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​book reviews

Unbalanced                                                                     by Courtney Shepard

11/25/2016

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Asha is fire.

Every generation four sisters with power over earth, air, fire, and water are born to fight against a fanatical, secret faith. The Order exists only to sacrifice the sisters for their power. With each success their strength and control grows. They have never failed, for their rule depends on it.

The sisters, separated at birth, are unaware of what hunts them...but they are coming.
A handsome stranger discovers Asha in hiding and swears allegiance to her cause. She falls for him; though he is not who he says he is. Betrayed and imprisoned inside the Order, Asha is without her power for the first time in her life. 

As the war heats up haunting secrets and true motivations are revealed, but the sisters must unite and override their instincts and trust the untrustworthy if they are to fight their terrifying destiny.
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What a fun book to read! I am so glad I did not miss this book, the fantasy and paranormal underpinnings lend depth, which is not often encountered in a modern action tale.
Asha is hot! She is also a mercenary, she fights injustice and slavery. But something goes very wrong in the latest mission. The intel was faulty, and Father Sean is aiming at her!
I am committed to never giving spoilers, therefore I cannot provide more details about the book. I can announce that a sequel is in the works, which is the best possible news I can share. 
The author has done a really nice job of writing this book. She shows a mastery of POV, she gives a wonderful depth to her characters and the settings.
I award Unbalanced a score of 4.9 of 5 Stars! 
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You can buy Unbalanced:
https://www.amazon.com/Unbalanced-Courtney-Shepard-ebook
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unbalanced-Courtney-Shepard-ebook
https://www.amazon.ca/Unbalanced-Courtney-Shepard-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25602441-unbalanced
http://champagnebooks.com/store/Unbalanced
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unbalanced-courtney-shepard
 
You can follow Courtney:
https://twitter.com/CAShepard76
http://www.unbalancedseries.com/
https://www.facebook.com/unbalancedseries/

​​Copyright © 2016 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction ​
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Christmas Hawk                                                             by Haven Caylor

11/18/2016

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​Author Haven Caylor introduces Christmas Hawk:
Hawk is a red-tailed hawk who is recruited, along with other birds of the world with keen vision, to help with Santa’s Nice List. Hawk finds children who are not only nice, but give of themselves, and pass on the spirit of giving: the Christmas spirit. Hawks’ favorite nice children, Carter and Ammon, are found right outside her own nest.
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​This is such a beautiful book on multiple levels. I am holding the physical copy in my hands, it is oversized, 8 ½” by 11”. The illustrations are full-page and lend so much to the story. It is not a long book, but the story is timeless. This can be read to any child.
Carter and Ammon, characters in the book, are also the author’s children; they actually helped write the story, as part of their homeschooling program; it all started with a nature walk. They saw the familiar red-tailed hawk that lived near their home and developed the idea for this book.
Because of the charming timeless tale, the exquisite illustrations, and the worldly relevance, this book gets 5 of 5 STARS! 
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Haven is holding a trained red-tailed hawk named Cody. Carter is in front and Ammon to Haven’s side.

You can buy the book at:
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Hawk-Haven-Caylor
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Hawk-Haven-Caylor
https://www.goodreads.com/christmas-hawk
 
You can follow Haven:
http://www.parentingwithpride.net/
https://twitter.com/Twin_Travel
twitter.com/PorchParenting

​​Copyright © 2016 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction ​
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Reinhabiting the Village                                        Co-Creating our Future                                           by Jamaica Stevens

11/11/2016

2 Comments

 
Author Jamaica Stevens describes Reinhabiting the Village:
"ReInhabiting the Village: Co-Creating our Future" is a 352-page graphically rich, full-color, soft-cover book showcasing the work of 12 Visionary Artists and over 60 Contributing Authors featuring "Voices from the Village" sharing their experience, best practices, strategies, and resources to empower communities through practical wisdom and inspiring perspectives.

These contributors of diverse backgrounds include Artists, Economists, Permaculture Experts, Facilitators, Educators, Visionaries, Natural Builders, Event Producers, Healers, Indigenous Elders and Thought Leaders, Ecologists, Technology Developers, and Community Organizers. 

Explore ReInhabiting the Village through the lens of 12 themes, each with an associated color and sigil. Chapter topics include Heart of Community, Health and Healing, Art and Culture, Learning and Education, Regional Resilience, Inhabiting the UrbanVillage, Community Land Projects, Holistic Event Production, Living Economy, Media & Storytelling, Appropriate Technology, and Whole Systems Design. Each chapter contains introductions from author Jamaica Stevens, a breadth of articles from contributors, author biographies, visionary art, community photography, informational graphics, inspirational quotes and project features. In closing, the book offers References, Credits, Contributors and a Glossary. 
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​This is one of those lush books that comes around every few decades. It has such a depth that it will take weeks if not months to absorb it to any real depth. Fortunately, you can pick the theme closest to your heart and dig in as deep as you want. This book is not the answer, it is a springboard to go higher than ever before. With inspirational writing and introductions to what others are doing elsewhere, this is the first step towards the healing and wholeness all are seeking. There is much wisdom from many different corners of our world.
I give this book 5 STARS of 5!
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You can buy the book at:
https://www.amazon.com/ReInhabiting-Village-CoCreating-our-Future
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/ReInhabiting-Village-CoCreating-our-Future
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30087901-reinhabiting-the-village
 
Published by:
http://rdrpublishers.com/
 
You can follow Jamaica at:
http://reinhabitingthevillage.com/

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

The Eve Project                                            Machines of The Little People Book 1                       by Tegon Maus

11/4/2016

2 Comments

 
​Author Tegon Maus introduces The Eve Project: Machines of The Little People:
Ben Harris’s sister died of cervical cancer more than three years ago… his best friend and her husband, Roger Keswick, disappeared the day before the funeral. For the next six months, everyone from the local police to the Department of Defense searched for him but to no avail… it was as if he had simply fallen off the face of the planet, only to reappear at work as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

Then by the purest of coincidences, Ben finds himself pulled back into Roger’s life only to discover he has remarried… to Jessica… a woman that looks, sounds and acts just like his dead sister. To complicate things, Roger is insistent his home, his car, his life is infested with tiny elf like creatures, he calls the Katoy. He claims they run massive machines under his house and watch his every move… every move that is until Jessica is found bludgeoned to death in his living room and Roger is nowhere to be found . . . again.
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Tegon continually surprises me. I have read two of his other books, Bob and My Grandfather’s Pants. They were hysterical! You can see these on my Previous Book Reviews page.
In The Eve project, Tegon’s writing is top notch, a thrilling blend of narration, dialogue, and action! While not as funny as the other two, the plot puts Ben through seemingly impossible situations and we get to enjoy the increasingly difficult experiences. The story seamlessly blends science fiction, paranormal, action, and romance.
Because I am committed to no spoilers, I cannot say more except get this book, you will not be disappointed in the craftsmanship or the story. 
The Eve Project gets 4.9/5 stars!
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 ​You can buy his book:
https://www.amazon.com/Machines-Little-People-Project-Eve
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Machines-Little-People-Project-Eve
https://www.goodreads.com/the-Eve-Project-machines-of-the-little-people
 
You can follow Tegon:
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 

Here is the review of the second book: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/december-09th-2016 
​
Copyright © 2016 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction ​

2 Comments

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