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​book reviews

Megamax                                                                   Let the Blood Flow                                                   By Rhani D’Chae

11/29/2019

111 Comments

 
Multi-volume, multi-genre author, Rhani D’Chae introduces us to her short story, “Megamax”; that is a prequel to a novel coming out next year:
In a future time, the greed and destructive nature of man has resulted in the fall of civilization as we know it today.

America is a wasteland, where the scattered cities that remain have become overcrowded havens for those who seek refuge behind protective walls.

In Seattle, where the Seahawks once played to the roar of the 12s, Century Link field stands quietly in the shadow of Megamax prison.

Impenetrable and inescapable, Megamax houses the worst of the worst: criminals whose heinous acts have condemned them to life in a place where blood flows like water, and an inmate's worth is determined solely by his or her performance in the Arena.

This story is the prequel to "The Vanguard", which will be out in 2020.

This story contains violence and adult language. It is not intended for young or easily offended readers.
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I love this story! Not for the brutality and dystopian setting, though there is a lot that can be said for that. The author has captured the essence of people in desperate circumstances so well. It is so easy to find yourself cheering and hoping for the title character. He is caught in this situation by forces beyond his control.
The prose is nice and tight, the scene setting is more than enough, without being too much. Most of the dialogue is terse and fits the storyline perfectly.
This short story is a wonderful introduction to a story that will land somewhere between “Seven Samurai” directed by Kurosawa, the precursor to “Star Wars”; a hint of “Kelly’s Heroes” a movie set in World War 2, and a mashup between “Zombieland” and “World War Z”. It will be a wild ride, I am sure.
I award “Megamax” 5 stars! Darn good story and leaves me wanting more.
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You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Megamax-Rhani-DChae-ebook 
https://www.goodreads.com/ebook/-megamax 
www.amazon.co.uk/Megamax-Rhani-DChae-ebook 
 
You can follow Rhani D’Chae:
https://twitter.com/rhanidchae 
https://rhanidchae.wordpress.com/ 
 
Rhani and I have had three interviews previously, you can see them under these book reviews:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/one-dyke-cozy-by-rhani-dchae#comments 
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/shadow-of-the-drill-by-rhani-dchae#comments 
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/ive-always-loved-women-by-rhani-dchae#comments 
 
Tags: prison, future, death, cage fight

Copyright © 2019 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction
111 Comments

The Good Audit By C.P. Aiden

11/23/2019

48 Comments

 
Multi-format author C.P. Aiden, introduces us to his insightful and very funny look (really, it’s very funny) at big-time accounting, “The Good Audit”:
The Good Audit – Everything goes wrong when you put eight accountants in the same room for too long.
The excitement begins when a top-notch team of over-achieving, excessively ambitious CPAs at The Audit & Tax Firm is paired with a motley crew of highly incompetent finance professionals at Widget Maker. As expected, nothing goes as planned.
Frustration grows, pressure builds, and even the plumbing will not cooperate. Everything is swirling out of control until legal troubles unexpectedly land everyone on the same side of trouble. Will mutual animosity towards Widget Maker’s legal department be enough to bring everyone together to get the job done?
Laugh out loud through every comical twist and turn, let your jaw drop at the absurd nonsense that perhaps happens in today’s corporate world, and soak up the life lessons offered for those who pay attention as you fly through this business adventure!

MEET THE TEAMS - all character names reflect the resource aspect of Human Resources and are simply generic titles.

The Accounting Firm Team:
Intern – the sharp and spirited college student
Staff 1 – the overly enthusiastic first-year staff
Staff 2 – the highly ambitious and somewhat temperamental second-year staff
Backup Staff – the extra help who is a few fries short of a Happy Meal
Senior 1 – the professional mom
Senior 3 – the guy who gives everyone the benefit of the doubt
Manager – the family man and balancing force on the team
Senior Manager (SM) – the single workaholic
Partner – the arrogant and clueless one at the top

The Widget Maker Finance Team:
Senior Accountant – persistently absent
Assistant Controller – the awkward and quirky one who never makes any sense, married to Legal Assistant which also doesn’t make sense
Legal Assistant – the cranky, bossy one
Financial Reporting Manager (FRM) – the clueless one who doesn’t do anything
Inventory Manager – the conceited and egotistical jerk who hates auditors (and everyone else)
Finance Manager – the former auditor turned inept accountant
CFO – the fearless leader of the finance team and arch-nemesis of the legal department
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I love this book! I laughed all the way through it. You don't have to be an accountant to enjoy this book. If you have ever worked in an office with more than one person you will understand what is going on. You can't go wrong choosing this book!
I think the best part of the story is all the instant messaging that is going on between different characters. It fills the story out quite nicely. The author’s comedic timing is wonderful and will give you many endorphin rushes from all the laughing.
The next best part is the names. There are no personal names, only position titles. It highlights how impersonal business can be. Yet, every part of the business is composed of people. What a mixed-up world we live in.
I award “The Good Audit” a score of 5.0 stars! So funny and so good!
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You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Good-Audit-C-P-Aiden-ebook 
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-good-audit 
Audio book: The Good Audit 

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/CPAiden1 
https://www.facebook.com/cp.aiden 
https://www.instagram.com/cpaiden/ 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-p-aiden 
 
Tags: Satire, comedy, fiction

​Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction 
48 Comments

Leaderology By Oleg Konovalov

11/22/2019

0 Comments

 
Multi-volume, business productivity expert, Oleg Konovalov introduces us to his newest book about leading and organizational culture:
Foreword by John Spence
"This book shares the best lessons in modern management!" - Marshall Goldsmith, Only two-time Thinkers 50 #1 Leadership Thinker in the world
"Every once in a while you encounter a book that makes you rethink how you think about management. This is one of those rare gems." - Jonas Ridderstråle
​

We stand on the brink of a great unknown. The Digital Era has clearly demonstrated that we can't progress further without developing leadership capabilities on a global scale. Leaderology defines the beginning of the Renaissance period in modern management and leadership while helping leaders to reach a new level of success.
Leaderology is a new approach to managing organizations in the new realities which identifies common and specific errors that arise in any business and to spot problems that distance it from customers and limit the company's capacities early, and how to treat them before they threaten the business itself.
While defining new areas of improvement this book offers recommendations that can create ultimate leaps in performance and customer satisfaction. Through different case studies and responses from industry experts, it shows how devoting effort and time to honing leadership competencies is the best investment in the future. 
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What an awesome book! Oleg really makes the issues and stakes clear! What is at stake? Merely the ultimate success or failure of your organization. Follow the prescription that the author provides, take care of the people, success will follow naturally. Pay attention, this is not a set-it-and-forget-it exercise. This is the new paradigm.
I award this book 4.9 stars! 
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You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/LEADEROLOGY-Oleg-Konovalov-ebook 
https://www.goodreads.com/-leaderology 
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Leaderology/Oleg-Konovalov 
 
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/olkonol_oa 
http://olegkonovalov.com/ 
https://valuekod.com/2-hour-free-executive-workshop-to-diagnose-fix-corporate-culture-problems/ 

I have reviewed the two previous books also:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/organisational-anatomy-a-managers-guide-to-a-healthy-organisation-by-oleg-konovalov 
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/corporate-superpower-cultivating-a-winning-culture-for-your-business-by-oleg-konovalov 
 
Tags: Business production, business operations, business management, strategic management
 
Copyright © 2019 by Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction 
0 Comments

Santa's Magical Christmas Tree                             by Doris Bowers

11/16/2019

25 Comments

 
Debut children’s author, Doris Bowers, introduces us to her first book, “Santa’s Magical Christmas Tree”:
Terrance and Velda Powers get to help mom pick out their special Christmas Tree. When they get it home, they find it is Magical! They find something Special and Magical in their Christmas Tree! What can it be?
Keep reading to find out, and all the fun Velda and Terrance have with their discovery.
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This is such a cute book; children will love reading this or having it read to them. The joy and excitement captured in this story is quite contagious and will leave you feeling wonderful.
​I have cut many Christmas trees in my life, my family owns a wholesale Christmas tree farm, and I have never found one like this tree. I didn’t know what I was missing!
The action and dialogue are great fun, from a nice, old man selling the trees to a mystery guest.
I award “Santa’s Magical Christmas Tree” a score of 5.0 stars.
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You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Santas-Magical-Christmas-Tree-Book-ebook 
https://www.goodreads.com/-santa-s-magical-christmas-tree 

You can follow the author:

https://twitter.com/DorisKoalaGirl 
http://www.instagram.com/dkoalagirl/ 
facebook.com/doris.jarrett.52  
​

Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
25 Comments

Mistletoe and Mayhem: Yuletide at Castlewood Manor

11/9/2019

1 Comment

 

(My American Almost Royal Cousin Series Book 4)
By Veronica Cline Barton

​Multi-volume, award-winning author, Veronica Barton introduces us to the fourth volume in her cozy murder series “Mistletoe and Mayhem”:
A family's legacy, a mother's anguish, deadly revenge, and bridezilla wannabes are set to rendezvous around the Christmas tree this Yuletide season. Rumor has it a feature film is in the works for the hit period drama series, Castlewood Manor, as the PR plans go into overdrive.

History is about to be righted by royal decree, which may have a devastating impact not only to the British/American family relations in the Lancaster household, but might also jeopardize the future of the Castlewood Manor production on the estate. American heiress Gemma Lancaster Phillips, PhD, is facing a unique crossroads in her life—marrying the man she loves and becoming the first American marchioness in British nobility as she teeters on the edge of accepting the family peerage and title from her cousin, Evan. Father Christmas has his hands full as tragedy, royal drama, conniving foes, and meddling friends and family threaten to bring this 'Tis the Season' to a fiery and disastrous end.
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I love the stories that Veronica writes. I feel like a close friend of the family now. Veronica has built an amazingly realistic world for her characters to live, love and exist in.
The story is told in the first-person point of view of Gemma, the American heiress. Gemma and the other characters have real experiences and problems as they seek to deal with mysterious tragedies and snobby acquaintances. Danger seems to be lurking around every other corner.  
It’s a very special holiday season because a family member that disappeared has returned home. I won’t say anymore to prevent giving out a spoiler.
I enjoyed this tale so much, “Mistletoe and Mayhem” gets five stars! 

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You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/mistletoe-and-mayhem 
https://www.goodreads.com/mistletoe-and-mayhem 
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/mistletoe-and-mayhem 

You can follow Veronica Cline Barton:
https://twitter.com/VClinebarton 
https://myamericanalmostroyalcousinseries.com 
https://www.facebook.com/myamericanalmostroyalcousinseries 
https://www.amazon.com/Veronica-Cline-Barton 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/Veronica_Cline_Barton 

Tags: mystery, suspense, traditional detective, cozy, castle 
Here is the interview with the author and the review of the first book:   www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-crown-for-castlewood-manor-by-veronica-cline-barton 
Here is the interview with the author and the review of the second book:   https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/cast-crew-and-carnage-the-filming-of-castlewood-manor-my-american-almost-royal-cousin-series-by-veronica-cline-barton 
Here is the interview with the author and the review of the third book:   www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/deadly-receptions-the-debut-of-castlewood-manor-by-veronica-cline-barton 

Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
1 Comment

Eternal Shadow

11/9/2019

45 Comments

 
(Fall of Gods Book 1)                                                                    By Trevor B. Williams
Debut science fiction author, Trevor B. Williams, introduces us to the first volume in his series, “Eternal Shadow”:
What would you do if the world was going to end in ten years? For Jennifer Epstein, a by-the-books senior researcher at SETI, there is only one answer: prevent the apocalypse from happening. Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus were destroyed by an alien threat. The deck was stacked against humanity before the cards came out of the box.

But Jennifer isn’t alone. She has Samantha Monroe, her excitable but brilliant colleague. From South Africa, CEO Muzikayise Khulu of Khulu Global supplies his vast resources to the ultimate race for survival. The three find themselves in an unlikely alliance while political brinkmanship, doomsday cults, and untested technologies form ever-growing obstacles.

Will humanity unite to face the greatest challenge of their time, or will it destroy itself before the alien ship arrives?
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I love science fiction, especially hard sci-fi! This is a great story! It is so well written. Trevor’s plotting is quite good, combining an imminent destruction of the earth with a first-contact type of story provides a white-knuckle ride!
The science is very well done and quite believable; the scenes are set perfectly. Some of the dialogue is so funny, I laughed out loud. The antagonists on Earth, a zealous, religious cult is very scary and very realistically presented. It is nearly impossible to stop a person willing to die for their cause, except to stop them before they do too much damage.
I am anxious for the continuations of the series. I award “Eternal Shadow” a score of 5 stars! 
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You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Shadow 
https://www.goodreads.com/-eternal-shadow 
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/eternal-shadow-trevor-williams 
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/eternal-shadow-1 
 
You can follow the author:
http://www.trevorwrites.com/ 
https://twitter.com/tw_trevorwrites 
https://www.facebook.com/tw.trevorwrites/ 
https://www.instagram.com/tw_trevorwrites/ 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/Trevor_B_Williams 

Tags: action, adventure, outer space, solar system, sci-fi, international, space station

​Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction 
45 Comments

The Secret He Never Told Her (An African Woman's Journey Book 2) by Eileen Omosa

11/2/2019

10 Comments

 
Multi-volume, multi-genre author, Eileen K. Omosa, introduces us to the second volume of “An African Woman’s Journey”: “The Secret He Never Told Her”:
His wife staying in employment will reflect negatively on his capability, but resigning will stall her career goals. Can they ever find a middle ground?     
In less than two years, Sophia has hauled her family out of poverty. Satisfied with the outcome of her hard work, she’s focused on building a career with a stable income when Richie asks her to resign from her job and become a stay-at-home-mom.
Richie cannot envision his wife struggling to balance the tasks of wife, mother, and employee. He asks Sophia to stay at home, provide the comfort he needs to work hard at his job, and earn enough money to cater for the financial needs of his family.
Sophia cannot imagine life without her job, the way to grow her career, realize her dreams. 
How will Richie convince Sophia that he has enough wealth for his wife not to work a single day, yet Sophia is determined to prove that a woman can balance her professional and family life? 
The Secret he Never told Her is book two in the series An African Women’s Journey. Sophia’s story starts in The Girl who Left the Village and concludes in The Woman She Became. A trilogy where education, culture, ambition, and love intertwine.
Previous title, Slowed by a Baby
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This story was very enjoyable. I like the way the author writes.  I think I liked it even better than the first one (link at the bottom). Getting married introduces many changes in the dynamic of two people and two families, as they work to blend their once-separate lives. Getting pregnant makes that work even more complicated, especially, when the baby shows up a few months after the wedding.
Eileen does a wonderful job of exploring the conflicting visions and desires of two people who are just learning how to communicate. This story is not short on description or scene setting, it is the richness of dialogue that made me laugh out loud so many times.
The personal and relationship growth of Richie and Sophia is heartwarming and encouraging. Each of them is fully fleshed out as well as the supporting cast of family and friends.
I award 4.9 stars to “Slowed by a Baby”.
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You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Never-African-Womans-Journey-ebook 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Never-African-Womans-Journey-ebook 
https://www.goodreads.com/-slowed-by-a-baby 
 
You can follow Eileen Omosa:
https://twitter.com/iGrowideas 
https://www.eileenomosa.com 
https://www.facebook.com/EileenOmosaAuthor 
​

Previous book review and interview: http://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-choices-she-must-make-africas-billionaire-heirs-book-1-by-eileen-k-omosa 

Tags: multicultural, hope, contemporary women’s fiction, sweet romance, marriage, communication, relationship, pregnancy, international business, Kenya 

Copyright © 2019 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction 
10 Comments

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"I'm very pleased with all your efforts. Twitter promotion and proofreading were beyond what I expected with a book review. Your suggestions throughout the process of refining both books helped me immensely. I look forward to working with you again."   A.E.H Veenman “Dial QR for Murder” and “Prepped for the Kill”