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book reviews |
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Multi-genre, multi-volume author Wayne Kerr introduces us to his third book in the Reggie Swan series: Trapped on a train with a ruthless killer… The Kettle Valley Railway was established over a hundred years ago. The line connected the communities around Lake Okanagan with each other and to the West Coast. In 1964 passenger service ended and 1989 saw the final freight train travel its rails. The majestic steam engines are running once again, providing scenic tours for locals and tourists. Reggie Swann and her friends board a special late night running of the Okanagan Express. They are treated to gorgeous valley lights, good food and wonderful company, until things go horribly wrong. A whiteout storm strands the small train on one of the highest trestle bridges in North America. Then, to make matters worse, one of the passengers is murdered. When all the evidence points at Alan Swift, Reggie’s boyfriend, the PI has a few hours to prove his innocence before the police take over the case. A cunning and callous foe seems to be one step ahead of the detective at every turn. When Alan is hauled off the train in handcuffs Reggie appears to be beaten, unless the Black Swann has another trick up her sleeve… Another Black Swann Investigation  I love these books, set mostly in the beautiful Pacific Northwest; the story about Reggie Swann’s survival in prison (the first book) and growth since reentering free society, after being unjustly framed, (the second book) are quite well written. I thoroughly enjoy Wayne’s mastery of the English language; he is economical with his words and yet paints a great picture of the fluid action and wonderful scene-setting. The dialogue is a lot of fun and very realistic. Many different factors come into play, even the weather as in real life. I also appreciate the homage to one of the greatest mystery writers ever, Agatha Christie and her renowned “Murder on the Orient Express”. Just like Poirot, Swann’s wits are pitted against a deranged, uncaring foe and the defender of law and order wins out over duplicity and treachery. I award 4.9 stars to “Murder on the Okanagan Express”.  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/murder-on-okanagan-express https://www.goodreads.com/-murder-on-the-okanagan-express https://www.amazon.co.uk/Murder-Okanagan-Express-Black-Investigation-ebook You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/waynekerrnovels http://www.waynekerrnovels.com/ You can write Wayne: [email protected] I have already reviewed the first book in this series: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/framed-black-swann-investigations-book-1-by-wayne-kerr I have reviewed the second book in the series: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/a-pinot-noir-to-die-for-a-black-swann-investigation-book-2-by-wayne-kerr I have reviewed another exciting book by Wayne Kerr https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/-ric-a-dam-doo-the-snow-devils-by-wayne-a-d-kerr Tags: private investigator, woman, sleuth, mystery, procedural, police Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction.
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Debut author, Robert A. Tayler, introduces us to his first volume in the “A Tide of Times” series: MR. PETRIE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A PIRATE? Before December 2, 2002, Roger Petrie would have laughed off such a question as absurd. Although he and his older brother Tom were sea-faring men, their experiences in the Navy and Merchant Marine were a far cry from the stuff of pirate legends. That was before their cargo ship MV Belvedere floundered during a violent eastern Caribbean storm that fateful winter night. Before they woke up the following morning and a ship commanded by a bloodthirsty rogue that had no business being there, in that time, appeared and changed their lives forever. The brothers had to rely on their twenty-first century wits and technology to escape death, both at the hands of their new, sadistic captain and crewmates and the governmental authorities' intent on their destruction. To their friends and family, the brothers had been lost at sea, the Belvedere disappeared without a trace. People were shocked when, through a bizarre set of circumstances, the brothers were found and rescued from an uncharted island, close to where the Belvedere had disappeared two years prior. Not wanting to recount what had happened to them in those lost years, the brothers returned home. Roger resolved to forget the past and build a normal life, marrying Rebekah, moving to Sarasota, FL, and raising two children. Tom moved to Sarasota as well, to be near Roger's family, and to start a new chapter in their lives. The past proved more difficult to ignore than Roger imagined. His new wife and her friends were mystified as evidence—ancient weapons, valuable coins, names of ships and captains long since vanished—keeps surfacing. As the evidence mounts, Rebekah is left to wonder; did something unbelievable happen to her husband and his brother after their ship was lost? And can Roger deflect her suspicions without destroying his family and driving himself insane?  I dreamed of being a pirate when I was a young boy, also a cowboy, fighter pilot and an astronaut. Reading this book was a little like returning to that dream, but not nearly as romantic and far more deadly. Stories about time travel are some of my favorite and this story exemplifies that category so well! I love the tension of revealing the truth to his wife and friends that Roger is slowly floundering in. The question of what people will think is a biggie. The author plays that song so well. I enjoyed reading this story so much. It’s quite well written, the dialogue shines, the scene-setting is delightful and the action is vigorous without being too detailed. The balance was perfect for me. I award 4.8 stars to “Plundering the Past”.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Plundering-Past-Tide-Times-1-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-plundering-the-past https://www.barnesandnoble.com/plundering-the-past-robert-a-tayler You can follow the author: twitter.com/robertatayler17 https://robertataylerauthor.com facebook.com/robertataylerauthor https://www.instagram.com/robertatayler mail to: [email protected] Tags: sea adventures, historical fiction, time travel, Caribbean, Florida, pirate, sailing Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Multi-volume author, Brian Lee Meyer introduces us to the second volume in the series of “Sons of Zeruiah: The Betrayals of King David”: The ringing of swords can be heard in Israel once again. While war has brought Abishai and Joab wealth and prestige, new threats are emerging. As the trumpets of battle call, one brother will struggle to build the home and family for which he has always yearned; the other will grapple with his very sanity. At the worst possible time, they will face betrayal from the person they least expect. Can they escape infamy and rise to glory a second time? Will they even survive long enough to do so? Sons of Zeruiah: The Betrayals of King David is the climactic sequel to Brian Lee Meyer's breakout novel. The story maintains its historical and cultural authenticity which readers enjoyed in The Mighty Men of King David. Betrayals crescendos with action, heartache, and brotherhood right up to the satisfying finish.  This is an amazing story! If you are a fan of historical fiction or biblical fiction this is exactly what you have been looking for! This sequel is every bit as good as the first story. The story really comes alive on so many levels. I love that it’s told in first person POV. It brings such intimacy to the story. Brian puts muscle, sinew and flesh on the bare-bones of the days of King David, as told in the Bible. The characterizations are magnificent, the scene-setting is terrific and the action is jaw-dropping! This story would make a great movie. I award 5 stars to “Sons of Zeruiah: The Betrayals of King David”!  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Sons-Zeruiah-Betrayals-King-David https://www.goodreads.com/-sons-of-zeruiah-betrayals-of-king-david You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/blmeyerstories https://www.brianleemeyerstories.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Brian-Lee-Meyer-154704661915171/ Tags: biblical fiction, historical fiction, military action, war adventure Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Multi-volume author, Joshua Rem, introduces us to the fourth volume in his YA fantasy series, “Vath’s Legacy”: Two hundred innocent Nyobian citizens perished by the hand of the renegade warlock and domestic terrorist, Krexin Vath. Following his defeat three years ago, an entire country's worth of potential victims heaved a collective sigh of relief, believing their terrible ordeal to finally be over. They were wrong. Other warlocks and necromancers are now banding together to continue the work of Vath. Kiralyn Frostwhisper and her unlikely undead ally, Rufino Endicott, have a unique opportunity to infiltrate the death cult and expose everyone involved, but there's a catch. Evil is contagious, and nobody is immune. What awaits the duo is a severe test of character in which the only thing they have going for them is each other.  I have read a few vampire books, including Abraham Stoker’s classic. Stoker’s antagonist was very chilling, others have been interesting. Rufino is the most interesting vampire I have had the pleasure of meeting. His personality shines so brightly in this wonderful story. What’s not to love about a halfling, shape-shifting vampire. His relationship with the elf druid priestess is something else. The author has a wonderful handle on dialogue that entertains and informs. The pace of the story was quite good. The scene-setting was just right for me, not too much and the action flowed smoothly. I enjoyed the story so much! I laughed a great deal. I award 5 stars to “Vath’s Legacy”!  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Vaths-Legacy-Rufino-Factor-Book-four https://www.goodreads.com/-vath-s-legacy You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/joshua_rem http://www.joshuarem.com Tags: fantasy, vampire, magical realism, romance, humor, elf Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Award-winning, multi-volume author, Rachel Jones introduces us to her romance novel, “Polish to Perfection”: A renowned concert pianist, still grieving for her parents, desires a normal life. A widowed surgeon seeks a fresh start in a new city. Ella Craig is ready to exchange a life of touring for a less nomadic existence. On her way to San Diego, she detours home. Her appearance with the San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra ends in disaster, resulting in an injury. Now she must temporarily remain in the city where her parents died two years ago. Jackson Hart relocates to San Francisco from Atlanta for a fresh start and in eighteen months, has not met anyone that ignites a romantic spark, until he meets Ella. Jackson wants Ella to stay in San Francisco and encourages her to use her recuperation time to deal with her grief. When a family emergency arises, Jackson rushes to Atlanta. Torn between his feelings for Ella and his duty to family, he resigns his position at Bayside Medical Center and makes plans to return to the Southeast to care for his aging grandparents. How will they balance their dreams and responsibilities with their growing love for one another? With happiness seeming just out of reach for both of them, will they overcome insurmountable odds to forge a future together?  For years, all I read was sci-fi and fantasy. I missed some really good writing in other genres. This contemporary romance is a perfect example of excellent writing. The plot, pacing, characters and everything else that goes into creating a story that captivates and won’t let you put it down easily. Rachel’s skill is far above average in action, scene-setting and dialogue. I felt like I knew the characters so well while reading the book. She doesn’t waste any words! I award “Polish to Perfection” 4.9 stars.  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Polish-Perfection-Rachel-W-Jones-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-polish-to-perfection https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/polish-to-perfection-rachel-w-jones You can follow the author: http://rachelwjones.com https://twitter.com/rjonesauthor https://www.facebook.com/RachelJonesAuthor https://www.goodreads.com/author/Rachel_Jones https://www.instagram.com/wardripjones Tags: San Francisco, Atlanta, orchestra, music, piano, surgeon, doctor, medicine Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Debut author, Lali A. Love, introduces us to her metaphysical and mystical novel, “Heart of a Warrior Angel”: Lali A. Love provides a supernatural thriller of metaphysical and visionary fantasy with her own revolutionary philosophy and unique narrative skills to produce this emotionally invoking, heart-wrenching and gripping tale of a family's rise from poverty, oppression and abuse. Lilac Noble must face the traumatic experiences of her childhood before she can conquer the dark entities that have wreaked havoc on her family. On this epic journey, Lilac undergoes the destructive process of spiritual enlightenment in order to lift the veil of darkness and shame that has obscured her youth. As Lilac unlocks painful memories of abuse, suppressed in her subconscious from years of fear-based conditioning, she uncovers menacing secrets feeding the evil within her generational bloodline. In an attempt to vanquish the sinister energies, Lilac finds the courage to discover her inner truth, vulnerability, and authenticity, as she awakens her divine light and overcomes her debilitating fears of the past. Lilac's unconditional love for her family guides her through her process of healing and transformation, fuelling her instinct for survival and her burning desire to illuminate the world. Spanning two continents and three generations, this inspirational novel portrays the best and worst of humanity and shows how the "tiniest spark of light can overcome the darkness of any magnitude," through forgiveness, compassion, and the most powerful force in the universe – Love.  This is quite the powerful story. I enjoyed it quite a bit. However, some of the descriptions of abuse may be difficult for some, they aren’t unnecessarily glorified, but they might be hard to read for those triggered by fairly graphic domestic violence. These descriptions are counterbalanced by extensive descriptions of the spiritual journey the protagonist took. Each step, highly detailed. For me, this exposition was excessive and greatly slowed the story down; others can easily disagree with me because they relish all the details. The descriptions of dialogue were very enjoyable at times, the scene setting was quite good. I award a score of 4 stars to “Heart of a Warrior Angel”.  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Heart-Warrior-Angel-Darkness-Light https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heart-of-a-warrior-angel-lali-a-love https://www.goodreads.com/-heart-of-a-warrior-angel You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/laliaristo http://www.authorlalialove.com https://www.instagram.com/vibrationslovelight Tags: metaphysical, paranormal, suspense, fiction, mystical Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Debut author, Regie Khemvisay, introduces us to her dystopian YA novel, “Death’s Kiss”: For fans of the Hunger Games, 1984, and the Lottery... Life is valuable. Death is a necessity. In Yliria, this is not a contradiction. New Year’s Eve 2054. A virus, later named the BlackJack, struck and killed 3/4 of the world’s population. Only those who were 21 and younger were not infected. Treaties broke off. Countries severed connection to the outside world. And the country of Yliria built its own invisible walls. Thirty-eight years later…Yliria is now at peace. But nothing is gained without sacrifices. Yuri’s life was perfect. Family. School. Career. Then there’s Ryoma. Her one true love. Nothing could go wrong when she has everything planned out. But on the night of their anniversary, it did not end with a kiss. Ripped from their normal lives, both Yuri and Ryoma woke up from a dream to face the real nightmares. As a punishment for their parents’ treason, they must serve the government—the System—as the new Aces of the Court Department, assigned to oversee and maintain the peace and balance within Yliria. One week. 13 lives. Armed, not with a weapon, but the same virus that destroyed the world. The Aces must escape their new fate. If not, the only path left in their future is the one covered in blood.  I was caught unawares by this book. I thought it was just another dystopian romance for the Young Adults (YA) category. It is that and so much more. The many and varied plot twists revealed to me that I was going to be kept on my toes for the entire ride. I really enjoyed this ride! The author has some great characters in this story and the changes can be quite startling. I promise no spoilers, but it is harder than normal not to talk about many of the exciting moments. The scene-setting is not overdone, by any stretch of the imagination, it’s quite adequate; the dialogue is very good and action fills the bill nicely. All in all, this is a fun and exciting story with a number of tense moments. I award a score of 4.5 stars to this wonderful tale of young lovers trapped in a world they didn’t make.  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Deaths-Kiss-Regie-Khemvisay-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42757941-death-s-kiss https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deaths-kiss-regie-khemvisay You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/RAKhemvisay https://www.regiekhemvisay.com https://www.instagram.com/rkhemvisay Tags: post-apocalyptic, fiction, science fiction, romance, Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Multi- genre author Chris Knoblaugh, introduces us to her non-fiction book on writing a memoir, part of a series called “Teach Your Child”, “Creative Memoir: Rewrite Your Life”: Help your friends and family members create a lasting memory book! Written in an easy to follow format with plenty of examples, Creative Memoir: Rewrite Your Life can help you capture the stories and memories shared by your family and friends. Encourage your extended family to contribute memorable experiences, or simply write your own material. This handbook shows you how to produce and orchestrate a creative memoir of your own.  This is a good book. It fulfills the expectations about learning how to write a memoir for family members quite well. I really enjoyed the engaging style of writing that the author has. Her examples of different methods and angles of making a memoir about a beloved member of the family are wonderful. She makes it seem so easy. I award 5 stars to this delightful and humorous volume, “Creative Memoir: Rewrite Your life”.  You can buy this e-book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Creative-Memoir-Rewrite-Teach-Child-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-creative-memoir It’s also available as a paperback. I have reviewed her MG paranormal fiction story: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/tribute-the-cleaners-series-book-1-by-chris-knoblaugh You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/ChrisKnoblaugh https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17944982.Chris_Knoblaugh https://dancingwithwordstutoring.blogspot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/CKnoblaugh http://mrsknoblaugh.weebly.com/ Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Multi-volume author, Paullett Golden introduces us to her third volume in her An Enchantress series, “The Baron and The Enchantress”: Lilith Chambers’ quiet life as a parish midwife shatters when the brother thought responsible for her death discovers she's alive and well. Having been raised in an orphanage, she has few memories of her real parentage or the circumstances of her disappearance from the life she ought to have. As she reorients herself in a new life, she meets the one man she can’t have. Walter Hobbs, Baron Collingwood, is struggling to assume the mantle of his untimely inheritance. Then he meets Lilith Chambers, the long-lost daughter of the 15th Earl of Roddam. He is struck by love at first sight. She is everything he could ever want in a woman, except for two inconveniences: she is illegitimate, and she wants nothing to do with him. This is the love story of Walter and Lilith as they discover themselves through each other.  Paullett’s writing is Amazing! She makes me feel I am right there in the thick of things and party to the thoughts of the Enchantress Lilith. I laughed so much while reading this book! I am a fan of first person POV, when it’s done right. Paullett does it more than right, she pulls it off with such excellence. Her characters live and breathe quite realistically, the scene setting is wonderful, the action is plentiful. The dialogue, oh the dialogue; it is so witty at times and dripping with sarcasm at other times. The little things, food, flowers, weather, everything works together to make the world come alive. All in all, the story is so enthralling. I award “The Baron and The Enchantress” a score of 5 stars! It’s so good!  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/the-baron-and-the-enchantress https://www.goodreads.com/the-baron-and-the-enchantress https://www.bookbub.com/the-baron-and-the-enchantress-an-enchantress-novel-book-3-by-paullett-golden You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/PaullettGolden https://www.paullettgolden.com https://www.facebook.com/Paullettgolden https://www.instagram.com/paullettgolden Tags: Regency romance, England, nobility, landed gentry, royalty Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Multi-volume author, Boris Sanders, introduces us to his book “CODE: Revelation (The Emporion Chronicles Book 1)”: Introverted computer scientist Maximilian Gutenberg had no intention of acquiring a crystal with a being trapped inside, especially not one with the power to save— or destroy—humanity. Her name is Lucy, and she cannot escape her prison until her mission is complete. A mission she keeps secret from everyone, even Max. But she needs his help. To gain his trust, she offers to get rid of his abusive boss in one week, and get him that promotion he always wanted. She’ll make him the hero of his own life, a man worthy of recognition, in exchange for helping her complete her mission. This could be the opportunity of Max’s life, but he can’t help but wonder if Lucy is as good as she seems… And exactly what mission she must complete to regain her freedom. Set in a dystopian, futuristic city built miles into the sky, “CODE: Revelation” is a powerful, psychological thrill ride that calls into question the nature of good and evil, and the importance of taking control of your own destiny.  This book is so much fun! I loved following the adventures and misadventures of Maximilian, his trusty, rusty robot and Julia, his girlfriend; with some very special leverage provided by Lucy who is from a crystal. Boris Sanders' writing is wonderful. He has a great sense of comedy, I found myself laughing and chuckling all the way through the book. The dialogue really sparkles! The characters have some good depth to them, the action is downright exciting at times! I award 5 stars to “CODE: Revelation”. This ride is well worth taking!  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Code-Revelation-Emporion-Chronicles-Book-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/book/-code-revelation https://www.amazon.co.uk/Code-Revelation-Chronicles-Boris-Sanders You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/BorisSanders1 https://borissanders.com https://www.facebook.com/BorisSandersAuthor Tags: science fiction, sci-fi, technopunk thriller, cyberpunk, action, robot, romance, dystopian past, office work Copyright © 2019 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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