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book reviews |
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Multi-book author Sean Ferrell introduces us to Man In The Empty Suit: Say you're a time traveler and you've already toured the entirety of human history. After a while, the outside world might lose a little of its luster. That's why this time traveler celebrates his birthday partying with himself. Every year, he travels to an abandoned hotel in New York City in 2071, the hundredth anniversary of his birth, and drinks twelve-year-old Scotch (lots of it) with all the other versions of who he has been and who he will be. Sure, the party is the same year after year, but at least it's one party where he can really, well, be himself. The year he turns 39, though, the party takes a stressful turn for the worse. Before he even makes it into the grand ballroom for a drink he encounters the body of his forty-year-old self, dead of a gunshot wound to the head. As the older versions of himself at the party point out, the onus is on him to figure out what went wrong--he has one year to stop himself from being murdered, or they're all goners. As he follows clues that he may or may not have willingly left for himself, he discovers rampant paranoia and suspicion among his younger selves, and a frightening conspiracy among the Elders. Most complicated of all is a haunting woman possibly named Lily who turns up at the party this year, the first person besides himself he's ever seen at the party. For the first time, he has something to lose. Here's hoping he can save some version of his own life.  Can a man stop himself from killing himself in the future? I love sci-fi and especially those stories about time travel. Sean takes a common plot device and uses it in a most unusual and entertaining fashion. This is a story that delivers a great deal of fun and intrigue as #39 tries to keep from becoming the very dead #40. People who love whodunits will enjoy this book a great deal as well as hardcore fans of sci-fi. Some very nice writing, Sean easily paints a clear picture with setting, action, and dialog. He manages POV in what could be a very confusing scenario. I enjoyed the book a lot. I give this book 4.6 stars.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Man-Empty-Suit-Sean-Ferrell-ebook https://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-Empty-Suit-Sean-Ferrell-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13531802-man-in-the-empty-suit You can follow Sean Ferrell: https://twitter.com/byseanferrell http://seanferrell.com/ Science fiction, time travel, mystery, suspense, thriller, action, sci-fi Copyright © 2017 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction
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Multi-book author Raven Price introduces us to The Plan: As a young child, Rachel Parody has a very special relationship with Jesus. By his side, she explores a magical place, is comforted, and encouraged to not live in fear. Over time, Rachel and Jesus lose contact and evil demons use their time of separation to steer her into the ways of the world. Not until her heart is completely broken and her mind is convinced she is headed for hell will she seek a face-to-face encounter again with her Savior. At the age of thirty-four, Rachel learns to rely and depend on her childhood friend once again. He teaches her the truth and then introduces her to the love of her life. Because of her horrific past, many years later, Rachel’s need to be a good example for young women in her church drives her to worry over their romantic influences. When she notices a series of books and movies enslaving them with lustful desires, her interest gets piqued. After investigating the books, these stories don’t repulse her but become a catalysis for Rachel to share the love of Jesus with these girls. But the fantasy appeal of the characters enthralls the girls more than helping them see there is a true immortal named, Jesus. She tried many ways to share how this love story between a mortal and a vampire was written from references out of the Bible’s ‘Song of Solomon.’ but no one would listen. Once Rachel realizes her efforts were futile, she asks Jesus to calm her obsession and send someone who could reach the younger generation with His loving nature. Instead of sending Rachel help, Jesus convinces her to write her own story. Exposing her past was not in Rachel’s plan, but giving her life away as an example was His. Will Rachel tell everything?  This book details some of the in-the-trenches warfare in the battle between Good and Evil over one human soul. It describes the planning, efforts and effects spiritual forces can have on people. We make choices in our lives without always being aware of being manipulated by these forces. Raven has made some deliberate choices in the structure of the book and makes this work very well. She explains it succinctly in the Prologue. The author handles POV with great dexterity; there is no head hopping allowed and I appreciate the clarity it brings to her book. Her book is easy to read. This story is about Rachel, a person growing into a complete commitment in her spiritual life. Many are seeking their way along a spiritual path and this book brings some much-needed light. I greatly appreciate the steps she went through as it mirrored many of my own steps. I loved the book for many reasons, it gets a score of 4.7 of 5 stars!  You can buy The Plan:
https://www.amazon.com/The+Plan+by+Raven+Price https://www.amazon.co.uk/the+Plan-Raven-H-Price-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34214742-the-plan You can follow Raven: https://twitter.com/Roaringpurr http://ravenhprice.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/Roaringpurr https://www.linkedin.com/in/raven-price https://www.pinterest.com/ravenhprice/ http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01CZZ90Q2 Religious, inspirational, spiritual, Christian, fiction, Christfic, Christian fiction Copyright © 2017 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction Debut author Robert Perrine introduces us to The Bookshop and The Junglest: When a mysterious book appears on the coffee table of Maggy and Ethan’s house, they have no idea of the adventure in store for them. They discover a magical bookshop and its wildly eccentric proprietor, Mr. Catterwall, as well as his geriatric kitty, Achebe. But when the children are pulled into one of the books, they find themselves at the mercy of the Junglest and its many residents. The Junglest is a beautiful place where stories grow on trees. But Maggy and Ethan aren’t the first to ever visit this magical land. The Pharess has come before them, and she has plans for a story all her own. So come in reader. Come in. Pull up a nice place under a blue tree, and enjoy the story. But fair warning: Not all stories are safe. Here there be Bearguars.  This is a book that a bearguar would love, actually I think just about anyone would love this book! It is so entertaining, and the story line is quite creative. There will be no more spoilers from me. Robert’s writing is absolutely delightful, it’s clear and easy to follow. His descriptive powers are well developed. POV is clear, action is abundant, and dialog is very appropriate. There is very little head hopping, which I appreciate greatly. This story is filled with love, beauty, and wonder which most middle-grade kids will love. There are a few tense moments but nothing too overwhelming. For younger kids this story should be read to them. This could become a favorite of many generations and almost all ages. The bookshop and Junglest gets 4.9 stars.  You can buy this book:
https://amazon.com/Bookshop-Junglest-Robert-Perrine-ebook https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bookshop-Junglest-Robert-Perrine-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34016013-the-bookshop-and-the-junglest You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/RlperrineRobert https://www.facebook.com/groups/221017668305268 fantasy, fiction, children, MG, magic, inspirational Copyright © 2017 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction Author Michael Allan Scott introduces us to Dark Side of Sunset Pointe: Visions of murders before they happen, it’s a curse. Lance Underphal was devastated by his wife’s death. And now, the down-and-out freelance photographer can’t let her go. He wakes up plagued by premonitions. The double shooting of an Arizona real estate developer and his mistress/bookkeeper immerse Underphal in a world of psychic phenomena. Dark, different, and based on real-life events, this genre-bending murder mystery will keep you guessing. Looking for a new series of supernatural murder mysteries? Psychic thriller novels of mystery and suspense? Perhaps a paranormal mystery? Or maybe those scary books that you can’t put down? Regardless, the dark, disturbing fiction by Indie Author, Michael Allan Scott, won’t disappoint.  This is the first in the series of Lance Underphal Mysteries. I love the character of Lance Underphal, in fact I find all the characters in Dark Side to be quirky and intriguing. His characters come across as very real. This is a major part of what makes Mr. Scott’s story such a standout in the field of indie writing. Michael’s well defined POV is another reason, it is easy to keep track of each character. Even more delicious, Lance is written in First Person point of view, something many authors don’t attempt. The scenes are well staged, dialog and action are plentiful. The procedures seem very authentic and the supernatural side is quite entertaining at times in the person of Lance’s dead wife, Sonja. Dark Side of Sunset Pointe gets 5 stars!  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Sunset-Pointe-Underphal-ebook https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Side-Sunset-Pointe-Underphal https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22024290-dark-side-of-sunset-pointe You can follow Michael at: http://michaelallanscott.com/ https://twitter.com/MAllanScott https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichaelAllanScott http://www.pinterest.com/mas9375/ https://plus.google.com/+Michaelallanscott paranormal, psychic, murder, mystery, thriller, suspense, action, adult Copyright © 2017 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction Prolific author Harriet Hodgson introduces us to the second volume in the Family Caregivers series: Affirmations for Family Caregivers: Harriet Hodgson has cared for three generations of family members—her mother, husband, and twin grandchildren. The affirmations in this book come from Harriet’s eighteen years of caregiving experience, with more years to come. In 2013 her husband’s aorta dissected and he had three emergency operations. Surgeons managed to save her husband’s life, but he suffered a spinal stroke during the last operation, and his legs are paralyzed. Hodgson is his caregiver and, when she needed a boost, she started writing affirmations. Once she started, Hodgson couldn't stop writing them, and a few dozen grew into the hundreds in this collection. “Affirmations are a form of self-care,” Hodgson explains. “Reading an affirmation in the morning can set the tone for your caregiving day.”  Harriet knows being a caregiver is hard work. She has done it for a long time and has brought forth a marvelous book to assist those who lovingly care for others. This book is not just a breath of fresh air for someone toiling day in and day out for a loved one, it is genius! It provides a moment of respite and encouragement for those showing love every waking minute. These affirmations directly acknowledge the difficulties that can beset the caregiver, supports overcoming them and respects the caregiver as well as the receiver of care. Affirmations for Family Caregivers gets 5 STARS! I love this book!  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Affirmations-Family-Caregivers-Book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Affirmations-Family-Caregivers-Book https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25589744-affirmations-for-family-caregivers You can follow Harriet Hodgson: https://twitter.com/healthmn1 http://www.harriethodgson.com/ http://www.harriethodgson.com/blog https://www.pinterest.com/harriethodgson1/ Health, caregiving, aging, family, fitness, dieting, self-help, self-esteem, personal care, growth Here is the link to my review of the first book in the series: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-family-caregivers-guide-by-harriet-hodgson-ma Copyright © 2017 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction |
Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
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