Sunday, December 31, 2017

Balance of 2017

The unusual low amount of books read this year was mainly because my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and between surgeries and treatment there was little time left for reading... Hopefully 2018 will be better than 2017.

During 2017, I reviewed the following:

January
Books:
- "Hatching the Phoenix Egg" by Joel Horn. Read my review.
- "The Final Offering" by J.G.Gatewood. Read my review.
- "The Northeast Quarter" by S.M.Harris. Read my review.
- "A Chance Beginning:  by Christopher Patterson. Read my review.

June
Books:
- Book "Dreams, Goals and Adventures" by Michael Ditton. Read my review.
- Book "Envied Prize" by Lolita London. Read my review.

July
Books:
- Book "No Place to Die" by Jaden Skye. Read my review.

August
- Book "Love Like This" by Sophie Love. Read my review.
- Book "Game of Thrones - Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1" by George R.R.Martin. Read my review.

September
- Book "A Throne for Sisters" by Morgan Rice. Read my review.

December
- Book "DNA" - by James Corkill. Read my review.

Monday, December 25, 2017

Book "DNA" by James M.Corkill

About the Book: DNA and social media postings will determine who will survive.
An exciting science fiction techno-thriller from six-time award-winning author, James M. Corkill.
Alex Cave, an Ex-CIA operative now a geophysics consultant for NASA at Area 51, meets an archaeologist named Mya Austin, who tells him about a prophecy found in an ancient cave drawing belonging to the Sioux Nation. He is intrigued, but declines Mya’s offer to visit the dig site because of a pressing family issue. A rift had formed between him and his nineteen-year-old nephew Derek, and it was like a dagger through his heart.
Geneticist Zane Simon’s amazing discovery will save the lives of a select number of people, but there is no hope for the other seven billion. The problem will be keeping it a secret or society will disintegrate into chaos. How does Alex save civilization from total collapse?

About the Author: "Hello. I would like to take you on exiting adventures here on our planet, with courageous people in dangerous situations, desperately trying to save humanity.
I'm a retired federal firefighter from Whidbey Island, Washington. Before that, I was an electronics technician and part time mechanical engineer at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. I was in the military, and served in Viet Nam. Being retired allows me to write full time and blend my knowledge with my imagination to create the adventures I would like to go on. When I was fourteen I moved to a small place called Orcas Island in Puget Sound; a community of around seven hundred people at that time. Fortunately for me, the famous horror writer, Hugh B. Cave, lived on one of the islands and became my mentor, though I don't write in that genre. The most important lesson he taught me was, only write what you know. Accurate details lend credibility and believability to the story. With that in mind, I do extensive research for my stories. Thanks for joining me on my adventures. It's not always easy finding good books to read. If you liked this one, please write a review on Amazon. Thanks! James M. Corkill. You can visit me at http://jamescorkill.com/.

My Review: After reading "Dead Energy" I was hocked by James Corkill's writing style. And he delivered again and again with "Cold Energy", "Red Energy", "Gravity", "Pandora's Box" and now with "DNA", the sixth book in the Alex Cave Series.
"DNA" is a masterpiece. If you thought that the story of our hero, an ex-CIA agent named Alex Cave, could not get better, you were completely wrong. The author keeps raising the bar, as if it was possible at all.
As usual, we can see that a lot of research was done by the author in order to create a very intelligent and believable plot. This time, an imminent catastrophic event is set to destroy life on earth. And Alex is just there, in the middle of all action, with his friend Okana and other new characters that run against time to unravel the mystery behind the appearance of a rock in the middle of an indian (Sioux Nation) reserved area. When plan to save humanity goes sour, it is up to Alex to find a plan B in order to prevent the disaster that would destroy more than seven billion lives.

You definitely should try James Corkill's books. His intelligent plots are here to stay. There are lots of brilliant sequences in action, some dose of romance and all the good ingredients that make this book a must read for all fiction lovers that want to spend some hours entertained.
Although they are completely independent books, I recommend that you read all of them in the order they were published, so you can know the characters better and savor each detail of all the books. I recommend this series to the permanent library of all science-fiction readers. They will not be disappointed.

This book was written by James M.Corkill and I received an electronic version for reviewing. I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own. 

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Balance of September, 2017

During the month of September, 2017, I reviewed the following:

Books:
- "A Throne for Sisters" by Morgan Rice. Read my review.
- "A Clash of Kings - Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2" by George R.R.Martin. Read my review.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Book "A Throne for Sisters" by Morgan Rice

About the Book: In A THRONE FOR SISTERS (Book one), Sophia, 17, and her younger sister Kate, 15, are desperate to leave their horrific orphanage. Orphans, unwanted and unloved, they nonetheless dream of coming of age elsewhere, of finding a better life, even if that means living on the streets of the brutal city of Ashton.
Sophia and Kate, also best friends, have each other’s backs—and yet they want different things from life. Sophia, a romantic, more elegant, dreams of entering court and finding a noble to fall in love with. Kate, a fighter, dreams of mastering the sword, of battling dragons, and becoming a warrior. They are both united, though, by their secret, paranormal power to read other’s minds, their only saving grace in a world that seems bent to destroy them.
As they each embark on a quest and adventure their own ways, they struggle to survive. Faced with choices neither can imagine, their choices may propel them to the highest power—or plunge them to the lowest depths.
A THRONE FOR SISTERS is the first book in a dazzling new fantasy series rife with love, heartbreak, tragedy, action, magic, sorcery, fate and heart-pounding suspense. A page turner, it is filled with characters that will make you fall in love, and a world you will never forget.

About the Author: Morgan Rice is the #1 bestselling and USA Today bestselling author of the epic fantasy series THE SORCERER’S RING, comprising seventeen books; of the #1 bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, comprising twelve books; of the #1 bestselling series THE SURVIVAL TRILOGY, a post-apocalyptic thriller comprising three books; of the epic fantasy series KINGS AND SORCERERS, comprising six books; of the epic fantasy series OF CROWNS AND GLORY, comprising 8 books; and of the new epic fantasy series A THRONE FOR SISTERS. Morgan’s books are available in audio and print editions, and translations are available in over 25 languages.
TURNED (Book #1 in the Vampire Journals), ARENA 1 (Book #1 of the Survival Trilogy), A QUEST OF HEROES (Book #1 in the Sorcerer’s Ring) and RISE OF THE DRAGONS (Kings and Sorcerers—Book #1) are each available as a free download on Amazon!
Morgan loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.morganricebooks.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, download the free app, get the latest exclusive news, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch!

My Review: Morgan Rice's imagination is limitless. In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, the author presents us with the tale of two sisters (Sophia and Kate), orphans, fighting to survive in a cruel and demanding world of an orphanage. After escaping into the streets of their city, each one takes a different path, although still connected by their unique capability of staying in touch with each other through their minds. That same power allow them to read other's thoughts. Sophia's path lead her to the court and to the arms of the brother to the heir of the throne. Kate is more interested in battles, swords and the son of the blacksmith. And their journey is full of events and surprises and in each turn of a page you will find yourself cheering for our heroines to succeed surpassing their obstacles.
The world and characters are well developed and the action is present all over, making this book an instant success. Life cannot get better!
I recommend this book to the permanent library of all readers that love a well written fantasy book. They will embark in a journey full of action, heartbreak and magic, and they will not be disappointed.
This is the first book of a trilogy and I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second and third book! 



Thursday, August 31, 2017

Balance of August, 2017

During the month of August, 2017, I reviewed the following:

Books:
- "Love Like This" by Sophie Love. Read my review.
- "Game of Thrones - Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1" by George R.R.Martin. Read my review.

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Book "Song of Ice and Fire - Game of Thrones" by George R.R.Martin

About the Book: Winter is coming. Such is the stern motto of House Stark, the northernmost of the fiefdoms that owe allegiance to King Robert Baratheon in far-off King’s Landing. There Eddard Stark of Winterfell rules in Robert’s name. There his family dwells in peace and comfort: his proud wife, Catelyn; his sons Robb, Brandon, and Rickon; his daughters Sansa and Arya; and his bastard son, Jon Snow. Far to the north, behind the towering Wall, lie savage Wildlings and worse—unnatural things relegated to myth during the centuries-long summer, but proving all too real and all too deadly in the turning of the season.
Yet a more immediate threat lurks to the south, where Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King, has died under mysterious circumstances. Now Robert is riding north to Winterfell, bringing his queen, the lovely but cold Cersei, his son, the cruel, vainglorious Prince Joffrey, and the queen’s brothers Jaime and Tyrion of the powerful and wealthy House Lannister—the first a swordsman without equal, the second a dwarf whose stunted stature belies a brilliant mind. All are heading for Winterfell and a fateful encounter that will change the course of kingdoms.
Meanwhile, across the Narrow Sea, Prince Viserys, heir of the fallen House Targaryen, which once ruled all of Westeros, schemes to reclaim the throne with an army of barbarian Dothraki—whose loyalty he will purchase in the only coin left to him: his beautiful yet innocent sister, Daenerys.

About the Author: George R.R. Martin sold his first story in 1971 and has been writing professionally since then. He spent ten years in Hollywood as a writer-producer, working on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and television pilots that were never made. In the mid ‘90s he returned to prose, his first love, and began work on his epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. He has been in the Seven Kingdoms ever since. Whenever he’s allowed to leave, he returns to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives with the lovely Parris, and two cats named Augustus and Caligula, who think they run the place.

My Review: Many authors try to write fantasy books. George R.R.Martin succeeded. I could easily place this series at the same level of "The Lord of the Rings", by J.R.R.Tolkien or "Chronicles of Narnia:  by C.S.Lewis. The author creates a whole new world and an incredible set of characters. 
"A Game of Thrones" is the first book of this series called "Song of Ice and Fire". In this book we see the start and development of a series of stories that run in parallel, beginning with the Stark family. Eddard (Ned) Stark is the head of this family, Warden of the North in the kingdom of Westeros. His wife is Catelyn and he has 5 kids. The elder is Rob, followed by Sansa, Brandon, Arya and Rickon. He also has a "bastard", John Snow, that lives with them. His best friend is King Robert. They fought together in the battle that placed Robert as king, replacing the so called Mad King (house Targaryen). Robert's Hand died mysteriously and Robert travels all the way North to try to convince Ned to be his new Hand of the King, a position that is second only to the king. Accompanying him is his wife Cersei, from the house of Lanister, her brothers Jaime Lanister, a warrior (and her lover), and Tyrion Lanister, a dwarf. Also her three kids are in this trip, being Joffrey (the elder) the heir of the throne, a cruel boy. Another story running in parallel is the story of John Snow, Ned's bastard, that goes to defend the Wall when Ned travels South to help the king. The Wall is an ice obstacle constructed to protect the kingdom against the wildlings and the night walkers (army of the dead), in the far North of the realm. The third story is the story of Prince Viserys Targaryen and his sister Daenerys Targaryen, in exile at the other side of the ocean, after their father was deposed.  And the story begins, full of intrigues, deceives, betrayals, love, cruelty, battles and a lot of endless action, all the good ingredients that makes this an instance classic for the ages...   
If you are willing to spend hours turning pages and get involved in this incredible world, I highly recommend this book to your permanent library. A book cannot get better than this one.

If you read this review, fell free to leave a comment!


Saturday, August 12, 2017

Book "Love Like This" by Sophie Love

About the Book - LOVE LIKE THIS (The Romance Chronicles—Book #1) is the debut of a new romance series by #1 bestselling author Sophie Love.
Keira Swanson, 28, lands her dream job at Viatorum, a slick magazine in New York City, as an aspiring travel writer. But their culture is brutal, her boss is a monster, and she doesn’t know if she can last for long.
That changes when Keira, by a fluke, is handed a coveted assignment and given her big chance: to travel to Ireland for 30 days, witness the legendary Lisdoonvarna festival of love, and to debunk the myth that true love exists. Keira, cynical herself and in a rocky place with her long-term boyfriend, is all too happy to oblige.
But when Keira falls in love with Ireland and meets her Irish tour guide, who just may be the man of her dreams, she is no longer sure of anything.
A whirlwind romantic comedy that is as profound as it is funny, LOVE LIKE THIS is book #1 in the debut of a dazzling new romance series that will make you laugh, cry, and will keep you turning pages late into the night—and will make you fall in love with romance all over again.

About the Author - #1 bestselling author Sophie Love is author of the romantic comedy series, THE INN AT SUNSET HARBOR, which includes six books (and counting), and which begins with FOR NOW AND FOREVER (THE INN AT SUNSET HARBOR—BOOK 1) —a free download on Amazon!
Sophie Love is also the author of the debut romantic comedy series, THE ROMANCE CHRONICLES, which begins with LOVE LIKE THIS (THE ROMANCE CHRONICLES—BOOK 1).
Sophie would love to hear from you, so please visit www.sophieloveauthor.com to email her, to join the mailing list, to receive free ebooks, to hear the latest news, and to stay in touch!

My Review: This author is a natural storyteller. Working with a simple plot, Sophie creates a whole world of emotions and turmoils, describing superbly the mind of a young lady (Keira) and her struggles to balance her social life and her career.
Keira is a young lady living in New York City. She just started working at Viatorum, a magazine owned by Elliot, but managed by Joshua, her boss. When he is incapacitated by an accident, she landed a cover page story about the Love Festival in Ireland. In order to attend the 30-day Festival, she ended up braking her relationship with her boyfriend Zack, who is too possessive and do not see this assignment as a career opportunity. When he makes Keira chose between her career and him, she has no doubts and go to Ireland. When arriving there, she was skeptical about true love, but things start changing when she met her tour guide, Shane. The matchmaker, her visits to places in beautiful Ireland and her visit to her guide's family changes her view not only about Ireland, but also about true love.
This book is very well written and edited and I highly recommend it to the permanent library of all readers that appreciate a romance that can be savored during a weekend. You will not be disappointed.

If you read this review, feel free to leave a comment.

Monday, July 31, 2017

Balance of July, 2017

During the month of July, 2017, I reviewed the following:

Books:
- Book "No Place to Die" by Jaden Skye. Read my review.

Monday, July 10, 2017

Balance of June, 2017

During the month of June, 2017, I reviewed the following:

Books:
- Book "Dreams, Goals and Adventures" by Michael Ditton. Read my review.
- Book "Envied Prize" by Lolita London. Read my review.

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Book "No Place to Die" by Jaden Skye

About the Book: NO PLACE TO DIE is book #1 in a new romantic suspense series by #1 bestselling author Jaden Skye!
Olivia and Todd, madly in love, fly down to Key West when Todd offers to take her on a surprise trip for a magical weekend. Though they have only been dating five months, Olivia can’t help but wonder if Todd is preparing to pop the big question along the beautiful shores.
Yet Olivia’s paradise quickly turns to hell when Todd dies right before her eyes, in a tragic accident.
Or was it?
Olivia sinks further into the abyss as the police wonder if she did it, and finds herself backed into a corner, having to prove her innocence while finding out if Todd was truly murdered. Yet as she searches, entering the underbelly of Key West, forced to deal with unsavory locals and with Todd’s difficult and grieving family, she discovers things about Todd that she wished she never knew—discoveries that make her realize that she never really knew the man she loved at all.
NO PLACE TO DIE is book #1 in an explosive new romantic suspense series filled with love, tragedy, heartbreak, betrayal and suspense, one that will leave you turning pages late into the night. Book #2 will be released soon.
Jaden is also author of the #1 Bestselling series MURDER IN THE CARIBBEAN, which begins with DEATH BY HONEYMOON (Book #1), a free download with over 200 five star reviews!

About the Author: Jaden Skye is author of the #1 Bestselling romantic suspense series THE CARIBBEAN MURDER series, which includes 12 books (and counting): DEATH BY HONEYMOON (#1), DEATH BY DIVORCE (#2), DEATH BY MARRIAGE (#3), DEATH BY DESIRE (#4), DEATH BY DECEIT (#5), DEATH BY JEALOUSY (#6), DEATH BY PROPOSAL (#7), DEATH BY OBSESSION (#8) DEATH BY DEVOTION (#9), DEATH BY BETRAYAL (#10), DEATH BY REQUEST (#11) and DEATH BY ENGAGEMENT (#12). She is also author of the romance A PERFECT STRANGER.
Jaden has always been fascinated with mystery, wrongful death, lies, deception and the power of the truth to prevail. Her romantic suspense/mystery novels feature strong female protagonists who must overcome insurmountable obstacles, and through them, she seeks to get to the very heart of the nature of justice and love.
Please visit www.jadenskye.com to find links to stay in touch with Jaden via Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, her blog, and a whole bunch of other places. Jaden loves to hear from you, so don't be shy and check back often!

My Review: This is the first book of a series called "Murder in the Keys". It is also the first book I read from this author and I am already hooked into her style. Mrs. Jaden created a set of characters that are very well developed during the book and make you cheer for our heroine on every page we turn. The environment and the overall description of scenes are superb, making you feel the suspense in the air the whole time. She is a natural story teller and the plot is intelligent and intense, with some twists and it develops in a nice pace. The book was well edited and it is an easy reading, flowing naturally from first page until the end.
I read the book during the 4th of July weekend and it took me around 4 hours to read the whole book (in this aspect, it is kind of short and leave you with the feeling that you want more!). I can hardly wait to put my hands on the second volume of this series.
I recommend this book to the permanent library of all readers that enjoy a well written suspense/romance. You will not be disappointed.

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Book "Envied Prize" by Lolita London

About the Book: Eleanor is hesitant, even dreadful, of marrying Jack.
Jack has made a fortune in coal, but in Victorian society money alone isn't enough to buy status. It takes finesse, a knack for networking, and an unrelenting desire to stay at the top - which leaves little time for romance.
Eleanor isn't sure why Jack wants to marry her, but she knows that if she does, she will become something more akin to his property than the love of his life.
If.

About the Author: Lolita London lives with her husband and two children in Austin, Texas. When she's not writing steamy erotic romance she enjoys horseback riding, traveling and trying new things.
https://twitter.com/lolitaauthor
https://www.facebook.com/LolitaAuthor
To sign up to Lolita London's mailing list, visit this URL:
http://bit.ly/2eRBUYA
ALL of Lolita London's sizzling books are available via the Kindle Unlimited program.

My Review: Moving out of her traditional style, the author wrote a novel with a nice plot, a romance in the Victorian era, full of twists and surprises. This particular romance does not have the strong sexual and colorful contents that is a trademark of the author. I enjoyed this one much more than her previous work. 
Plot is simple to follow and develops in a nice pace. A woman (Eleanor) trapped in a bad marriage (with Jack) finds love in the arms of his husband's assistant (Henry) and when this romance is revealed, the husband sends her out of the house, but keeping their daughter. Then it starts a battle for Eleanor to recover her daughter and on this battle she counts on support of some dear and some unexpected friends.
I recommend this book to all readers that appreciate romances with nice plots. It is an easy reading and you will not be disappointed. It took me around 5 hours to read the whole book. 

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Book "Dreams, Goals and Adventures" by Michael Ditton

About the Book: From broke to retired in ten years …
Returning home from Desert Storm, I found myself mentally and financially bankrupt. Newly divorced, I had no job, no help, and no hope. My reasons to live were gone. At the lowest point in my life, I fell back on simple truths from my childhood: hard work gets results, and it’s okay to dream. And dream I did, setting goals that launched me from poverty to a life I could not have imagined. And you can do it, too.
Dreams, Goals, and Adventure will inspire you to dream big, work toward your goals, and live your life as an adventure every day.
• Don’t be afraid to dream.
• Don’t accept “no” as an answer.
• Remove “can’t” from your vocabulary.
• Small goals are stepping stones to much larger goals.
• Learn how to spring forward from failure.
• Know you will have to adjust.
• Live life as an adventure.
Michael Ditton is an entrepreneur, personal development coach, and student of life. In addition to helping others realize their dreams, he can be found sailing or traveling in search of new adventures.
“When met by unexpected challenges, embrace them wholeheartedly as opportunities for adventure and education.”
I developed www.goalsettingbasics.com to help others interested in learning how to set goals. In my twenties I had to gather these valuable bits of information a piece at a time. This site offers you an array of information, tools, and resources to help you in identifying, setting, and accomplishing your goals, whatever they might be. In these tools are free worksheets and examples to help you succeed. You will find Goal-Setting Basics is your single source for all of your goal-setting needs.

About the Author: "I was a dreamer from an early age. To this day I believe anyone can do whatever they choose to put their mind to.
I didn’t go from eight years old to semi-retired in the length of one sentence. Nor was it easy. But I did follow a simple, timehonored process.
I was in my twenties before I fully understood the true importance of goal setting. After that, I was able to be more focused, see where I wanted to be, how I was going to get there, notice when I needed to make adjustments, and I had the satisfaction of reaching goals. I enjoyed the benefits of reaching a goal and putting a big, fat check mark on my list.
Here’s how those goals paid off:
• At 8, sold vegetables door to door from my little red wagon
• Age 13, supervisor, World’s Fare Hamburgers
• Age 15, assistant manager trainee, Pizza Hut
• Age 16, assistant manager, Round Table Pizza
• Age 18, began a 20-year commitment with the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, retiring in 2005 as a staff sergeant and Desert Storm veteran. Over my service career I became a leader and was recognized and awarded for my achievements and outstanding service.
• Age 20, found my true calling as a sales professional
• Age 31, began a successful career in real estate and real estate investments
• Age 36, semi-retired
• Age 37, owned and operated several companies
• Age 41, semi-retired, sold everything and sailed south on my 45’ sailboat
Although I found success at a very early age, I became painfully aware of how quickly it can all be taken away. In 1991, after I returned from Desert Storm, I found myself bankrupt and divorced. It was the lowest point in my life. Four years later, I had clawed my way back to even, and started to build from there. Two years after that, following my roadmap of goals, I reached my first level of financial independence. The rest is history."

My Review: Truly an inspiration book! The author tells us his story in a very nice path, going from his childhood until his early retirement. And one of the most important lessons we can take from this book is to set goals. Developing a Plan of Work, with tasks you need to fulfill in order to achieve what you want is fundamental so you can do it in a timely fashion way.
The author is a natural storyteller and you will read the book very quickly and will want more and more. Easy reading, it is very well edited and there are no problems with grammar, that usually is the point that bothers me the most. 
I recommend this book for the permanent library of any reader that needs inspiration to turn around your life in a way that you can only dream of. You will not be disappointed. 

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Balance of January, 2017

During the month of January, 2017, I reviewed the following:

Books:
- "Hatching the Phoenix Egg" by Joel Horn. Read my review.
- "The Final Offering" by J.G.Gatewood. Read my review.
- "The Northeast Quarter" by S.M.Harris. Read my review.
- "A Chance Beginning:  by Christopher Patterson. Read my review.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Book "A Chance Beginning" by Christopher Patterson

About the Book: Erik Eleodum is a simple man. He doesn’t want to be a hero. He doesn’t need fame or fortune. He is content farming his family’s homestead in northern Háthgolthane and raising a simple family, like his father, for the rest of his life. In fact, adventure is the last thing on his mind.
Befel, Erik’s brother, and Bryon, his cousin, can’t think of anything worse than farming for the rest of their lives. They want to be heroes. They want fame and fortune. They want to leave their families and go east, to the country of Golgolithul, where they are sure to find easy wealth and great adventure.
But when these three young men leave their farmstead, they quickly discover the world is not so simple, not so easy. Most fortune is laden with treachery, fame must be earned with blood, and adventures are rarely grand. Ideas of grandeur are crushed and the road east is hard. To get there, these men must ultimately sell their swords and become friends with thieves, dwarves, soldiers, and mercenaries well past their prime. They battle a band of ruthless slavers, slip past assassins, and experience the deadly consequences of black magic.
Will Erik ever be able to return to the simple life? Will he unwittingly become famous, become rich, become a hero? Or, will he even survive?
Often the deeds of those deemed smaller, either in stature or status, go uncounted by chroniclers of history. Yet, it is these deeds that repeatedly change the course of history. For every hero whose feats minstrels sing, there were fifty men following his stead, giving blood and sweat just as he did; and because they were not the first to return from a long voyage away, or perhaps they did not return at all, their glories are never sung. This is a story about those men who would only be known in the local legends, who would have been forgotten by time save for a small bit of chance. Chance, Fate, Destiny, Dumb Luck; all these and more, and then maybe none of these things, are the reasons a young man can go from a farmer’s son, a boy of lowly birth born with dirt on his face, to a great warrior, a kingly knight, a dragon slayer.
Three young farmers, tired of plowing endless fields from sunrise to sunset, gave up all they knew to pursue fame, pursue riches. Their crying mothers at their backs and the unknown ahead of them, they worked in pigsties, slept in the alleys of outskirt cities, traveled with strangers and shed blood unwillingly. They trusted men they should not have trusted, and did not trust those they should have. These young men who left their way of life for fame and glory would soon learn, as most young men full of grand ideas and just ideals do, the world is not what they thought it to be.

About the Author (directly from the author): I live in Tucson, Arizona with my wife Kellie. We currently have three kids. My wife is a wound care nurse, which means she likes looking at open wounds . . . I know, GROSS! I was a high school English teacher for seven years before I transitioned over to Government, Economics, and History. I am the head wrestling coach at Sahuaro High School in Tucson AZ and have been for twelve years. I am also a coach on the Sahuaro football staff. I fostered a love of the arts at an early age when I started playing the guitar at the age of seven. My mother encouraged me greatly in my musical endeavors, even getting me up at 5am to practice since I was also busy with church and sports. In fact, I spent my first year at the University of Arizona as a classical guitar performance major.
I have loved action and adventure as well as science fiction and fantasy for as long as I can remember. I grew up watching the original Star Wars movies and Star Trek series. I read The Hobbit at a very early age, loved stories about mythology, and have always had a fascination with the European Middle Ages. As soon as I could, I played Dungeons and Dragons and started reading any Forgotten Realms or Dragon Lance book I could get my hands on. I also read Ursula K Le Guinn's Wizard of Earthsea series, C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, and, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
I started writing my own fantasy adventures on my grandma's typewriter. Each one she would title, "The Next Great American Novel" and I find myself extremely lucky and blessed that my family encouraged my creativity. It was in college, studying Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Arizona, that I started taking writing seriously and exploring a career as an author. After my first year in music, I found that that was not the path I wanted, but knew I wanted something involving the arts, and so I transitioned to Creative Writing. I actually started writing what would eventually become the Shadow's Fire Trilogy in college.
I am also active at Desert Hope, the church that my family attends. I am very actively involved in the high school ministries and the music ministries. Church and faith are a major part of my family's life and I have tried to implement that influence in my writing.
I am also sincere about fitness and health and I have been a competitive power lifter since high school. I workout as much as I can and try to pass that love on to my students and athletes.
You can follow my weekly blog by visiting my website: www.christopher-patterson.com
You can also sign up for my newsletter by copying and pasting this url into your search engine: http://eepurl.com/b5AUa1

My Review: What a book! The author did a superb job creating another Middle Earth's style world, full of different races and all kind of adventures on every turn of the pages. His description of scenes, battles and internal conflicts on our heroes is so real that we cheer for them since the beginning of the book until the last page and we finish the book begging for more.
Plot is simple to follow and flows in a nice pace. Two young guys (Befel and Bryon) are not happy with the perspective of being farmers for the rest of their lives. They decided to pursue adventure and fame in the East and Befel's brother (Erik), although happy being a farmer, decided to join his brother and cousin in this adventure. In order to travel East, they join a gypsy caravan and their adventure begins when they are attacked by slavers. From there on, you will read the book at the edge of your seat. Intense action will follow, with participation of dwarfs, mercenaries, thieves and all sort of creatures. 
We clearly see some influence of the "Lord of the Rings" (J.R.R.Tolkien) in the writing style of the author, and that only makes the story greater. This is a very well written book and I recommend this book to the permanent library of all readers that enjoy adventures and fantasy, You will not be disappointed.

If you read this review, feel free to leave a message.

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Book "The Northeast Quarter" by S.M.Harris

About the Book: Do you want revenge or do you want your land back?”
Winfield, Iowa. 1918. Colonel Wallace Carson, the ruler of a vast agricultural empire, asks Ann Hardy, his ten year old granddaughter and eventual heir, to promise she will safeguard The Northeast Quarter, the choice piece of land from which the empire was founded. Ann readily accepts – little knowing what awaits her. When The Colonel is killed unexpectedly the same afternoon, the world around Ann and her family begins to fall apart.
Against the background of America sliding from a post-war boom into The Great Depression, The Northeast Quarter tells the story of Ann’s struggle to keep a promise no matter what. She witnesses the remarriage of her grandmother to Royce Chamberlin, the seemingly humble banker who institutes a reign of terror over the household and proceeds to corrupt the entire town.
Over the next ten years she matches wits with Chamberlin, enduring betrayal, banishment and even physical violence. She grows from a precocious child into a tough-minded young woman – watching, observing her enemy and waiting for the moment to make her move.
And when the moment comes in July 1929, life in Winfield will never be the same.

About the Author: Stuart M. Harris began writing for the theater professionally in 1991 when he was invited by the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York to attend a summer conference. The experience led the native Californian to move to New York to become a playwright. Several of his plays have been produced Off Broadway and around the country, among them. Oona Field produced by Diverse City Theater Company and Colleen Ireland, about a 90-year-old retirement home resident and her great granddaughter, that played in New York, Spokane and other cities, including Hamilton, OH, where it won ‘Best Play’ at The Fitton Center One-Act Playwriting Contest. A follow-up to Colleen was Spindrift Way, the first of ten more plays in the series. The Northeast Quarter began as a full-length play developed by the Works in Progress Theatre Lab at Manhattan Theatre Club Studios. Harris put playwriting on hold in order to weave the story of generations of Iowan farmers into his new historical novel. He lives in Brooklyn.

Connect with the Author on these Social Media Channels
Twitter: https://twitter.com/smharriswrites
Twitter handle: @smharriswrites
Facebook: S.M. Harris
https://www.facebook.com/S-M-Harris-1076962675676927/
Linked In:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-harris-236b358\
You Tube Channel
http://bit.ly/TheNortheastQuarter

The Northeast Quarter Excerpt
Ann saw that Royce’s eyes were on her and not Jack. The battle lines had been drawn long ago. This demonstration was for her benefit, and Jack was the pawn. Royce was planning to get him drunk.
“I want to spend time with my family,” Jack said.
“You can do that later,” Royce countered, “I insist.”
“I’m real sorry to hear that, Royce. But my daughter’s home.”
Ann saw her father smiling back at Royce. He was hesitant but standing his ground, and he was even returning the half smile. Ann felt a spark of encouragement because someone on her side was finally standing up to Royce.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Book "The Final Offering" by J.G.Gatewood

About the Book: As a young Haloti fairy living on top of a maple tree, Thula is counting down the days until she reaches adulthood. Her whole life changes when a Grimmox fairy breeches the long-standing peace treaty by crossing their border. Thula isn’t content to watch the destruction of her world, and volunteers for a new military program to counter the incursion. But once in training, she learns the program isn’t about defense at all. It’s about war, and all of the Haloti people are at risk of annihilation. Thula must look to the most unlikely of allies, the Grimmox, to save their world. But they refuse to fight as it goes against everything they believe in. After receiving a vision from the sons of God, she learns this is their last chance to make peace. She was raised by the Haloti, but now sees the world through the eyes of the Grimmox, and is the only one they can trust with this task. If she fails, God will erase the Haloti and Grimmox from the planet. She only has one day to unite them all.

About the Author: J.G. Gatewood is the author of the Keepers of the Orbs Fantasy Series. So far Book 1, The Unknown Man, has been completed and self-published on Amazon. Book 2, The Rising Past was released on Amazon on December 1st, 2015.
He is currently 70% done with the next book in the series, and hopes to have it released by the end of 2016, with the Final book due the end of 2017 or early 2018.
Other writing projects include, The Final Offering(Late 2016) and The Saukarian Children (Early 2017).
When J.G. Gatewood is not writing, he is a full-time Subject Matter Expert and an avid reader.
He lives in Parker, Colorado with his wife of 14 years, and two sons. In what little free time he has remaining, he is usually busy brewing his own beer, crafting his own wine or enjoying a fine cigar.

My Review: This is another very well written book with a compelling plot that flows in a nice pace, characteristic of this young author.  And the overall plot has a more powerful message than I initially thought, but after reflecting for a while I saw how brilliant the author was on passing this strong message disguised in this lovely fairy tale. 
The plot is simple. Our heroine (Thula) is from a fairy group living in the top of the tree, whose life is controlled by what they call the "elders" of the group. They live in fear of "monsters" living in the bottom part of the tree. By an old agreement, they have to provide an offering every year to the "monster", to keep the peace in the tree, preventing them from crossing the borders of the established regions. The offering is a fairy chosen "randomly" by a butterfly, and it is carried away by this same butterfly to never be seen again. But the truth is not how it seems. A fight for keeping the status quo is what really drives this tradition and Thula begins to see the real intentions of the "elders". 
The plot goes on, and we start cheering for our heroine in every turn of page and the story keep us hooked until the end.The environment is superbly described and the characters are well developed and full of life! And the message is like coming from a fable of Aesop. Just brilliant!
If you enjoy fantasy, you cannot miss reading this book. I strongly recommend it to the permanent library of all readers that enjoy a well written book. You will not be disappointed.

If you read this review, feel free to leave a comment!

Monday, January 2, 2017

Book "Hatching the Phoenix Egg" by Joel Horn

About the Book: Would You Travel a Half-Billion Miles to Escape Your Past?
That's exactly what Ken O'Brien does in this exciting sequel to Lost Coast Rocket.
Driven by a broken heart and a mysterious compulsion he can't understand, Ken launches himself into space. During this one-way trip, he has just ten years to answer as many cosmic questions as he can before his body succumbs to the hostile space environment.
But he's given an unexpected gift and his life is extended. How he spends this gift, however, makes him the most hated man in history. Will the world absolve Ken of his extreme sin? More importantly, will the green-eyed girl who broke his heart forgive him for what he was driven to do?

About the Author: Joel Horn was barely five years old when his family moved to the wilderness. Growing up in the rugged Trinity Alps, Joel and his two older brothers learned how to do the numerous and varied tasks necessary for survival while carving out a life in their remote paradise.
Living this self-reliant life and tutored by the best of teachers, their dad and hands-on experience, the boys achieved a level of self-sufficiency rarely seen in modern times. In Impossible Beyond This Point, Joel combines his parents' writings with his own recollections to create a fascinating and entertaining account of the family's struggle and triumph creating a self-sufficient life in the wilderness.
Lost Coast Rocket is Joel’s debut novel. The story continues in the second book in the Mare Tranquillitatis Series, Hatching the Phoenix Egg.
You can find Joel online at www.JoelHornAuthor.com

My Review: What a sequel! This is the second book on the Mare Tranquilitatis Series. I can hardly wait to know if there will be a third book in this series. 
In the first book we were introduced to Ken, the grandson of a NASA engineer. He meets his good friend, Akira, in a park when they were toddlers and they start a friendship that will last for ages and together they start playing with rocket models until they get enough knowledge to develop their own models. Others get involved and soon they have a group of young kids, each one with its own expertise, contributing to a common goal of developing a prototype rocket that should reach 100 miles altitude. And they do that with an old design based on drawings of Ken's grandfather. In the mix there is a dose of romance and all the good ingredients that make this story extremely enjoyable.
In this second book Ken decides to go on a one-way journey to Jupiter, trying to forget about his broken heart, but his friend Akira has other plans and send a second more powerful rocket to bring his friend back.  In his journey back a situation occurs that would change life on Earth forever, but Ken decides to intervene and change the course of History. As the outcome is not known in advance, people on Earth thought he had no rights to play God and try to stop him, but he is really determined to go ahead with his plan. This book was very well written and edited. The Series as a whole would produce a nice Hollywood movie.
I highly recommend this book to the permanent library of any science-fiction fan. You will not be disappointed!
If you read this review, feel free to leave a comment.