Book "Almost Gone" by Blake Pierce

About the Book: Cassandra is convinced she’s finally found a fresh start when she takes a job as an au pair in the idyllic French countryside. Just beyond the Paris city limits, the Dubois manor is a grand relic of the past, the family its picture-perfect occupants. It’s the escape Cassandra needs—until she uncovers dark secrets that prove things aren’t as glamorous as they seem.
Beneath the opulence lies a dark web of malice, one Cassandra finds all too familiar, triggering dreams from her own violent and tortured past, one from which she desperately runs. And when a grisly murder tears the house apart, it threatens to take down her own fragile psyche with it.
A riveting mystery replete with complex characters, layers of secrets, dramatic twists and turns and heart-pounding suspense, ALMOST GONE is book #1 in a psychological suspense series that will have you turning pages late into the night.
Book #2 and #3--ALMOST LOST and ALMOST DEAD—are also available!

About the Author: Blake Pierce is author of the bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes sixteen books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising thirteen books (and counting); of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising six books; of the KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising five books; of the MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE mystery series, comprising five books (and counting); of the KATE WISE mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the CHLOE FINE psychological suspense mystery, comprising five books (and counting); and of the JESSE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting).

ONCE GONE (a Riley Paige Mystery--Book #1), BEFORE HE KILLS (A Mackenzie White Mystery--Book 1), CAUSE TO KILL (An Avery Black Mystery--Book 1), A TRACE OF DEATH (A Keri Locke Mystery--Book 1), and WATCHING (The Making of Riley Paige--Book 1) are each available as a free download on Amazon!

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

My Review: When you think that life cannot get better, Blake Pierce come up with another masterpiece of thriller and mystery!
This time the story evolves around a young lady that goes to the French countryside, close to Paris, to work for a family as an au pair. It is amazing how the author develops the characters, mainly their psychological aspects. He involves us in the story and suddenly we are feeling all the emotions that our heroine is feeling and we start cheering for her and suffering when she is repeatedly abused by her employers and their children. The book is full of twists and the end brings a surprising revelation.
I strongly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that enjoys a very well written thriller. You will not be disappointed. And I cannot wait to put my hands on volumes 2 and 3 of this series. This is the second book I read from this author and I intent to read many more from his other series!

Book "Murder in the Manor" by Fiona Grace

About the Book: MURDER IN THE MANOR (A LACEY DOYLE COZY MYSTERY—BOOK 1) is the debut novel in a charming new cozy mystery series by Fiona Grace.
Lacey Doyle, 39 years old and freshly divorced, needs a drastic change. She needs to quit her job, leave her horrendous boss and New York City, and walk away from the fast life. Making good on her childhood promise to herself, she decides to walk away from it all, and to relive a beloved childhood vacation in the quaint English seaside town of Wilfordshire.
Wilfordshire is exactly as Lacey remembers it, with its ageless architecture, cobblestone streets, and with nature at its doorstep. Lacey doesn’t want to go back home—and spontaneously, she decides to stay, and to give her childhood dream a try: she will open her own antique shop.
Lacey finally feels that her life is taking a step in the right direction—until her new star customer turns up dead.
As the newcomer in town, all eyes are on Lacey, and it’s up to her to clear her own name.
With a business to run, a next-door neighbor turned nemesis, a flirty baker across the street, and a crime to solve – is this new life all that Lacey thought it would be?

About the Author: Debut author Fiona Grace is author of the ELLA ROSE COZY MYSTERY series which includes MURDER IN THE MANOR (Book #1), DEATH AND A DOG (Book #2) and CRIME IN THE CAFE (Book #3). Fiona would love to hear from you, so please visit www.fionagraceauthor.com to receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.

My Review: This is the first book of this series and the first one I read from this author. Reading was really exciting, as the author  shows all her talent creating characters that are so real that you will be cheering for our heroine from the first page. She is a lady that is trying to leave behind a bad marriage, a job with a terrible boss and an overall bad life, moving from New York City to Wilfordshire, England. She has good memories from that place, when her family would spend vacation over there. But she gets involved in a murder investigation and things develop in a quick pace. Very entertaining.
I highly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that appreciate a very good well written mystery, with some twists and an intelligent plot. You will not be disappointed, as the author is a natural storyteller. Excellent way to spend a cold weekend!

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

Book "Jeopardy in July" by Barbara Venkataraman

About the Book:Old people were dying at an alarming rate at La Vida Boca, a posh assisted living facility in Boca Raton, Florida. With its sterling reputation, dedicated staff, and top-notch medical care, none of the deaths are considered suspicious, but when members of the poker club start to die under strange circumstances, attorney Jamie Quinn finds herself once again embroiled in a mystery. With help from her new friend, Jessie Sandler, and her favorite P.I., Duke Broussard, Jamie uncovers a crime that took place forty years earlier. Can she stop the killer in time? Or is she in danger of becoming the next victim?

About the Author: Award-winning author Barbara Venkataraman is an attorney and mediator specializing in family law and debt collection.

She is the author of the Jamie Quinn Mystery series, as well as "Teatime with Mrs. Grammar Person"; "The Fight for Magicallus," a children's fantasy; a short story titled, "If You'd Just Listened to Me in the First Place"; and three books of humorous essays: "I'm Not Talking about You, Of Course", "A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities," and "A Smidge of Crazy", which comprise her "Quirky Essays for Quirky People" series. Two of her books of humorous essays won the "Indie Book of the Day" award. "Engaged in Danger" was chosen as Book of the Day by www.bookoftheday.org and won first place in the Amateur Detective category of the Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Mystery Writing Competition.

Her popular Jamie Quinn Cozy Mystery Series includes: "Death by Didgeridoo," "The Case of the Killer Divorce," "Peril in the Park," "Engaged in Danger" and, just released--"Jeopardy in July", the fifth Jamie Quinn mystery!

My Review: When you think that life cannot get better, Mrs. Barbara Venkataraman releases another novel from her Jamie Quinn series "et voilà"! Trick is done! Once again the author shows all her talent creating characters that are so real that you will be cheering for our heroine from the first page. This is the fifth book in this series and although each book can live independently, I am sure you will savor better the story if you read the books in the order they were written.

In this particular book, Jamie Quinn volunteers to work at an assisted living facility, where she finds some interesting characters. Some old people start dying and she starts getting worried that those deaths are not completely natural and they might be related with a crime that happened forty years earlier.

While trying to solve the mystery, Jamie ended up placing her own life at risk...

I highly recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that appreciate a very good well written story, with some twists and an intelligent plot. You will not be disappointed, as the author is a natural storyteller and this is another of her masterpieces. Excellent way to spend a cold weekend entertained!

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

Book "Next Door" by Blake Pierce

About the Book: FBI Evidence Response Team intern Chloe Fine, 27, finds herself forced to confront her own dark past when her troubled twin sister needs her help—and when a body turns up dead in her small, suburban town.

Chloe feels life is finally perfect as she moves back into her home town, and into a new house with her fiancé. Her career with the FBI looks promising, and her wedding is on the horizon.

But, she learns, all is not as it seems in suburbia. Chloe begins to see the underside—the gossip, the secrets, the lies—and she finds herself haunted by her own demons: her mother’s mysterious death when she was 10, and her father’s imprisonment.

And when a fresh body is found, Chloe soon realizes that her past, and this small town, might hold the key to solving both.

An emotionally wrought psychological suspense with layered characters, small-town ambiance and heart-pounding suspense, NEXT DOOR is book #1 in a riveting new series that will leave you turning pages late into the night.

About the Author: Blake Pierce is author of the bestselling RILEY PAGE mystery series, which includes thirteen books (and counting). Blake Pierce is also the author of the MACKENZIE WHITE mystery series, comprising nine books (and counting); of the AVERY BLACK mystery series, comprising six books; of the KERI LOCKE mystery series, comprising five books; of the MAKING OF RILEY PAIGE mystery series, comprising two books (and counting); of the KATE WISE mystery series, comprising two books (and counting); of the CHLOE FINE psychological suspense mystery, comprising two books (and counting); and of the JESSE HUNT psychological suspense thriller series, comprising two books (and counting).

ONCE GONE (a Riley Paige Mystery--Book #1), BEFORE HE KILLS (A Mackenzie White Mystery--Book 1), CAUSE TO KILL (An Avery Black Mystery--Book 1), A TRACE OF DEATH (A Keri Locke Mystery--Book 1), and WATCHING (The Making of Riley Paige--Book 1) are each available as a free download on Amazon!

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Blake loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.blakepierceauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

My Review: If you read other books from Blake Pierce, you will not be disappointed with this one. The story tell us about the relation of twin sisters that had their mother misteriously murdered when they were 10 and saw their father being arrested for the crime. They grew apart, Chloe choosing an FBI career and Danielle getting lost with her choices in life. Seventeen years later they reunited again when Chloe returns to her home town. But then life turns upside down when Danielle's boyfriend is found dead. The book is full of completely unexpected twists and you will read it at the edge of your chair. It is Blake Pierce at his best! Another masterpiece of suspense and mystery.

I highly recommend it to the permanent library of all readers that appreciate an excellent thriller, full of psychological suspense and with a completely unexpected ending that you would never imagine. This is the first book of what promises to be another excellent series. I can hardly wait to read the sequel of this book.

Book "Agent Zero" by Jack Mars

About the Book: Kent Steele, 38, a brilliant professor of European History at Columbia University, lives a quiet life in a New York suburb with his two teenage daughters. All that changes when late one night he gets a knock on his door and is abducted by three terrorists—and finds himself flown across the ocean to be interrogated in a basement in Paris.

They are convinced that Kent is the most lethal spy the CIA has ever known.

He is convinced they have the wrong man.

Do they?

With a conspiracy around him, adversaries as smart as he is, and an assassin on his tail, the wild game of cat and mouse leads Kent on a perilous road—one that may lead back to Langley—and to a shocking discovery of his own identity.

AGENT ZERO is an espionage thriller that will keep you turning pages late into the night.

About the Author: Jack Mars is the USA Today bestselling author of the LUKE STONE thriller series, which include the suspense thrillers ANY MEANS NECESSARY (book #1), OATH OF OFFICE (book #2), SITUATION ROOM (book #3), OPPOSE ANY FOE (book #4), PRESIDENT ELECT (book #5), OUR SACRED HONOR (book #6), and HOUSE DIVIDED (book #7). He is also the author of the new FORGING OF LUKE STONE prequel series, which begins with PRIMARY TARGET.

ANY MEANS NECESSARY (book #1), which has over 800 five star reviews, is available as a free download on Amazon!

Jack loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.Jackmarsauthor.com to join the email list, receive a free book, receive free giveaways, connect on Facebook and Twitter, and stay in touch!

My Review: After reading the whole Luke Stone series, I became a huge fan of Jack Mars. His books are so dense, filled with action and the plot is so intelligent that you will not sleep until you are finish with the book. This is the start of a series that promises to be as good as the previous one.
In this book, Professor Reid Lawson teaches at Columbia University, has two daughters (Maya and Sara) and lives a nice life, until his world turns upside down when he is abducted by three terrorists claiming that he is a CIA spy.

The author did a superb job creating a set of characters that are fully developed and very much enjoyable. We cheer for our hero in every turn of the pages. The description of the action scenes transport us into a reality that is almost like sitting in a movie theater with surround sound and 3D presentation (It would make an incredible Hollywood movie...). Overall excellent plot, I can hardly wait to start reading the sequel of this book. I recommend this book to the permanent library of any reader that enjoy a well written thriller novel. They will not be disappointed.

I received this book from the author for reviewing. I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinion expressed here is my own.

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

Book "A Smidge of Crazy" by Barbara Venkataraman

About the Book: A collection of humorous insights into important topics ranging from being targeted by annoying ads ("Nowhere to Hide"), to resorting to symbols when you've forgotten your words ("At a Loss for Words"), to figuring out what door that extra key opens ("My Extra Key"). Other essays examine how sitting is the new smoking (whatever that means), and why it is just so hard to focus when you have the attention span of a gnat.

About the Author: Award-winning author Barbara Venkataraman is an attorney and mediator specializing in family law and debt collection.
She is the author of the Jamie Quinn Mystery series, as well as "Teatime with Mrs. Grammar Person"; "The Fight for Magicallus," a children's fantasy; a short story titled, "If You'd Just Listened to Me in the First Place"; and three books of humorous essays: "I'm Not Talking about You, Of Course", "A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities," and "A Smidge of Crazy", which comprise her "Quirky Essays for Quirky People" series. Two of her books of humorous essays won the "Indie Book of the Day" award. "Engaged in Danger" was chosen as Book of the Day by www.bookoftheday.org and won first place in the Amateur Detective category of the Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem Mystery Writing Competition.
Her popular Jamie Quinn Cozy Mystery Series includes: "Death by Didgeridoo," "The Case of the Killer Divorce," "Peril in the Park," "Engaged in Danger" and, just released--"Jeopardy in July", the fifth Jamie Quinn mystery!

My Review: This author is a brilliant and natural story teller. Her style is so nice and clever that makes reading a pleasure, and will really bright your day. This collection of small chronicles or essays is a description of everyday's life situation that turns out to be very funny when you talk about them (probably not that funny when the situation really happened...). The only downside of this book is that it finishes too soon! We have only 15 short essays... But every new one is better than the previous one. Family Ties is a great one!

I recommend it to the permanent library of any reader who loves a laugh and enjoys a very well written collection of short stories. These essays will give your spirit a lift and leave you smiling.

I received this book from the author and I was not requested to provide a positive review. Opinions expressed here are my own.

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

Book "Transmission" by Morgan Rice

About the Book: From #1 worldwide bestselling fantasy author Morgan Rice comes a long-anticipated science fiction series debut. When SETI finally receives a signal from an alien civilization, what will happen next?
A 13 year old boy, dying of a rare brain disease, is the only one able to hear and decode signals from outer space. SETI confirms it is a real signal.
What is the message? How will the world react?
And most of all: are the aliens coming?

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; of the new epic fantasy series A THRONE FOR SISTERS, comprising six books (and counting); and of the new science fiction series THE INVASION CHRONICLES. 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), RISE OF THE DRAGONS (Kings and Sorcerers—Book #1), SLAVE, WARRIOR, QUEEN (Of Crowns and Glory—Book #1), and A THRONE FOR SISTERS (A Throne for Sisters—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 did it again! In her superb writing style, she always make us release our imagination to fantastic worlds, living the story with our heroes, enjoying the well built characters in very intelligent plots.
In another series that promises to be as entertaining as the previous ones, Morgan presents us with the tale of a young boy named Kevin, who suffers from a uncommon degenerative brain disease, known as  leukodystrophy. That disease allow him to be sensitive to radio messages coming from space, and he can translate the messages that for others seems just noise. After SETI confirms that the message is real, things go crazy and the plot develops in a nice pace with some twists that will keep the reader on the edge of their seats. This is not a typical alien invasion book. Put your seat belt on and enjoy the ride.

Sci-fi is my favorite genre and this is a very nice book, that I recommend to the permanent library of all readers that love a well written sci-fi/fantasy book. They will embark in a journey full of action, heartbreak and magic, loyalty and betrayal, and they will not be disappointed.

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

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. 

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! 

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!

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.

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.

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.

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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. 

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. 

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.

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!

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.

Book "Oliver and Jumpy - Books 58-62" by Werner Stejskal

About the Book: Oliver is an elegant tuxedo cat, who is full of himself. As a matter of fact he says: “I love myself!”, quite often. Naughty, isn’t he? But his best friend Jumpy, a kangaroo lady, is aware that he has a soft heart and will always want to help others. The great thing is Jumpy’s pouch, which Oliver loves to ride in! He calls her his kangaroo taxi! These little bedtime stories with their lovely illustrations are great for small kids. A parent can read the text and tell the child in his own words. These animal stories have sufficient text to keep early readers happy and provide some educational value. Love you all! Meow!

• Story 58: Down the Well – A frog gets philosophical. 
• Story 59: Finding the Story – Do you like to write a story? First you need to find one! 
• Story 60: Story Writing – A funny way to write stories. 
• Story 61: What a Laugh! - Laughing is healthy. 
• Story 62: What's the Time? - A very unusual way to look at time.

About the Author: Born in Vienna, Austria, Werner is now living in the paradise of Perth, Australia with his wife, two married children, and three grandchildren. He worked many years in the printing industry and later for the United Nations in Vienna. His wife had been a pen-friend, whom Werner visited in Hong Kong and finally got married to. After an eventful life, now retired, he began to write children's stories, had them illustrated through Upwork, narrated them himself for YouTube and finally published the ebooks on most platforms. Werner's dream is to see "Oliver and Jumpy" animated as a TV series.

There are lots of fairy tales and bedtime stories around and many of them quite violent. This made Werner decide to write something different. On a flight from Europe to Australia, he watched the movie Magic on Belle Island with Morgan Freeman, where Freeman teaches a little girl to have imagination and write her first story. This inspired Werner as well and the first stories with his two characters Oliver, the elegant tomcat, and Jumpy, his kangaroo lady friend, made their appearance. Some very capable illustrators have helped to create this picture book series.

From the author:
"ILLUSTRATORS - I would like to introduce the six illustrators who made ‘Oliver and Jumpy’ so successful. These talented ladies and gents have put a lot of effort into their art.
Marvin Alonso, is a gentleman from the Philippines. He started off the series with amazing pictures and a huge initiative. He never needed to be told anything and developed all scenes by himself. Unfortunately, he decided to look for other work after about 10 stories. He was sorely missed.
The next illustrators did between one to four stories each.
Vinil Raj
Yon Rifa’i
Anahii Aleksanyan
Mario Tereso
And then there is Maycee Ann Reyes and her husband Allan … They were all one could wish for. Great scenes, self-reliant, reliable, courteous and quick. These guys got married while working at 400 illustrations for my series. As Maycee said: “Oliver was instrumental for us to get married sooner”. I can highly recommend this talented team for any of your picture book illustrations."

My Review: This book is the last book of a series called Oliver and Jumpy. This particular volume has stories 58 - Down the Well, 59 - Finding the Story, 60 - Story Writing, 61 - What a Laugh!, and 62 - What's the Time?. It is an excellent gift for parents with children under 8 as suggested by the author. Although the format changed a little if compared with previous books in the series, this book is still beautifully illustrated by Maycee Ann Reyes and that is a very important plus, as its main audience will rely on the images to follow the stories, as many will not have reached the age to start reading by themselves. In "Down the Well", Oliver dreams of falling into the nearby well and landing on  a frog! Froggy tells Oliver all about his life on the well. In the "Finding the Story", Oliver tells his readers what a story looks like, so they can find it. But the fact is that each story looks different to everybody... In "Story Writing", Oliver says that he uses a blue pen called Penny to help him writing his stories, after he finds them (as a matter of fact, the word fairy sends him only 1000 words a day). He looks for new ideas everyday! In "What a Laugh", Oliver describes his favorite days at Sillandia. He really enjoys Christmas (when all people and animals are the decoration on the Christmas trees), and the Upside-Down Day, when everything but people turns upside-down. Finally, at the "What's the time", Oliver says that in Sillandia each clock shows a different time! During Harvest Day Oliver and his friends go to pick fruits from the orchids. Joey ate too much fruits and fall asleep, rolling down the hill into the brook. Everybody goes to his rescue. What an adventure!  All stories are very sweet and even touching and the characters are always showing good behavior. No violence, nothing too scary or too exciting, it will keep your toddler entertained (but not over excited) during that critical bedtime period. They will love the stories and soon enough Oliver and Jumpy will be in their hearts forever.

In my kindle fire the story was presented in landscape orientation. No option to have it in portrait orientation, but this is far away from being a problem. I just thought it was worth mentioning.
I highly recommend this book to the permanent library of any parent that is willing to entertain their kids during bedtime. I am just sad that the author announced that this book is the last one in this series. I only hope that he comes back soon with a new set of stories from our favorite characters!

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

Balance of November

During the month of November, 2016, I reviewed the following:

Books:
- "Oliver and Jumpy - Stories 55-57" by Werner Stejskal. Read my review.
- "Lost Coast Rocket" by Joel Horn. Read my review.

Book "Lost Coast Rocket" by Joel Horn

About the Book: Rockets are in Ken's DNA. At an early age, he develops a friendship with Akira, a boy who shares his passion for astronautics. While both are child prodigies, Akira does well in private school but Ken rebels against structured education. The unlikely duo draws together a small group of rocketeers, meeting in the shop behind Ken's house.

A tragic event at eight years of age haunts Ken through his growing-up years and shapes his destiny. As fate would have it, the girl at the center of the traumatic experience joins Ken's rocket club, unaware of their shared history. Will Ken tell Dawn that he is the boy she seeks?

As the group reaches their teen years, their rocket designs start pushing legal boundaries, culminating in an event that puts them in the crosshairs of an FBI investigator. To protect his friends and seek refuge from his past, Ken devises an escape plan that confounds the authorities and the world.

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: This is a very well written and edited book. Very entertaining, will keep you hooked from the first page until the end. Ken is 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 will make this story an instant success. 

I recommend this book to the permanent library of all readers that appreciate a very good novel with components of science-fiction, sweet romance, adventure, and a very intelligent plot. It will keep you entertained for hours and you will be willing to read the second book in the series (Hatching the Phoenix Egg) as soon as possible. Go for it, you will not be disappointed!

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