Review: '50sville: The Town You Will Absolutely Love, or Else...

'50sville: The Town You Will Absolutely Love, or Else... by Paul A. Ibbetson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

I really wanted this to be a great book. And it was until it ended. I have a thing about ending books that are part of a series. If you are going to end it, leave a light cliffhanger, not a major plot point. For that one star gets taken away.

The story was OK, but it just seemed like the characters were playing out the roles the author had assigned them. They did not seem to have a life of their own.

If the book was a complete set of the series I might consider buying it. At this point I was disappointed in it by itself and would expect the cliffhanger problem to continue so it is not one I plan to pick up. Recommended only if you want to buy the whole set. Nothing objectionable so it is OK for all ages.

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Review: The 30-Day Praise Challenge

The 30-Day Praise Challenge by Becky Harling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Available through Amazon

I do not suffer the cancer that the author does, but I have suffered from depression so I thought this might be a good read for me. I was not disappointed. While I still deal with depression, I now have a new tool in my arsenal to fight it.

The book as three parts to it. Part 1 is the challenge and why you should do it. Part three is moving on after the challenge is done, but the meat is in the middle section, the 30 days of praise. Each day starts with an invitation, scriptures adapted as if they were God speaking. Then the listen section where you are given 2 to 3 praise and worship songs to listen to. Next is a prayer written for you to pray based on what the invitation was about, also scriptural based. Lastly is the journal, writing your thoughts about this day's material by prompting you with questions.

Each days music is not hard to find. I was able to put a spotify list of all the songs. For me this part took the most time, but I am a rush type of guy and this forced me to take my time and listen.

Recommended for Christians who are having trouble with praise or want to take it to the next level. Also for people going through trauma or depression.

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Review: Undertow of Loyalty

Undertow of Loyalty by M.D. Davies
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
I received an advance copy of this book. What follows, as always, is an honest review.

While I had read the advertising blurb for this book, when I started reading it I forgot all about it. I am glad that I did. There were so many twist and turns in the first half of the book that I was a little bit shocked by each reveal.

Neil Henberlin comes to work after a weekend with his wife in another city to find his office empty and everyone looking at him strange. As a salesman for computer systems used in the oil field, it appears that the person he was working with on a big sale is dead, and he is also declared dead next to her, in an apartment he has kept on the side. Obviously he is not dead, and the mystery starts. Who was it next to her and what is his involvement?

Since the blurb for the book tells you that he is a spy, then it is not a spoiler, but again, that is revealed a few chapters later and it took me by surprise. This is one of the many twists and turns of the first half of the book. At this point, Neil is living three lives and trying to keep each one straight.

The second half of the book, after the killer is revealed, is more of a suspense story. Will the killer be caught and brought to justice? What was the frame of mind of the killer? I will confess, the reveal of the killer wound up being a surprise to me.

Good suspenseful story. Due to the graphic nature of the murders in the book, I would recommend for older teens through adults. It would be recommended to those who like a good mystery/thriller book.

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Review: Reviled

Reviled by Dean C. Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
Received an ARC copy and am providing an honest review.

Reviled picks up where the 1st book in the series left off. Soren, a hero who has used nano tech to enhance himself in a city that has rebranded itself into districts with themes, is dead. His makeshift family, want to help him so the wizard/tech person puts into him some nanites that he thinks will help, and then into a reviving fluid, only to have these nanites take over all of Soren except the mind chip he has placed into his brain to help his memory. The beast that comes out wants to take control, making Soren both Frankenstein and Frankenstein at the same time.

Much of the things that we found in the first book is repeated here. Large expansive fight scenes, plot turns and twists, and yes, even a stream of conscious scene. While the stream of conscious scenes in the book do not work for me, I understand the need and the way they fit in the story. This one happens during a romantic period between Soren and his love interest/mother figure to the family they take in. For that reason I could not recommend this to younger teens as it gets a little to weird.

You may need to make a scorecard to keep track of all the people in this story. Along with the cast of the first story there are a host of others that are introduced. At times I got one character confused with another and had to go back and reread something to make sure I got the character correct. That may have been my problem as I sometimes squeeze reading in when I am a little tired.

I recommend this book to all with the caveats that I have mentioned before. Because of the violence and the weird romance scene it would not be suitable for children. If you like a little science and fantasy mixed together, this would be worth your time.

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Review: Claus (Rise of the Miser): A Science Fiction Adventure

Claus (Rise of the Miser): A Science Fiction Adventure by Tony Bertauski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
I received an advanced copy of this book. What follows is an honest review.

This book is a stand alone book but it is part of a series. Many times series books like this have to bring you up to speed about the characters. Since I do not have the others in the series I was a little concerned about information not being there I needed. I need not have worried. If the up to speed stuff was there it was not noticeable. Everything was quite clear.

In this book we focus on a young girl and her father who have been called away to a special project. Away from their home in Alaska to a warm caribbean climate in the days before Christmas. In this special resort, they appear to be the only guest. The girl finds a young boy in a room that he cannot leave. Why he cannot and what it means is a mystery she needs to solve.

Meanwhile, while Santa is out on a dry run, he is kidnapped by a mysterious woman in a cloak that seems to glow with heat. Santa needs to get back to the North Pole in time for Christmas or Christmas will not happen.

The author does a good job of bringing all the elements together. The story has a good flow to it and things happen for a reason, not just to fill pages.

I recommend this book for all ages, though I am sure that younger children would not get much out of it. It is an entertaining story about how the elves, and Santa came about, why a woman would want to end Christmas (or does she) and what a family truly can be. Pick it up for some holiday science fiction.

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Review: Reborn

Reborn by Dean C. Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
I have received an ARC copy of this book. What follows is an honest review.

In Reborn, we have a story of wizards and science combined, along with spiritualism. Our main character, Soren, is a man who has used technology to enhance himself so that he can fight the evils that are being released on the city of Syracuse, NY by Victor, the protagonist. Victor seems to see the math patterns in everything, and uses this to unleash beings from an alternate universe. When Victor gets in over his head, the statement the enemy of my enemy is my friend comes into play.

Along with these two 'wizards', we have various other superheros that take control of the things that Victor is letting loose. Four of these come under the wing of Soren as he tries to mentor them. All have their moment when the end of the world seems to be here.

The book starts off with action at the very start and there is very little 'quiet time' but we do have a continuous series of character development taking place. I felt there was a lot of 'new age' philosophy in the story. If this was on purpose or just the nature of how the story takes place, I do not know. I mention this because some people would react to this in reading and not like it. I do not mind it, it is part of the story and I can read around it even though I do not have new age beliefs.

There is one brief sexual encounter done in a tasteful way. There are a few amount of cuss words but they take place in the flow of the story and do not appear to be done in a way to shock a person.

This is a story that does have a distinct ending, but it is a set up for book 2 of the series with a small cliff hanger.

I can recommend this book to people from older teens and up. There was one chapter which appeared to be a stream of consciousness part of the story. Some of the images in that section could be a little to much for younger children. I did enjoy the book and look forward to reading book two.



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Review: The Sacred Symbol: A Historical Conspiracy Mystery Thriller

The Sacred Symbol: A Historical Conspiracy Mystery Thriller by Paula Wynne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
I had the pleasure of reading this book for Ms Wayne as she sought out help for making sure the technical things are accurate. It was a pleasure to read it and I look forward to reading it again.

The author has blended the past and the current day in two stories that intermingle with each other. What has happened is directly reflected to what is happening now.

A grotto from the past holds secrets of healing properties. There are men who would kill to get to the secret of that grotto. One of them wants not only access to the grotto, but access to the private papers that he believe are hidden their, ones that Christopher Columbus wrote.
In the past, a young girl knows of a threat to Columbus and wants to try to warn him but how can she seek an audience with him.

The book kept me turning the pages to want to know what was coming next. I would recommend it for all ages though I am sure that most younger children would not have any interest in it. If you like stories that have a lot of suspense to them, then this would be for you.

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Review: Walk Like a Warrior: Inspirational True Stories of God's Encouragement on the Trail Less-Traveled

Walk Like a Warrior: Inspirational True Stories of God's Encouragement on the Trail Less-Traveled by Shara Bueler-Repka
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

I received a free copy of this book from the website Interviews and Reviews and the author. What follows is an honest review.

Devotional books like this can be a mixed bag. Some can be so deep and spiritual that they are hard to understand. Others can be so light and fluffy you wonder what message they were trying to get across, though you find it entertaining. This author seems to give us the middle ground. Theology that seems to be balanced and understandable as well as real stories from her life and some of the people she knows.

Each chapter is a detail part of her life and the lessons that God has taught her, or reminded her of. They revolve around a part of her life or a series of events that are tied together. In each one, God provides for what she needs. The stories are not chronological, but I have noticed that they seem to get a little deeper in the inspiration it teaches.

All age groups could be able to read this and I would recommend for those who have a love of the outdoors and of horses.

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Review: Passport through Darkness: A True Story of Danger and Second Chances

Passport through Darkness: A True Story of Danger and Second Chances by Kimberly L. Smith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
What an amazing story about an amazing woman. It opens with a suburban housewife and ends with a woman that is broken and ready to be used by God.

Kimberly Smith has written of her life and her attempt to rescue the children of a country torn by war. But she is not only trying to keep the children safe but minister to the people of the area. What she went through without the aid of her husband, who had diabetes and had to remain home as it got worse, becomes a secret that she cannot tell others, not even her husband. Secrets, however, lead you further into darkness.

I would recommend this book to older teens through adult. There is one sequence that is rather strong in describing an evil act. There is also much death in the book that I feel that children and young teens would not be able to process very well.

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Review: Mars Now: Mars Journey: Book 4: A SciFi Thriller Series

Mars Now: Mars Journey: Book 4: A SciFi Thriller Series by Bill Hargenrader
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
I received a review copy of this book. What follows is an honest review.

This is the most recent of the Mars Now series of book. While each book stands alone and tells its own story, as a set they tell a much bigger story. Each book has a progression of its own story. When you go on to the next book, we often start back at the beginning again. It has been my one frustration with the series but I understand why it is being done.

This volume focuses more on The Mars Now competition. This competition is how the Mars Now organization is funding it's way on to the flight to Mars, and the ability to set people down on Mars itself. Our hero Bill has one way of thinking of how it is to be done, the producer of the reality TV show has another. Think of Survivor crossed with Big Brother and you get the idea.

It is an enjoyable read and I would say that it is safe for all readers to read.
I would recommend to all who enjoy a bit of Sci-Fi,


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Review: Miracle Declutter: Tidying up to Improve and Organize Your Life

Miracle Declutter: Tidying up to Improve and Organize Your Life by Dave Bracco
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher for review purposes. What follows is a honest review.

Decluttering a home is more than just doing the physical tasks. If it was, then there would be no problem with doing it. Most of the reason that people clutter has to do with things that go back to childhood. This book attacks both parts of the cluttering puzzle. It works with the nuts and bolts of organization first. Later in the book it helps with understanding why you clutter and changing your mind set. The author also is not shy about saying that some cluttering may be cause by a medical disorder. For that professional help may be needed.

It is good that this book focuses on them both. Changing the area you live in without changing the mind is not going to help as old habits will return. Changing the other way will not work as you are not changing the world around you.

I would have no problem with suggesting this book to people who have a need to declutter they way that they live.

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Review: After/Life: Denial: A Paranormal Ghost Romance

After/Life: Denial: A Paranormal Ghost Romance by Scarlett Whispers
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

This book is the part of a series. Based on the preview of the next book I have a feeling that each book name will be dealing with the different stages of grief. While the story is complete in itself it leaves enough threads hanging that you know another one was coming even before the preview was shown.
Molly and Sam are sweethearts, she is tough as nails and he is gentle and firm. Molly is a cop and Sam handles the evidence. No one understands why they are together but they are. Molly and partner are after the big drug lord in town and will stop at nothing to get him. Much more of the story would be giving spoilers, so that is not something I will do, though reading the description you know someone dies.

After death, what is there? I am not sure if the author is going after the karma theory of Buddha or the purgatory theory of the Catholic Church. It is not what I believe happens after death but it does make for an interesting read. All those little things you did that hurt someone, how do you make up for them in the afterlife.

Small amount of sexual activity (not in detail) would not make this book safe for children. If you are into serial stories than this book could be for you. I dropped a star because I am not one in favor of serial reads. As I said, this has an ending to it but to me not a satisfying one.


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Review: Flowers Vs. Zombies (Book 6) Native

Flowers Vs. Zombies (Book 6) Native by Perrin Briar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

I received an ARC copy. What follows is an honest review.

Like the other books in the Flowers vs. Zombies this book can stand alone but leaves hooks into the next book in the series. This makes reading it a little more enjoyable than books that just end in the middle of things.

There are basically four storylines going on at the same time. While that can seem to be a little crowded, each part of the story gets the amount of time needed.

Main story is that of the Flower's family and their struggles to help someone who has come to them and their fight against pirates. While there are some zombies in the story, they are not the protagonist here like they have been in previous books.

Storyline is understandable but you do have to pay attention. With the multiple story lines going on you may have to go back and read some parts again.

Recommended for all ages. There is a little violence in it. But that is what you will have when you are fighting zombies and/or pirates. If you are into zombies and have read the rest of the books in the series it will appeal to you

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Chocolate With a Side of Murder by Meredith Potts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

I received a copy from Authors XP web site and the author. It was a copy from Audible. What follows is an honest review of the Audio Book.

The audio books take a little longer for me to 'read' shall we say. I have a half hour ride to and from work. In the morning I will listen to my Bible reading plan for the day. In the evening I will listen to what ever book I have in the cue at the moment.

Ms. Potts has started an interesting series here. A barista who likes to solve crimes who happens to have a detective boyfriend. Most of the cozy mysteries I have read follow the same pattern. Heroine, with boyfriend, murder to someone they know, they have to solve. It is a predictable pattern, but it works. If it did not we would not have so many cozy authors out there.

While the pattern is predictable, the story does not have to be. It also has to let you know the clues so you can solve it yourself. It is OK to throw in red herrings but to pull something out of the hat at the last minute is not good. This was a problem here. While the clue that helped solve it was there right from the start of the murder, there was some off camera work that really would have been done by the police already. For that reason I dropped 1/2 star.

The other 1/2 star was because of the various sub stories that were put in the book. They did nothing to advance the story. I feel that they may be used in future Daley Buzz stories in the series. For this story they did nothing to contribute that I could tell.

The reading was pretty good. I did feel once or twice the woman reading it lost track of the character voice she was reading it in, seemingly with the men characters. This really did not distract from the story line.

Being a cozy it is clean. No violence is depicted. So it would be OK for all to read. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a light mystery to read with a little bit of humor thrown in.

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Review: 12 Days at Bleakly Manor

12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
This book is an interesting Christmas story. The story takes place in the time frame that Charles Dickens would have written and has a Dickens feel to it.

While we kind of know how the book will turn out based on the characters focused on, it is interesting to see how we get to that point. Our basic story is told through the eyes of a woman left at the altar and now is destitute due to the fact that her husband to be who has allegedly stolen money from the family business as well as from the man himself, who is in prison. Both of them are invited to a mansion and if they or one of the other guests can stay the 12 days of Christmas, then they will get what they want the most in life. Only one of the group can get it.

What would you do to get what you want the most in life. Would you kill or hurt someone? One by one the residents leave for various reasons. Who will be there in the end?

It is a clean book with just a little bit of a passionate kiss from a couple who were to be married. For that reason it could be recommended for any age. I would have no problems with recommending this to any one who wants a short interesting read. of a Christmas story.

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Review: Flowers Vs. Zombies (Book 5) Buried

Flowers Vs. Zombies (Book 5) Buried by Perrin Briar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
I received an ARC version of this book to review and as always, I give an honest review.

Kind of interesting that this was the first book that I read in this series. I was dropped into the middle of a lot of action but it was easy to pick up as we went along.

The name of the book series is obviously a play on Plants vs. Zombies. The Flowers are a family who have had to take up residence on a deserted island because of a zombie outbreak on the ship they were on. While the Zombies are brainless and cannot easily fight, that changes one day when they seem to fight with a logic. What has happened. One Zombie has mutated and become (cue the dramatic music) The Overlord in Black.

The Overlord wants the Flowers dead, and that is the substance of the book. It is believable in the actions that are being taken.

Zombie books are not what I would recommend to children but I think teens and adults would be OK. There is a little bit of violence (you got to kill the zombies you know). If you like Zombie stories this is for you. It is not my normal tastes but that is OK.

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Review: Nancy Drew And The Hardy Boys: The Big Lie #1

Nancy Drew And The Hardy Boys: The Big Lie #1 by Anthony Del Col
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors/Dynamite Entertainment and am providing an honest review.

When I was a child, back in the 60's I was introduced to the Hardy Boys books. Every month I would get the next one in the series. I fell in love with both mysteries and reading with those books. Never did read any Nancy Drew, those were for girls. After I had read a few my dad told me that he had read them growing up. That confused me because they talked about all sorts of modern things that would never be in existence when he was a child. I found out later that every generation had their version of the Hardy Boys written under the same pen name. And since Nancy Drew was from the same publisher, it was safe to assume that her books were the same.

I say all that because every generation did have their own version. I have read people say this was a bad mashup because it took something from the past and brought it current. I have no problems with that at all. This generation needs its own version and something that will appeal to it.

Trust me, this is not the Hardy Boys I grew up with. While they had a little grit in them, this is GRITTY. It is done in a noir style. While the three have cell phones and the like, it has a feel of a much different type. If you were to watch Rverdale on CW TV network, you would have the same feel.

Basic story line. The Boys are being framed for the murder of their dad, who everyone assumes was a crooked cop. The boys know they are not guilty and that their dad was not crooked or committed suicide. They team up with Nancy Drew, who is visiting with her dad, a district judge. Everyone, even our main characters, seem to have secrets that they do not want let out. Fun point, look for the side characters in this book. Clever winks and nods to our childhood stories.

Teens would be the lowest age that I would suggest this book for. I would recommend this to any one that enjoys graphic novels. I know some people would conciser 'comics' are not real writing, I would differ. Great read, will be looking for the others.


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Review: Dancing with Elephants: Mindfulness Training For Those Living With Dementia, Chronic Illness or an Aging Brain

Dancing with Elephants: Mindfulness Training For Those Living With Dementia, Chronic Illness or an Aging Brain by Jarem Sawatsky

Available at Amazon

 My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received an ARC copy of this book. What follows is an honest review.

The author has Huntington's disease. As the disease progresses in a human body the person loses control over their movements. Some have likened the lack of control to that of an elephant dancing, hence we have the name of the book.

When faced with a disease like Huntington's of which there is no cure, one has to decide what they will do with their life and what remains. Many will try to fight it, some, like the author will embrace it. This does not mean they will not hold on to every bit of life they can, but that they will live a life where there will not be a lot of drama. Decisions will be made before they need to be, arrangements made that need to be done. That is the thrust of this book.

One needs to get support not just for the person, but to their love ones as well. In this book, the author suggests making circles of people from all walks of life, that can treat each part of you, not just the medical ones the doctors can.

It is a well written book. I would recommend it to any going through a terminal illness, of their own or a loved one. I also found many inspirational moments in the book as well. While I have cancer, it is a slow moving one so I do not have the same trauma that many do. Still I think many just going through life could gain from this as well.




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Review: Eggs over Arsenic: A 19th Century Historical Murder Mystery

Eggs over Arsenic: A 19th Century Historical Murder Mystery by Clay Boutwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Clay Boutwell has done another good job with the interesting mystery in this classic who done it.

An art critic is murder. Only one way to get to the poison to killed him. On top of that a house full of suspects, many who had the motive, others had the means. As Carl Brooke (a Sherlock Holmes type) and Captain Barnwell (policeman investigating) try to find out the person who did the murder, the ones most likely to may not be the one who did it.

Keeps you guessing until the end but go back and read it and the clues are there.

Other than the murder, it is safe to read for all age groups. Even the murder is just talked about not seen.

Recommended for people who want a good quick mystery to read.

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Review: Child of Mars

Child of Mars by D.M. Pruden
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon
I was provided an ARC copy for review. What follows is an honest review.

Child of Mars is the third in the Mars Ascendant series. Unlike many 'series' books this is not one that you need to have read the others in the series. I can say that because I have not read them. This provides the reader with the information they need as they needed it and weaves it into the story with skill.

At the begining of the book, we seem to be looking at three different stories. However, as time goes on, we see where each part merges into the other. We have a little girl being rescued, why we do not know. We have a doctor running her routes on the planet Mars to help the people. While this is all going on we are allowed to look into the dictator of Mars.

All the characters are given their moment to shine though in the bad guys stories, shine might not be the proper word. But each tells the story from their point of view and the stories all weave together. Each character also stays true to themselves as the move through the story.

The plot of the rescue and trying to get the little girl away from her captors along with the doctor, who is actually the reason Mars can be inhabited, is one that held my interest. I am encouraged to go back and read the previous books now.

I recommend this book to any one that has an interest in science fiction. There is enough blood and violence that I would not encourage children to read it. Most adults would be able to handle what happens as the story progresses.

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Review: Biblical Perspectives on Baptism

Biblical Perspectives on Baptism by Kent Locke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon 

I would like to thank the Website Interviews and Reviews and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy. What follows is an honest review.

As I Christian I enjoy reading books about my faith. Even if the thoughts the author may have are different then mine I can always learn from them. That is why I had a desire to read this book. I was not disapointed.

This is a well written book. The author is knows the topic quite well from what appears to be a deep knowlege of the scriptures. He was also not one to shy away from the topics that seem to seperate our beliefs. Does it make a difference if we are sprinkled or imersed? What about baby baptism versus when you have decided to follow Jesus. The author has clear views on the subject and that is where you might nor aggree with him. Agree or not, he has used the scriptures to back up his points in a knowledgeable fashion.

I was surprised, since he was willing to take on topics of controversy, that he did not talk about the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. I would enjoy hearing his discussion on this topic. I can understand why it was shied away from, he was focusing on the baptism that are done with water, but it is a topic about baptism and I was hoping to see something on it.

I enjoyed it when I was reading it. It is a little bit of a dry nature so it was something I would put down for a while after reading about a dozen pages. Some of this was because I wanted to think about things, and honestly, some I just got distracted with other things.

There is nothing in this book that woud keep it from being read by anyone at any age. However, I am not sure that children would understand or even care to know about the subject. I would recomend to any of my Christian friends wanting more knowledge of the subject. I am not sure non-Christian friends would be interested in it.

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Z-Minus 1 by Perrin Briar

Z-MINUS I by Perrin Briar
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

The end of the world comes slowly

The zombie apocalypse stuck Great Brittan​. A down on his luck drunk wakes in his crashed car. When he gets to his house, he finds his daughter and then his wife with knives in them but they suddenly come to life. In fighting to escape, his daughter sneezes on him. As he runs outside he finds the whole neighborhood has become the walking dead, except for his other daughter, the 8 year old one. Finding out he has 7 hours to live normal he tries to abandon her but decides to take her to a relative. What follows is his last 7 hours as a human and not a zombie as he tries to protect his daughter.

I am not a big zombie fan but I recently read one of the authors other books. I enjoyed this book. It shows the pain of alcoholism as well as how it starts under the story of the end of the world. It is part of a series but it clearly has a finish point in the book, we are not really left hanging.

Except for the violence, which could be strong for the children (at one point the father uses a motor car to take out zombies) this book could be read by anyone. If you enjoy zombie books this could be an interesting read.

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Review: Endure: The Power of Spiritual Assets for Resilience to Trauma & Stress

Endure: The Power of Spiritual Assets for Resilience to Trauma & Stress by Daniel D. Maurer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

I received a review copy of Endure from the AXP website. This is an honest review.

Endure is a series of six stories of people who have gone through extraordinary circumstances. In telling these stories, the author exposes us to what he calls Spiritual Assets. These assets are: gratitude, acceptance, hope, faith, forgiveness and love.

Each chapter opens with the explanation of the asset covered, then the story of the person. After this he does a question and answer with them and then explains why these are important. These are real life situations not some story made up to explain some point of a sermon.

The author tries and I feel succeeds, in not preaching the Christian Faith by showing how many religions have the same values. If I was writing this, I might not have done that, but I respect his faith and why he did it the way I did.

I would not recommend this book for children. There are some frightening scenes of the true violence that one man can inflict on another. Yet without those stories we would not have the examples of how these people are day by day, working out what they need to do to make it in this world.

It was a good book, in places I wanted him to get to the point a little quicker, that is why the loss of a star. That is more me than it would be the author.

Recommend (with the understanding about children) that this could be read by anyone looking to see how people recover and move on with life. There are elements of spirituality that may or not affect people not of faith, but I think they would enjoy as well.

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Review: Remembrance Book: He Will Remind You. from John 14:26

Remembrance Book: He Will Remind You. from John 14:26 by Anna K. Payne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was offered to me so that I could review it. What follows is an honest review.

This is an interesting book and different from what I have read of Ms. Payne's books before. In this book she has taken scriptures that had spoke to her and wrote them out in a paraphrased version as she understood them. She then added short notes on them as well as prayers. There are 30 in all so this book could be used as a daily devotional for a month, and then repeated as often as necessary. There is space, if the book is printed, to add you own comments and/or thoughts. If you keep it in electronic form I would encourage using a journal for this.

While there is no theology conflict, that does not make this book a light weight. It deals with stuff we will face in our day to day lives.

I recommend it to all who are believers and need something to reflect on each day.

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Review: Seveneves

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Available at Amazon

This book was a free one at bookshout.com for me. Not sure how I got it free from them but I did.

It was a long read. It has taken me since July to read it using the Bookshout app and reading the equivalent of 2 books a month.

It held my interest at times, and then at others it was boring as all get out. It reminded me of a book that I read when I was growing up. That book was The Last Days of the Late Great State of California. In that story, an earthquake moves across the state line of California, causing it to sink into the sea. The book gives the history of the various parts of the state up till the time the earthquake happens. The opening of the book is much like that. A unknown thing has struck the moon causing it to shatter and it will destroy the earth in about three years. All the nations combine together to send people and supplies to create a space ark to keep the population from becoming extinct. So that is the first part, the technobabble to create the Space Ark.

The second part comes in as we try to make sure the human race survives. But they all fight with each other, so in the end, the human race is reduced to just 7 people, all female. Oh, one just happens to be a geneticist, and we learn of the techno babble that allows them to recreate people from just the eggs, and each woman breeds into their offspring, what they think they will need to survive. Well, if you do not believe in God, then make everyone in your image and you are one. By the way, the woman screw it up but I am not sure the men would have done it better.

The last part they have arrived on earth thousands of years later and making what appears to be first contact, but with what or with whom. While the technobabble is here as well, it is not as much as this part of the book really comes as pure fiction.

As I stated, it did remind me of that book. Why? Because we got a history book of California, almost like they could have used in a history class. In this book, we get a science lesson. And I wonder if people might try to use it as a science textbook.

I would have loved to given this more stars but it just dragged in to many places and I almost gave up reading it.

Safe for all to read. Not sure who I would recommend it to, maybe some science geeks.

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The Secret of the Jewel Shop (A Blooms, Bones and Stones Cozy Mystery - Book Two)

4 Stars out of 5

I received an advance copy for review. What follows is an honest review.

Quick short read, less than an afternoon I would say (I read it mostly on work breaks over two days).

It was more of a romance book than a mystery book to me.  I would not put it in the mystery category as much as a suspense category. Mysteries tend to be who did it and why.

In this story the hero of the story is opening up her own jewelry shop with the help of her friends. While opening it there is a strong smell of lavender in the shop.  Since she is a believer in the power of crystals and that type of thing, she sets out to find out why the resident ghost is still there.  The story revolves around her and her friends trying to figure out why.  Along the way they meet a person or two that wants to stop them.

It is a clean story, our hero and one of her male friends start a romance but there is nothing that you would not want a child to read going on.

This type of story involves things I do not believe in, but I do not review based on that. My only real gripe with the story is being able to believe that she has that many friends who can just drop what they are doing to help her out so she can run around figuring out why the ghost will not go to the next life.  I am sorry,  if I had 1/10 of the friends that would do that, I would be happy.

Recommend to those who want a quick, quirky, story that is clean. 

This Body Won't Break by Lea McKee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the story. The characters, especially the one that we see the story through, were quite believable. And the story line was good as well. I really dislike it when an author drops us off in the middle of the story, so that is why I gave it 4 stars. It was not a bad a drop as I have seen in other book, but it did leave me hanging.

It is a short read, took less than an afternoon at a slow day at work.

Our hero is an orphan in the care of the state. She knows that soon, when she turns 18, that she will have to make it in the world outside the home and that is a bit of a scare because of the virus that has destroyed the earth after the humans have killed each other. We follow her as she leaves her group home and goes to the 'training' facility that will determine what job she should take.

There was enough suspense to keep me interested. While the story could be read by most everyone, there could be a bit of a fear generated by younger children. Otherwise, it is recommended for people looking into a story of what happens after we as human beings destroy ourselves.

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Review: Spiral/Torn

Spiral/Torn by D.U. Okonkwo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a review copy of this book and the other one in the series and from that I am giving an honest review.

I really wanted to give these book 5 stars, honestly. It had a great story, lots of tension, great character development, all the things I look for in a book. Why give it 4 stars then. When I get to the end of a book I want an ending. This book leaves us with no resolution at all. It obviously sets up for book number 2 of the series which I received a review copy of also. But Book 2 does the same thing. Another great story where I am left hanging. Please make a bigger book or smaller story. I love the background of the characters, but I would take less if you could put the story in one book.

There is so much to be said for both of these books. They show people like they really are, even though they are in a surreal experience of a plane crash. People who do not like each other forced to work together for the good of all.

The cast is
The crew of the pilot, co-pilot, and the stewardess
The owner of a hotel chain and his two estranged sons
Three members of the lawyer team for the owner who he has invited to network with others. One has brought his wife and their infant child.
Nina's sister and twin brothers (Nina is one of the lawyers who had to raise the siblings when parents died) as well as her boyfriend
Various others who move in and out of the story.

Book 1 tells of the preparations for the flight, the takeoff and the crash. They are miles from anywhere and have no one to rely on but the pilot and one of the passengers. As noted in the cast above, they are an interesting collection, not for what they are, but for the secrets that they are hiding amongst themselves.

Book 2 continues with these secrets and the prospect that one of them may die because of the actions of another. Here is where the secrets start to come out and could tear apart the group.

I would recommend this set to others as soon as I would see that the third book was available and that it finished the story. There is no violence (though there really could be some) and a touch of a romance seems to be happening.

It is safe for all readers.

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Review: Planted Flowers Bible Study Workbook

Planted Flowers Bible Study Workbook by Anna K. Payne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While I am not the intended target for this book, I have read many of the author's books and decided to review this as part of her review team. That means I got a free copy in order to review her book.

This workbook goes hand in hand with her Planted Flowers book series. Each month one of the books is used and we follow that woman's life from the book and study about what God has in store. Each week a different part of the month is studied. There is a lesson to learn and some questions and answers to work out. These exercises work best when done in advance.

It is designed for women to study in a group session and with a leader.

I see no problem with the theology here. It is written so that most any denomination could use it straight out of the box. The theology in it is basically that all who call themselves Christians should be able to agree on.

I would recommend this book to a woman who is looking for material to lead a Bible study.

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Review: The Universe Builders: Bernie and the Wizards

The Universe Builders: Bernie and the Wizards by Steve LeBel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book. It was not afraid to tackle hard subjects (being abandoned by father, young love, killing when not needed, etc.) but did it in such a way that was not preachy. I do not know if the author is a man of faith, but what he shared shows we have much the same beliefs.

Basic story. Bernie is a god on a planet of gods. Not all gods can create worlds, but all can own them. 'The Company' makes worlds for the buyer on demand. The buyer has the people of the world he owns grow crops that he collects and then sells in the world of the gods.

One planet is not producing like it should. Bernie is hired to troubleshoot the problem since he has just won a prestigious award which, was last won, years ago by his now absent father. Bernie is now a celebrity that he did not want to be. Dad returns, people swarm Bernie and he has to focus on fixing a world. Meanwhile falling for a girl and being clueless to love.

How he goes about it is the big part of the story. Bernie's boss wants Bernie to blink the planet's population out of existence, but Bernie feels that each person there is important. Bernie wants to take time to fix it, but there is a mean person stopping the growing going on and the owner is losing money.

So how will it end. You will have to get the book, but in the end, it is a satisfying result.

This is one of the first young adult book that I have picked up that felt more like what I thought a YA book should be. The writing is fairly clear and there is no sexual innuendo much less sex in it (although there is a kiss or two). In other words, it is safe for all age groups to read.

I recommend it for any people who like the category it falls in. What category you ask? Good question, it has a little time travel, a little fantasy, a little coming of age, and I am sure some other areas as well. You might just like it.

I own a copy of this book that the author gave out as part of a promotion.


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Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An interesting book. Was not sure about it but have found it to be interesting. It is a little bit fantasy, science fiction, time travel and coming of age. I borrowed the ebook from my public library.

The characters are an interesting group of people. An old man who sees monsters no one else can see, his grandson who he shows a lot of weird pictures to and tells strange stories about, and an off the wall psychiatrist who should be not allowed to practice law. You ask what all this has to do with peculiar children? If I told you that then their would be spoilers. When Miss Peregrine and the children join the story we are well into it.

Writing is tight, and the story seems to wander a little bit, but every bit of it is necessary for later in the story.

My only complaint, the story while it finishes, does end on a cliffhanger to set it up for the next in the series.

I recommend this to all who want a light hatred story .

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Review: The Temporal

The Temporal by C.J. Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellent book. While there is a fairly good size cast of characters and it seems to take a while for you to figure out how they all tie together, they do, and if you can stay with the story long enough you can see where it all comes together.

The basic idea behind the story, there are people who exists that can listen to events, some from the past, some from the future. They can also cause time to freeze in a way for short periods of time. The hero of our story at one point says to his mentor, 'does that make us superheros?' and that is a good question. The people in our story are really superheroes and villains, they just work behind the scenes. The good guys are the temporals, and they exist as freaks of nature, that seem to happen during earthquakes.

While there is some violence it is mostly like you would see in comic books. There is no sexual innuendo, but the hero and his new lady friend seem to it off in a nice way. In other words, this book would be safe for all to read.

I would recommend this to people who like an action book with a touch of sci-fi to it.

I received a review copy from the author and have given my honest review of the book.

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Review: Heaven on Earth: God's Call to Community in the Book of Revelation

Heaven on Earth: God's Call to Community in the Book of Revelation by Michael Battle
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book from Westminster John Knox Press and Netgalley.com. What follows is an honest review.

I wanted to read this because the title interested me. I have to say I was disappointed. To start with, my beliefs in how God works are totally different than the authors. I would not let theology get in the way of a review of any book, so that was not the problem. I can learn from anyone.

Most of the book has little to do with Revelation, the chapters each begin with some scripture from Revelation and there is a chapter or two that focuses on the book, For the most part, this book becomes a effort by the author to tell me that my beliefs, that not all are going to heaven at the end of the world, are wrong, and I need to adjust my way of thinking to his, everyone goes, maybe even Satan himself. Each chapter is focused on telling the reader that a personal salvation is not what Jesus came for, that we can only be complete if we are in community and the only way we can have that is if all go to heaven.

First, his arguments are straw men. He basically says that personal salvation means that I do not care if anyone else makes it there. That is a false statement. I do care. I want to have everyone go to heaven with me. However, if they choose not to accept the gift given to them, then I and God will not force them to accept it.

Next, he does with the scriptures what he accuses the other side of doing. He cherry picks the scriptures to meet what he wants them to say. At one point he uses Jesus story of the sheep and the lambs. Jesus said when you feed the hungry, take care of the poor, clothe the naked, that we are doing it for Him and that brings heaven to earth. I can agree with that. However, a few verses later it talks about those who do not do these things will be sent to an eternal hell saved for the devil and his angels. So use a scripture to support and ignore the ones that disagree with you, even though they are in the same story.

Lastly, he hits us over the head with this, over and over. I could understand that this in one or two chapters but it seems to be the focus on each chapter. To set the record straight, if I was reading something that said his point of view was wrong and they said it over and over again, then I would most likely say the same thing. Pounding a point of view over and over again is just not a good idea. I thought this book was to be a study of Revelations, I was sadly disappointed.

I really cannot recommend this book to anyone.

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Review: Carritos the Assassin : A Temporal Story

Carritos the Assassin : A Temporal Story by Clay Boutwell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Short read, less than an hour.

A man with the ability to stop time, and never age. Is it a blessing or a curse. If you could do it what would you do. Jackson has two rules, family first, and thou shall not kill. Almost 80 years after the event that changed him he is asked to break his rules and murder a man or his grand niece dies. What will he do.

I received a copy of this book from a free offer from the author. This is a honest review.

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Review: Mars Journey: Call to Action: Book 3

Mars Journey: Call to Action: Book 3 by Bill Hargenrader
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Part thee of this series picks up where the other two left off, and I mean that literally. Each book in this series has three distinct parts to it. Each story is complete in itself. When you take the books together in a series, each story lets us in on a little more of what is going on.

If you are a science fiction reader, the you will enjoy this as preparations are happening in our near future for a journey to Mars. While most of the world wants a fly bye, one group is staging a reality contest to see who will get to settle on Mars when the sent to the planet during the loop around the planet. That is, if the group can raise the money. And that is the person we are following.

Good short book, well written and enjoyable.

I was provided a copy for review and this is an honest review.

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Review: Fatal Analysis

Fatal Analysis by Tom Bierdz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I did receive a copy of this book from the author. What follows is an honest review.

A story of a alcoholic psychiatrist does not really sound like it would be interesting. To skip over this book would be a mistake. If you like a good tale of suspense, and a little mystery as well, then this is a book that you would want to pick up.

I felt it started a little slow but it really needed to because it takes time to introduce the myriad of characters that populate Grant Garrick's life. If you can stick with it, you will have a story that will keep you interested to the end.

The writing is tight, giving you the detailed information that you need to keep the story going. There are no sudden twists where you feel cheated because the author brings something up at the last minute to solve the problem.

I recommend this to most anybody. Sexual relations are hinted at but not explained in detail like so many authors feel like they have to do of late. If you like a good mystery/thriller, this is the book for you.

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Review: Breaking Good: A Señor Bueno Travel Adventure

Breaking Good: A Señor Bueno Travel Adventure by Mike B. Good
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received this book as a promotion that the author was doing to get people interested in his book. I was interested in this book because a lot of it takes place at the time I was growing up. Graduated High School in 1971 and Nixon was in the White house for his first term. So I was hoping for a trip down memory lane. I got it. I remember a lot of the songs the author mentioned. But that is where the connections end. I only smoked one joint in my entire life. A girl I was going with insisted we get high when we went t see the movie Tommy. All it did was give me a headache. So, the hero of the story and myself have little in common that way.

I did not consider myself a hippy though my long hair and a desire for peace in life and more liberal ways (I am more middle of the road now with leaning towards conservative) tended to let people think I was. Mike (our hero and first person teller in the book) do at least have that in common. We did not like Richard Nixon (Uncle Dick), and we did not like the war. But I never wanted to grow weed, live in a commune, etc.

I did enjoy the book when it did not get into slapstick, which is most every chapter. I know you are saying how can a book do slapstick. Running joke in the book:

Person: You know Mike that you are a great grower
Mike: I am?
Person: See I knew you knew it

Variations on that dialogue are in every chapter and often many times in a chapter. To me that and others like it become written slapstick. The thing with slapstick is it has to be done in small doses. Look at the Three Stooges, one of the best slapstick teams around. Any of their movie shorts has slapstick in it, but there is really more story being told that slapstick. In a fifteen minute short they may have one or two routines. And that is what is a problem with this book for me. Too much verbal wordplay, too often. Take out some of it and it might have gone up another star.

I would recommend this to people who would want to see the type of life that was lived by the true hippies of that era. It would be recommended for people who would enjoy some drug and crude humor references. It has its moments of brilliance.

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10 Secrets to a Superhero Body and Mind -Markus A Kassel

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars I found this booklet on the Instafreebie site. It is a short read, not more than an hour I would say.  The basic premise is that a superhero is someone that we all look up to and so we would want to be like one. It really doesn't matter that superheros do not exist, and that some of his examples fall flat (Spider Man may talk a good game but his whole story has to do with his lack of confidence in himself).  Still, the booklet is a look into what makes a successful person a success. Much of what we see in a person who is a success is what we see in the comic superheros as well.

 It is not a booklet that I can recommend to everyone. The title indicates that this is for body and mind.  A quick look at the books I could find show that this author has a few books on physical training.  This book seems to focus on that as well. And while I consider training a good thing, I do not see it to be the most important thing.  Another is the difficulty in finding it.  As noted, I found it on the Instafrebie web site and nowhere else.  All of the normal online eBook sites did not show it for purchase or to be given away.   While an interesting read, it is a niche book, mostly for those who want to get fit.  The book if written as a general book, making a person better, would be better. The book starts out that way but then seems to go more into the fitness area.

Review: Iris

Iris by Anna K. Payne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been provided a complimentary eBook and am providing an honest review.

This is the 2nd book in a series written by Ms. Payne. Like the first one, there are two stories that are weaved together with the hero Iris as the lead in both of them. One story involves someone who had a crush on her that is not healthy, the other is her trying to find a greater faith in the God that she sort of believes in. As we get deeper into the mystery of who is sending her pictures of Irises painted in blood, we find out people who are around her are in danger, especially her neighbor and the one thing that she trusts in life, his dog, and through this, she is learning to trust God and her small group of Bible study friends.

I would recommend this to people who are wanting to learn more of what it means to trust God, and/or who want a light mystery. I say light mystery because I had figured out who done it very early on. Again, like the first book in the series, Lilly (who makes an appearance here), it is more like how are they going to get caught. It is a short read, I would say 2 hours or less.

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Review: The Elven Stones: Abundance: An Elven Legend Quest

The Elven Stones: Abundance: An Elven Legend Quest by P. A. Wilson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book so that I could review it, what follows is an honest review.

I am expanding my horizons and have decided for a little bit of fantasy. The Elven Stones: Abundance, is the second in a series of books by P. A. Wilson. I will read anything but so often books in a series rely on you to have read the previous story. So going in I was a little worried, not having read the fist story. I should not have worries. The author did a masterful job of weaving what we needed to know of the first book into the narrative of this one.

In this world, elves are not as plentiful as they were. They do not seem to be giving birth as much to keep the population growing. We find out that it because the stone of abundance, one of the three elven stones, is missing along with another one. The guardian of these stones wants to put them back into their rightful place, but first they have to find them. The problem is the guardian is near the end of his lifespan. Into our story come the two stars of the previous story, elves who were orphans who have a vested interest in finding the other missing stone, the stone of the orphans, so they can gain back the credibility they lost when it disappeared. That story obviously has to wait for the next book.

At times, I wished the story moved along a little faster. However, the adventure quest turns into an epic journey. And while two stories are advanced here, the choice for a new keeper and the quest for the stone, both get the time they need. And they both come to a conclusions that satisfies but leaves you wanting to know what happens in the next book. The ending, while a surprise, was hinted at throughout the whole story. I just did not see the clues.

I would recommend this book to any who are into the fantasy world of elves and other races. It is also just good as a light reading fare.

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Review: LEADERSHIP: As Seen Through the Eyes of a Follower

LEADERSHIP: As Seen Through the Eyes of a Follower by George Vucin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I want to thank Dog Eared Publishing and Net Galley for a chance to read this book. It was provided by them and this is my honest review.

Leadership books can be a little tricky to write. Most all of them I have read tell you how to be a leader, and that is OK. But to have a leader, you have to have a group of followers. That is where this book differs from most other leadership books. The follower is not ignored. In fact, you are taught that what you do as a leader can affect your followers.

To often a leader wants to stay with the style that got them where they are. The reason for that is simple. It worked before so it must work now, and no one likes to change. The thing is, as you move up the ladder, the people that report to you change, and you have to know how to change with them.

Leadership principles are discussed. In that way this book is no different than any other leadership book. What is different than most is that once they are taught, then the view of the different types of followers are talked about. What works for one type of follower will not work for another. And they type of people change with what you do.

An example of my own life shows a major point of this book. I work retail on weekends, I have for almost 10 years. Started out in the back room unloading the truck each day I worked. This store rotated managers around about every 6 months. We worked well with one type of manager, but rather than send us that type, the ones that would roll up their sleeves and work with, we often got the ones that would come in, say do the work and then move on. Now I work on the sales floor and that is the way the management works. If you had a manger doing the work with you, then it would be looked at as he did not think you could do the work yourself.

This is the core I got out of this book. Be the manager the people who follow you need you to be. I have been involved with volunteer leadership with churches I have attended for years now. This is the book that I wish I had years ago. What worked in one place did not work in others. I had to learn to change.

I recommend this book for anyone looking at being a leader of any sort. It is excellent in teaching what one needs to know.

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Review: Beginnings: Driving with Anna

Beginnings: Driving with Anna by Anna K. Payne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a short series of five very powerful devotionals. If one were to take a few minutes each day and to read and meditate on them, there would be a change in their life.

Each devotional follows the same pattern. A short story from her life, some scripture, a prayer and then a place for you to write notes for yourself about what you have learned.

I recommend this to Christians and those seeking for answers to things in their life. Even if these devotionals do not highlight problems you face in life, just reading the scriptures may help you to focus on what you need from God.


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Review: Blindsided

Blindsided by Tom Bierdz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a start us story for what appears to be an interesting series, this tells the story of a psychiatrist who is driven to succeed, a wife who is left behind and a son who decided death was better than life. This is not an action heavy story, but there is some action to it. It is a story of the grief that happens when a child dies and nothing is left to hold a marriage together. What will happen and why are the core parts to this story.

I enjoyed it though I can say I honestly see why some people might not. It was a short read, maybe an hour and a half, but is packed with character development.

I would recommend it to anyone interested in a quick short read about people.

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Review: Avenging Angel

Avenging Angel by Angelique Conger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a short easy to read ebook. It took me less than an hour to read.

There is so much of the Bible that many of us who read it would like to know what happened. We know, for example that Adam and Eve had children, many of them . What happened to them and the children? This author has pieced together in her mind stories of the woman of the Bible, ones that we know are not necessarily true, but give us idea of what could have been.

In this story we look at Eve in her later years. Finally able to take a journey with her husband they travel to teach the grandchildren about God, and during this time Adam is taken hostage. What will Eve do to get her husband back. Trust me when I say, the author does not paint a picture of a meek woman.

For the most part it was a good read. In a few places I though it could be tightened up a bit but it was for the most part well written.

I would recommend it to Christian woman. Though I am a guy and liked it, I am not sure for the most part that most men would like it.

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Review: 4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace

4 Years Trapped in My Mind Palace by Johan Twiss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book of this book for review. What follows is an honest review.

All I can say is WOW!.

Johan Twiss has written a second book that has held me interested till the very end. There is no classification for this book. It has ,a little bit of sci-fi, a little bit of psychology, a little bit of fantasy, a little bit of a lot of things. But all that adds up to make a lot of good.

Our hero, Arron has a rare form of meningitis as a young teen, leaving him paralyzed, and unable to move. His doctors think he is brain dead and is moved to a nursing home. If you think this is far fetched, it actually has happened. It is from that real life story that the author came up with the idea for this story.

To keep from going completely insane, Arron creates a world in his mind that he can travel to and do so many things. Only there can he feel complete because no one really treats him like he is alive.

From this life of solitude a room mate is given to him, Solomon, a former jazz musician, who is in his late years, having survived the depression, World War 2 and other events of history. Now in his twilight years he begins to suffer dementia.

So as one is wanting to start his life, one is ending his and reliving his glory days. The interesting thing is that Solomon can talk to Arron. He hears what Arron says in his mind and that is a wonderful thing for Arron, now he can communicate, even if no one believes that they can talk.

To tell you much more gives the story away. But it is a great story, and it is amazing how the author has once again not wasted one word. An interesting thing for me was the whole story was told from Arron's point of view. So much I have read of late has chapters that go back and forth and tell the story, this is all Arron telling the story.

I recommend it for all. I think everyone could get something out of this story. As I said before, not one word is wasted, and all weave together to tell a fantastic story.

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Review: The Last Arrow: Save Nothing for the Next Life

The Last Arrow: Save Nothing for the Next Life by Erwin Raphael McManus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In The Last Arrow, McManus takes an obscure story from the Bible (I have mentioned it to many and most have no idea it is in the Bible) and creates a rich story for how one should live their lives. When Elijah is near death, the King of Israel calls Elijah to pray for him and Elijah gives him two tasks. Shoot an arrow out a window and then, to take the rest of the arrows and strike them on the ground.

The king strikes them three times then stops. God never said how many times and to stop at three was not good. He should have kept striking, but he does not. He stops at three, and though the king could have won over his enemies, now he will only have three years of success.

Some might think this is petty of God. But in our lives we have to learn that we have to do what we are asked of God until there is nothing left, until the last arrow is gone. And that is the basis of the book. What have we done that if we had not stopped, we might have been given the victory in.

Throughout the book are examples of other events in the Bible, most from the life of Elijah, as to exemplify each point he is making. We do not get from God because we do not ask specifically what we need, we stop before we start, we settle for the life we have in place of the life we should have.

I recommend the book for all, but I know it will appeal to the Christian people I know. The lessons learned can and should be learned by all. But the Christian message is not compromised and I am sure that will turn a few people off.


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Review: 30 Red Dresses

30 Red Dresses by Johan Twiss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was not a book I would have picked up on my own. The title suggest a book that might appeal to female readers. The description indicated a subject of human trafficking. But a strange thing happened. I offered to advance read a different book for the author and I got sent a copy of this book with that cover. It was an honest mistake, but I realized it as soon as I started it. The writing style drew me in.
An 8 year old orphan in the care of her abusive uncle is sold into a brothel. A man on a book tour to Cambodia has to take refuge in the same during a flood. Their paths cross.
This book grabs you and will not let you go. Writing is clear and concise and no word is wasted. You start to feel something for each person in the story. You either love them or hate them, there is no in between.
I recommend this to everyone. Considering the subject, though we are talking about sex trafficking, there is not real sex that takes place in the book, There is more violence in the book than sex. It is safe for all to read. Grab a copy and have your life changed.

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Review: Pineapple Beach House: A Pineapple Port Mystery: Book Five

Pineapple Beach House: A Pineapple Port Mystery: Book Five by Amy Vansant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ms. Amy has another winner in this interesting series. In fact I think other than book number one, this was the best one. It is nice, even though some of the regular cast is there, we get to get away from the series namesake of Pineapple Port. Even thought the cast is slimmed down we pick up a few others along the way to make up for the ones left behind.

The premise is that Charlotte, her boyfriend, his uncle and two of the husband.wives who raised her in the retirement home she was double orphaned in (read the early books to make sense of that sentence) are going on a working vacation over the Thanksgiving holidays. They agree to repair a beach property owned by a friend in exchange for use of it. Except, it is on the South Carolina coast and there is a huge storm out there. Things get interesting when they find a finger in frozen trash. Did I forget to say there is Nursing Home (Elder Careolina.... get it, North Carolina.... if I have to explain it to you it is just not funny!), that seems to be missing a few residents?

With the weather bad what is a private detective in training going to do? Do I really need to ask? You got it, since the police cannot come to them, they are going to solve the mystery themselves.

This is a fun book, though by the description you might not think so. Amy does a wonderful job of making this cast of characters come to life. I recommend it to anyone wanting a fun mystery. As I have said before, this is not a cozy mystery series. It does not have violence or sex, but it hey it has body parts (just wait till you see the part about the eye!)
As part of the author's street team I was allowed to read the book for free. This is an honest review. If I thought it was bad, you would know it.

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