det. Don Flack (Eddie...

Book Review: Death Walked In (A Death On Demand Mystery) by Carolyn Hart

NancyGail — Fri, 9 May 2008 06:01:22 EDT

Annie and Max Darling track down a killer close to their new home.
Death Walked In: A Death on Demand Mystery, by Carolyn Hart, starts with an unfortunate phone call and ends with a killer everyone overlooked. How? Easy. They focused in the wrong direction. Add a stubborn, highly incompetent District Attorney to the mix and readers get a page-turning chiller of a mystery.Annie Darling and her husband, Max, are no...

TV Review: CSI: NY - "Personal Foul"

NancyGail — Thu, 8 May 2008 22:06:36 EDT

Mac and team discover a murder center court while continuing to track the taxicab killer.
Everybody needs time to have fun outside of work. Det. Danny Messer (Carmine Giovinazzo) and Det. Don Flack (Eddie Cahill) decide to take a break from dead bodies and attend a basketball game. It's not long before crime says hello.After Dugan Scott collapses center court, no one in the stands looks away. Flack senses something is amiss, and he...