Balance of March

During the month of March, I reviewed the following:

Books:
- "No Way Out" by M.J.Ware. Read my review.
- "Twelve Unlikely Heroes" by John MacArthur. Read my review.
- "The Circle of Sorcerers" by Brian Kittrell. Read my review.

Other Products:
- "Good Grips Chop and Pour Cutting Board" by OXO. Read my review.
- "Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, 8 Nose Strips" by Biore. Read my review.

Book "The Circle of Sorcerers" by Brian Kittrell

About the Book: When Laedron Telpist's sorcery training is interrupted by a knock on the door, what once seemed a proper profession must now be hidden. In a world where priests and mages vie for the limitless power of the elements and a new Grand Vicar has sworn death to all sorcerers, Laedron is tossed into a nightmare which would see his destruction at every turn. From the home shores in western Sorbia, through the Cael'Brilland heartlands, and even across the seas to the great city of Azura, Laedron finds himself embracing old friends, consorting with unlikely allies, and confronting potent enemies. As he struggles to train himself in spellcraft, Laedron must face that he lives in a time when the utterance of a simple spell could be the signature on his death warrant. The Consuls of the Vicariate, Book #2 of the Mages of Bloodmyr Series, and The Immortals of Myrdwyer, Book #3 of the Mages of Bloodmyr Series, are now available.

About the Author: Brian Kittrell is a speculative fiction writer in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres. He has sold over 15,000 copies of his books worldwide as of October, 2012. He is a communications officer with his local police department, having begun his career in law enforcement in 2006 as a detention officer. He intends to continue writing and publishing while serving his community in the capacity of an E911 police and fire dispatcher. He was married to his wife Elizabeth in 2009, and they have two children. Publications include: The Circle of Sorcerers: A Mages of Bloodmyr Novel: Book #1 (2011, Late Nite), and The Consuls of the Vicariate (2012, Late Nite), The Immortals of Myrdwyer (2012, Late Nite), and The Dying Times second edition (2012, Late Nite).

My Review: This is the first book of a trilogy named "The Mages of Bloodmyr". It is a very entertaining reading with an easy plot. Laedron is a young sorcerer. His mother is powerful, but he has to learn how to develop his own power through a professor called Ismerelda. The story develops on how the church condemns the sorcerers and how the persecution started. He makes alliance with a group a knights that he is sworn to protect, among which is his best friend Marac. Their brotherhood have a plan to overthrown the church, but it looks like it is a suicide mission and Laedron's group of knights is assigned to this mission. Very well developed characters, very well described world, this is a very well written book that will keep your attention to the end and you will be willing to read the sequel, which I will be doing next.

I recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader who love to be entertained during a weekend with a fantasy theme. It took me around 11 hours to read the whole book.

This book was written by Brian Kittrell and it was published by Late Night Books in October of 2011. 

Product "Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, 8 Nose Strips" by Biore

About the Product: Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips pull the plug on clogged pores by instantly removing dirt, oil and blackheads for cleaner skin. Locks onto and pulls out dirt for the deepest clean.
How it works: Instantly works like a magnet to lock onto and pull out deep down dirt that can cause blackheads. You will see the proof and effectiveness on the Strip upon removal. When used regularly this item actually diminishes the appearance of pores.

My Daughters' Review: As the primary users for these strips, I asked my daughters to use and give me a feedback on what they  thought about it. According to my daughters, the instructions are simple to follow and those strips do a great job cleaning out blackheads. They liked it so much that they asked me to buy it in regular basis. This tells me a lot about this product.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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

Book "Twelve Unlikely Heroes" by John MacArthur

About the Book: What kind of people does God use to accomplish His work? Far from the children’s tales depicted in picture books and nursery rhymes, the men and women highlighted in the Bible were unnervingly real. They faltered. They struggled. And at times, they fell short. Yet God worked through them in surprising and incredible ways to accomplish His purposes. Scripture does not hide their weaknesses, caricature their strengths, or spin their stories as a display of human nobility. Instead, it describes these heroes of the faith with unflinching honesty and delivers an unexpected ending: “God is not ashamed to be called their God” (Hebrews 11:16). In Twelve Unlikely Heroes, pastor and best-selling author John MacArthur uses his deep knowledge of the Bible and history to take us back to see these three-dimensional men and women in their own times and cultures. In doing so, it becomes clear how their dramatic stories apply to us today. People who might at first seem foreign quickly become familiar and unforgettable—particularly as they reveal the true Hero behind every witness, the power counterbalancing every weakness, “the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1).

About the Author: Widely known for his thorough, candid approach to teaching God’s Word, John MacArthur is a popular author and conference speaker and has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969. John and his wife, Patricia, have four grown children and fifteen grandchildren.
John’s pulpit ministry has been extended around the globe through his media ministry, Grace to You, and its satellite offices in seven countries. In addition to producing daily radio programs for nearly 2,000 English and Spanish radio outlets worldwide, Grace to You distributes books, software, audiotapes, and CDs by John MacArthur.
John is president of The Master's College and Seminary and has written hundreds of books and study guides, each one biblical and practical. Best-selling titles include The Gospel According to Jesus, Truth War, The Murder of Jesus, Twelve Ordinary Men, Twelve Extraordinary Women, and The MacArthur Study Bible, a 1998 ECPA Gold Medallion recipient.

My Review: This is truly an amazing book, that make us think that even us, with all our faults, can be chosen by God to do His work for His kingdom.
In 10 Chapters the author describe all the fears and tremors of our characters, exposing their weakness and how God transform them in valuable workers. Starting with Enoch, the author proceeds to Joseph, Miriam, Gideon, Samson, Jonathan, Jonah, Esther, John the Baptist, James, Mark and Onesimus. Showing deep knowledge of the Scriptures, John MacArthur write in an easy and simple way and make those characters come to life as real people to whom we can associate our own lives. This is a masterpiece.
I recommend this book to the permanent library of all readers, Christians or not, that appreciate a well written book that can keep you entertained and send a positive message on transformation. Nobody is beyond repair.

This book was written by John MacArthur and it was published by Thomas Nelson in September of 2012. Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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

Product "Good Grips Chop and Pour Cutting Board" by OXO

About the Product: The case of the runaway veggies has just been solved. The OXO Good Grips Chop and Pour Board makes chopping and transporting ingredients simple and efficient. Use the Board's corner spout to neatly guide food from the Board directly into bowls, pots or pans without spilling onto stovetops or counters. A generous, flat cutting surface allows for efficient slicing and dicing, while the raised back and side walls keep food contained. The lightweight Board and soft, tapered handles make lifting easy. The Board is made of durable, non-porous, odor-resistant polypropylene that resists deep scratches and won't dull sharp knives. Juice grooves on one side retain liquids and non-slip edges keep the Board from slipping. Top-rack dishwasher safe.

My Review:  This board has the perfect size for a couple that cooks for two. The raised sides helps you to pour the ingredients into the pans without spilling all around. Very light and at the same time very strong. Easy to clean. The non-slip edges prevents the board from moving while you are chopping. Very good addition to the kitchen. Me and my wife are very happy with this item.

Amazon.com was kind enough to provide this product for me through their Vine Program for reviewing and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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

Book "No Way Out" by M.J.Ware

About the Book: Includes two free additional short stories. That's three 'terrorific' short stories for kids and teens at one low price. "No Way Out" - Mike takes a bet to go inside a haunted house, but will he live long enough to collect? Also includes: "The Price of Friendship" - How much is a best friend worth? Joey finds out the hard way. "Hobgoblin Horror" - Jake only volunteered at the retirement home because Shelby works there. So, it's no wonder he's doesn't hear Mr. Fitches' warnings about a local homicidal hobgoblin--too bad for him.
Includes a free extended preview of "Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb".

About the Author: MJ lives in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains with his wife and two daughters. Due to a bizarre childhood incident at his school library, MJ never developed an interest in adult literature. When not reading or writing books for kids, he runs a video arcade company building retro arcade machines just like he played as a child. MJ is available as both a court approved zombie expert and for intensive "zombie safety" school lectures. He just released his latest graphic novel, Zack & Zoey's Alien Apocalypse.

My Review: This is a very well written book containing three short stories on the light terror theme,  for kids and young adults. First story (No Way Out) is intense and has a simple plot. Two kids bet who would go inside a haunted house. The description of the scenery is excellent and the outcome is unpredictable. Second story (The Price of Friendship) is also good, although not that much scary. Two kids trade goods for "useless memories" and the consequences are to be seen. Third story (Hobgoblin Horror) reaches again the intensity level of the first story. Two kids hear this tale from an old guy in an hospital. He was a war hero and told the kids about this hobgoblin, a kind of assassin monster. But unfortunately for the kids they did not pay much attention to the story. All three short stories are very entertaining in their own way. They will keep you reading for a couple of hours.

Besides those three short stories, the author also provides a preview of two other short stories, the "Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb" and the "Zack & Zoey's Alien Apocalypse".

I recommend this book to any young adult that has some spare hours in a Saturday afternoon or evening and wants to get entertained before going to bed. Just be aware that nightmares with cats are possible!