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​book reviews

Phantasmagorical Phobias                                         by Michelle Path

10/28/2016

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​Author Michelle Path introduces her book “Phantasmagorical Phobias”:
Everyone has something that they are scared of but what happens when someone or something has a phobia that is ironic?
Imagine a pirate who is scared of birds, a witch who is terrified of toads, a cowboy who is fearful of horses, an ogress who is frightened of people, a vampire who is petrified of blood and a dragon who is too afraid to breathe fire.
Phantasmagorical Phobias is a delightful collection of short stories about how these fears affect the lives of various individuals and how they manage to overcome them.
There is a tale for everyone, so prise open the book if you dare and discover an amazing collection of stories sure to surprise and astonish you.

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You already know this book is about people and animals that are hindered by an unusual fear, which makes living their normal life very difficult. That is just the beginning.
This collection of stories is so cute, that even the darker stories have a happy ending. Three of these stories, particularly the witch, the ogress, and the dragon, might not be suitable for young children. Those children that can read for themselves will probably be fine. Author Michelle writes most of her stories to encourage parent and child discussions, this book is not an exception.
The cover is outstanding, the stories are fun!  
I give this collection, Phantasmagorical Phobias 4.9 of 5 stars! 
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You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Phantasmagorical-Phobias-Michelle-Path
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Phantasmagorical-Phobias-Michelle-Path
https://www.goodreads.com/phantasmagorical-phobias
​

You can follow Michelle Path:
https://twitter.com/mimilovesu
http://michellepath.com.au/ 
https://www.facebook.com/michelle.path 

​
Copyright © 2016 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction ​
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The Road Chosen                                                           By T.A. Bratcher

10/21/2016

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​Author T.A. Bratcher introduces “The Road Chosen”:
The road a person has chosen can turn in mysterious and mournful ways. So how can one woman be sure that her path is promising? The Road Chosen is the deeply felt novel that shares the heartrending journey of Grace, a woman who must weather many painful twists of fate before she finally finds fulfillment. From her earliest days, Grace's road is marked by turmoil. A baby born to a drug addict in England, she was swept up in an orphanage with grim prospects and developmental issues. When an older couple, Charles and Elaine, adopt her, it seems she will get a fresh start after all. However, life presents even more challenges for Grace, who finds her new sense of normalcy upended with a move to the United States. Settling in New Hampshire, she soon endures bullying, the unraveling of her family, and her own destructive actions, which work to ravage her sense of self that she worked so hard to establish. When Grace ultimately reconnects with loved ones and takes an honest look at her own actions, she discovers that the road she has chosen might not be smooth, but it can be deeply meaningful.
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I was quite startled by this book. It is not written in the same way as most books. It is written almost entirely in first person. This provides an intense intimacy rarely found anywhere. While the story might seem slow at times, hang in there because it is well worth the wait.
I grew to care deeply about Grace, she could have been a member of my family or a close friend. Some of the events in her life shook me to the core, my eyes teared up more than once, and anger coursed through my veins several times. I wanted to go all Hulk on Grace’s tormentors!
This is a book to relish slowly and savor for a long time after the last page!
I give The Road Chosen 4.9 of 5 Stars!
Good news, the sequel, “The Road Taken” is already available!
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Buy the book:
https://www.amazon.com/The-Road-Chosen-T-Bratcher
https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Road-Chosen-T-Bratcher
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21810712-the-road-chosen
 
Follow TA Bratcher:
https://twitter.com/TABratcher
http://www.tabratcher.com/
https://twitter.com/BratcherPublish 

​
Copyright © 2016 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction 
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Abduction Revelation II                                     Truth Be Told                                                               by Thomas L. Hay

10/14/2016

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​Author Thomas Hay introduces us to his book Abduction Revelation II:
We now know who the abductors are and where they came from. It has been thirty-seven years since Tom and his clone (Tom-Tom) traded places. Tom-Tom has discovered his true identity and that Tom's life may be in danger. Monroe abducts Tom-Tom to aid Tom in his desperate situation. They both discover secrets that Monroe had kept from them, along with a few other surprises.
Rejoin 'The Comeback Kid' in his latest adventure as he discovers Monroe's secrets and learns the truth behind his abductions. Another incredible journey packed with mystery, action, comedy, romance and more exhilarating plot twists.
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Thank you Thomas for writing more of your story. Or should I be thanking Tom or Tom-Tom? I am confused. Yes, I will thank all three of you. That’s it, yeah, that’s it.
You are definitely going to want to read the original book Abduction Revelation first.
AR II is just as much a wild ride as the first. In this book there is more action, more romance, more mystery and more comedy. Most of the jokes are just as bad, if that is any comfort.
I am committed to No Spoilers in my review. So, I enjoyed reading AR II just as much as the first. Thomas maintains this record is accurate. He writes really well, switching between first and third person.
The story drew me in immediately, I enjoyed the first book so much, the wait was long and well worth it! Some of the action was very intense at times, and there was plenty of dialogue, the story never drags! It is fun to read and left me looking up at the stars a lot!
Abduction Revelation II gets 4.8 stars of 5! Plenty of reading enjoyment and well written.

Thomas has combined this with the first volume of his book into The Abduction Chronicles.

​You can buy the new book on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Abduction-Chronicles-Thomas-L-Hay-ebook/dp/B0768LLRS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1527108538&sr=1-1&keywords=Abduction+Chronicles
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​You can buy his books:
https://www.amazon.com/Abduction-Revelation-II-Thomas-Hay
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Abduction-Revelation-II-Thomas-Hay
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32471323-abduction-revelation-ii
 
You can follow Thomas:
http://thomaslhay.com/
https://twitter.com/thomaslhay 

​
Copyright © 2016 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction ​
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My Grandfather’s Pants                                               by Tegon Maus

10/7/2016

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Author Tegon Maus introduces us to “My Grandfather’s Pants”:
Jack Laskin is an ordinary man. More than ordinary according to some. Running the family hardware store and a life that would bore a snail, nothing exciting ever seems to happen to him. 
Then, at his mother’s urging, he tries on a pair of his late grandfather's old pants and everything changes -- most importantly his emerging love life. It's not long before his mother and her meddling friends get involved. 
When an old friend of his grandfather’s tells Jack he has something she wants, his new-found life takes another turn. Having no idea what he is supposed to have, Jack looks to his girlfriend, Connie, and her brother, Robert, for help. 

In the end, the answers will all be found in his 'Grandfather’s Pants'.
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HELP! I am Rolling On The Floor Laughing! ROTFL for you millennials and younger. I have not laughed so much, even “Bob”* wasn’t this funny! This is the story of Jack dealing with a peculiar history of the males in his family. I have promised not to spoil a book in my reviews. Though I cannot say any more about this history, I can say that while Jack is wooing the girl of his dreams he is subject to extreme external pressures he fears will cost him far more than the love of his life.
I know that sounds so serious, fear not, this is the funniest book I have read in at least 10 years! Tegon masterfully captures the angst and worry Jack feels as a relationship with the beautiful Connie begins to blossom. His mom gets involved, her friends get involved, three nubile women get involved, and his grandfather’s pants get involved! It might be too much to say the pants save the day, but they have an undeniable influence!
Tegon handles so much of the craft well, he moves the story along perfectly with lots of action and dialogue. He preserves POV quite nicely as well, the lack of proper POV is one of my pet peeves.
I gave “Bob”* an extra tenth of a point for humor, I have to give “My Grandfather’s Pants” an extra five tenths of a point for extreme humor. Not outrageous humor, but such an overwhelming amount of laughing is created! Maybe "Bob" has the belt that goes with the pants!
I give "My Grandfather's Pants" a score 5.4 of 5 stars!
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Buy “My Grandfather’s Pants”:
https://www.amazon.com/My-Grandfathers-Pants-Tegon-Maus-ebook
https://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Grandfathers-Pants-Tegon-Maus-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/my-grandfather's-pants
 
You can follow Tegon Maus:
https://twitter.com/TegonMaus
http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Maus_Tegon/index.htm
https://www.facebook.com/Tegon-Maus-150255051766767/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tegon-maus-93160662 

 *See the book review of 
“Bob” at: http://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/-bob-by-tegon-maus

​Copyright © 2016 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction 
​
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