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book reviews |
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Multi-volume author, Mary Lu Scholl, introduces us to the second book in the series, “Mobile Mayhem”: Patty is a reluctant retiree in a Florida Mobile Home and RV Park. Socially awkward, she tries to reshape her new life with an ever-changing array of neighbors. Ever-changing, you say? Maybe if they would quit dying on her... Follow her as she solves another mysterious death...  I loved this story just as much as the first one. The author makes me laugh a lot. The story is very entertaining. I love the way Mary writes; she channels an inner curmudgeon so well. Patty comes across so well, some of us never quite fit into the social milieu. Patty is the poster child for this affliction. The dialogue is quite good, an appropriate amount of snark and lots of self-questioning. The action is excellent as well as the scene setting. The descriptions are measured and well placed. Patty gets some ghostly help from a supernatural source, a neighbor that died right after she moved in. I award 4.9 stars to “Mobile Mayhem”, the score would have been higher except for a couple of spelling errors.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Mobile-Mayhem-Trailer-Park-Travails-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/mobile-mayhem https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mobile-Mayhem-Trailer-Park-Travails-ebook You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/MaryLScholl1 https://maryluscholl.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/maryluschollauthor/ My review of the first book, “Camper Catastrophe” can be found here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/camper-catastrophe-by-mary-lu-scholl My review of the third book, "Birds, Bees, and RVs" can be found here: Birds, Bees, and RVs by Mary Lu Scholl - Word Refiner Tags: cozy, murder, mystery, Florida, pets, dog, cat, neighbors, fiction, action Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
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The Walkers, Paul, Alexandra and Calvin, debut authors introduce us to their book about having a richer life by going, “UNPLUGGED”: INTELLIGENT AND FUNNY, this book is designed for teenagers; it has hundreds of fun activities that teenagers can do that don't involve a screen. Some of the ideas are free and only take a few minutes while others may cost a small fortune and take years. UNPLUGGED contains useful ideas, such as creative ways to earn money and ideas to make your parents happy. There are a number of activities teens can do with their friends or to do to make new friends. The first section includes lists of activities that people can do, from cooking to earning money. The second includes things that teens should know about, like how to avoid being poor, how to negotiate, how to tell if someone is lying, and other similar skills. The third is similar to the second, only more focused on health. Because some of the sections are simply long lists, at the bottom “activities” were added which serve as hints or jumping-off points for that particular list. ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Paul Walker is the dad. His daughter Alexandra Boyden Walker (age 13) and his son Calvin Boyden Walker (age 17) give their dad “rant scores” whenever he contributes to the book, yet it is obvious they have deep respect for him. Teens themselves, they are concerned their peers will grow up with compromised social skills because of their obsession with their devices, spending the equivalent of 136 days a year on them. So they did extensive research and created lists of healthier activities to do instead. Visit the authors on their website: http://mindfulcynic.com/.  I enjoyed this book a lot. I found it entertaining and insightful, with a healthy dose of cute. I think that everyone benefits from engaging in different activities at all ages, but especially in the school-age years. The chapter on volunteering is quite good and provides ideas for volunteering in many different areas of interest. They can also be implemented in towns of almost any size. Learning the value of serving and assisting others is an important life skill to have. Almost all nonprofit organizations would fold without any volunteers. Many of the activities are way fun! Quite a few of them can easily be leveraged into a hobby or in a few cases, a business. Lessons can be learned, while having fun, that will remain with a person all throughout life. I recommend this book wholeheartedly. It’s fun, enjoyable, helps to build a well-rounded personality through a variety of experiences. I award 5 stars to “UNPLUGGED”! Congratulations to all of the authors!  You can buy this book:
https://rdrpublishers.com/unplugged-hundreds-of-activities-for-teens-to-do-without-a-screen https://www.amazon.com/UNPLUGGED-Hundreds-Activities-Without-Screen https://www.goodreads.com/-unplugged This book is available on many other platforms also. You can follow the authors: https://twitter.com/Mindful_Cynic http://mindfulcynic.com https://www.facebook.com/Mindfulcynic Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz except for the authors’ introduction Multi-volume, multi-genre author, Stanley C. Straub introduces us to his science fiction thriller, “The Terminus List”: A Science Fiction thriller filled with realistic characters, aliens, politics, romance, hi-tech Flybots, Universal Transport Machines, and multiple universes. The main character is a mother determined to save her daughter at all costs. She is helped by her right-hand man, a humanoid that is almost more human than robot. The story begins at the year-end extravaganza held in 2998, where Tom Florin became a statistic. He was terminated by liberated punctuation, a fancy, made-up term by the government for killing people to keep the population under control. Two years later, in 3000, the names of the new chosen ones were published for all to see. Whose names will be listed and who will get to go to the extravaganza parade and then be led to the glorious extermination stations during the Super Sunday halftime celebration. Barbara Freeman, age 16 was one of the "supposedly" lucky names chosen for the 3000 celebration. During the show which will be broadcast for the world to see, Barbara and several thousand more are planned to be terminated. Most of them are willing and happy to be part of the termination process, but Barbara, her boyfriend, and her folks are not. Can Barbara escape her pending fate?  Mandatory population control has been turned into halftime entertainment. This dystopian-themed story introduces some new twists to the genre with multiple universes, talented robots and democratic elections. I enjoyed this story, there was a lot of action and the dialogue kept the story moving at a good pace. Some of the technology was a lot of fun. We finally get our flying cars! Set in the year 3000, flying vehicles are the primary mode of transportation for the populous. I hope I don’t have to wait that long. I award 3.8 stars to “The Terminus List”, the score would have been higher except for a lot of spelling errors. These errors have been corrected according to the author. Your reading pleasure will be improved.  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Terminus-List-Stanley-Straub-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/the-terminus-list https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-terminus-list-stanley-c-straub You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/Renownedwriter https://stanleystraubauthor.com https://writerstar.wordpress.com https://www.facebook.com/stanley.straub.92 https://www.facebook.com/Stan-Straub-Author https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/76655467 tags: science fiction, sci-fi, dystopian Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Accomplished authors, Bibiana and Veronica introduce us to their first collaboration, very spooky in nature, “Hearth Fires (The Haunted Book 1)”: Enjoy an eclectic, and imaginative collection of six, original, short stories that share one central theme, the mysterious Ouija board with a nod to the troubled spirits that guide The Oracle. Take a journey through the Deep South, then head to the American Northeast, Pacific Northwest and end your reading adventure with a flight on a magical witch’s broom across the glimmering pond. Halloween can’t come soon enough! Indulge your senses and drift over to the spooky side with Hearth Fires. If you adore “Night Gallery” “Dark Shadows” “Hocus Pocus” and anything Poe, Jackson or DuMaurier, this collection was written especially for you. Culinary Coterie by Veronica Cline Barton––When Sammie Atherton returns to the family home in Smoky Shoals, Louisiana, she learns of a culinary legacy that has been passed down through generations. Will she be up for the challenge of leading the town’s Culinary Coterie with their mystery ingredients? Herbs and spices will never be the same again! The Window by Bibiana Krall––Late one night in Savannah, Tabitha sees something odd in a window. A shadow? A ghost? Or is it just her imagination that something is reaching across the great divide? The risk is in finding out the truth and discovering the lengths she might be willing to go to help a stranger… Vintage Vibrations by Veronica Cline Barton––Allie Michaels’ Salem boutique offers only the second hand best to her chichi clientele. She’s always on the search for unique finds, ready to turn a profit. When an aging actress offers her a deal too good to be true, she jumps at the offer—but will the recipients of these goods live to regret their purchases? Dark Watchers by Bibiana Krall––Emily doesn’t realize that a surreal, childhood experience in the woods holds the key to a mystery that has haunted her ever since. Betrayal becomes part of a dangerous evening when peril and danger lurks behind the smile of a handsome genius. Will she leave Big Sur with her sanity and safety intact? Board Whisperers by Veronica Cline Barton—When nanny Bria McEwen takes on her latest assignment in Glasgow, she’s looking forward to a luxurious holiday excursion with a seemingly, charming family touring the Scottish Whisky Trail. When her assignment is abruptly cancelled, she has one important question. Where are the children and their parents? La Fee Vert by Bibiana Krall––A talented painter in Paris is obsessed with becoming a commercial success. Something in her soul shifts when she’s extremely close to reaching her dreams… Will Camille discover the high price of fame in The City of Lights, a glittering place paved with the broken dreams of artists long departed.  I love a scary story as much as the next person, when the goose bumps show up, I know the story is great! I don’t care for a lot of blood and gore; it takes away the fun. I get excited when righteousness and justice prevail. Everyone wants to see the bad guy get their just desserts at the end. These stories deliver plenty of the above. They are scary and creepy in turn, with a small slice of humor included. The intersection of our contemporary world with the spirit world makes for frightening encounters. The descriptions of Big Sur stimulated fond memories and enhanced my enjoyment. These stories are excellent! They are not only compact they are so well written. I received wonderful, shivery pleasure and award five stars to “Hearth Fires”!
You can buy this book:
https://amazon.com/Hearth-Fires-Haunted-Book-1-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/hearth-fires https://www.barnesandnoble.com/hearth-fires-bibiana-krall https://www.books2read.com/HearthFires You can follow the authors: https://www.twitter.com/Bibiana1Krall https://www.bibianakrall.com https://www.amazon.com/author/bibianakrall https://www.youtube.com/channel/bookem channel https://twitter.com/VClinebarton https://www.veronicaclinebarton.com https://myamericanalmostroyalcousinseries.com https://www.facebook.com/myamericanalmostroyalcousinseries https://www.amazon.com/Veronica-Cline-Barton https://www.goodreads.com/author/Veronica_Cline_Barton https://www.youtube.com/channel/#Bookem tags: horror, shorts, Copyright © Mark L. Schultz except for the authors’ introduction Multi-volume, political-thriller author, James McCrone introduces us to his newest volume of the Imogen Trager series, “Emergency Powers”: The accidental president is no accident. When the president dies in office, FBI Agent Imogen Trager knows that the conspiracy she chased down a blind alley still has life in it-and she needs to get back in the hunt. The old case may be the key to stopping a brutal, false flag terrorist attack meant to finalize the new puppet president's grip on power. Imogen doesn't know it yet, but she's running out of time. As bodies pile up and leads go cold, the main target from that old case reaches out to her. He's still at large, and now he needs protection. Imogen doesn't trust him, and it's not only because he's offering intel that sounds too good to be true. He's already tried to kill her once. Set variously in DC, Seattle and small-town America, Emergency Powers is a story of corruption and redemption, achieved at enormous personal cost, with a ripped-from-the-headlines urgency: a fractious FBI, an undermined Attorney General, powerful people using all manner of treachery to maintain their hold on power. But it's more than headlines about things people think they know. And darker.  This is such a good book! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. McCrone has a keen eye for detail, his plotting is so good! I was sorry when I reached the end of the story, it was such good reading. A very satisfying ending, I might add. All the steps necessary to uncover the plot to control the presidency are amazing. So many disparate pieces that fit together with unbelievable precision at the end. There is so much I loved about this book, the characters, even minor players come across with depth, they seemed so real. The dialogues are very organic and the characters to live and breathe. Settings and action are commendable, all of these elements working so well together adds up to a wonderful book to read. The best and worst part of this story is how real it seemed. I worry that it could come true. I give “Emergency Powers” a score of 5 stars!  You can buy this book:
https://amazon.com/Emergency-Powers-James-McCrone-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-emergency-powers https://www.barnesandnoble.com/emergency-powers-james-mccrone You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/jamesmccrone4 https://www.facebook.com/FaithlessElector/ http://jamesmccrone.com/ I have reviewed the previous book: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/dark-network Tags: thriller, politics, political thriller, mystery, suspense, action, FBI, espionage, procedural, justice Copyright © 2020 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
July 2021
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