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Multi-genre multi-volume author, Mercedes Rochelle introduces us to her newest historical fiction story, “Heir to a Prophecy”: Shakespeare's Witches tell Banquo, "Thou Shalt 'Get Kings Though Thou Be None". Though Banquo is murdered, his son Fleance gets away. What happened to Fleance? What Kings? The road to kingship had a most inauspicious beginning, and we follow Fleance into exile and death, passing the Witches' prophecy to his son Walter. Born on the wrong side of the blanket and raised in disgrace, Walter was caught inside of a destiny he barely understood. In an effort to untangle Banquo's murder and honor his lineage, Walter moved through events that shaped the course of England and Scotland. His relationships with the great men of his time drove his destiny: Harold Godwineson, Alain of Brittany and finally Malcolm III. After a long and treacherous journey through Wales, England, and France, Walter fulfilled the witches’ prophecy as the first Steward of Scotland and ancestor of James I—for whom Shakespeare wrote Macbeth.  This is an amazing story! I enjoyed the world building and the characters really come to life. An audiobook is a great way to enjoy a marvelous tale. I have read other books by this author and have derived many hours of pleasure from the experience. Listening to the audiobook was so different, I am really glad I used my ears for the story, instead of my eyes. The narrator made a big difference, he performed multiple voices flawlessly. The author’s research is phenomenal, it brings a wonderful foundation to the story. I felt like I was walking with the main character throughout. The heartbreak, joy and anger were easily felt and helped make the story so good! Everything felt so authentic and organic. I award “Heir to a Prophecy” five stars! Such a fabulous experience in the audiobook and a wonderful story overall!  You can buy this book:
https://www.audible.com/pd/Heir-to-a-Prophecy-Audiobook https://smile.amazon.com/Heir-Prophecy-Mercedes-Rochelle-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/book/-heir-to-a-prophecy You can follow the author: http://www.twitter.com/AuthorRochelle http://www.mercedesrochelle.com http://www.mercedesrochelle.net http://www.historicalbritainblog.com I have reviewed two other books by the author: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/a-king-under-siege-book-one-of-the-plantagenet-legacy-by-mercedes-rochelle https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/godwine-kingmaker-part-one-of-the-last-great-saxon-earls-by-mercedes-rochelle Tags: Medieval, Britain, Scotland, Wales, historical, history, king, queen, royalty, fiction Copyright © 2020 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction
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Multi-genre, multi-volume author, Mary Scholl introduces us to her latest cozy murder book, “Camper Catastrophe”: Nothing is easy, nothing works out the way you expect. These are lessons learned by Patty Decker when she finds herself living in a travel trailer in a park in Florida. With a bit of a chip on her shoulder she winds up solving the mystery of her neighbor's murder. She liked him a lot better after he was dead...  I love to read and this story reinforced my love of reading quite a bit. Patty Decker is a wonderful, crotchety, old woman who has recently undergone more than one upheaval in her life. I love the realistic attitude that Patty has, the first person POV writing is wonderful and brings me completely into the story. The author has a delightful knack for describing an elderly woman’s train of thought. The scene setting is perfect for me, the trailer park feels right at home and I have never lived in one. The characters in the story were very vivid, even the recently deceased Albert, as a new ghost. I loved how forthright the deputy was, he brought a welcome balance into the situation. Even the cats and dogs had their parts to play in the story. I award 4.9 stars to “Camper Catastrophe”! The score would have been higher except for a few spelling errors.  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/camper-catastrophe-mary-scholl https://www.goodreads.com/-camper-catastrophe https://www.amazon.co.uk/Camper-Catastrophe-Trailer-Travails-Book You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/MaryLScholl1 https://maryluscholl.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/maryluschollauthor/ Tags: cozy, cosy, murder, mystery, Florida, pets, dog, cat, neighbors, fiction, action Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Multi-genre, multi-volume author Thomas Hay introduces us to his memoir, “The Comeback Kid”: The Comeback Kid is the memoirs of Thomas (Tommy) Hay, written from cradle to senior citizen. Raised in the Golden Valley town of Clinton, Missouri in the 1950's. Experience the people, places and events that influenced his life portrayed through songs. How often a song reminds us of a person, a place or a time in our lives. Follow my journey from Clinton, Missouri to towns and cities around the Globe. From a US Navy sailor to a TWA/American Airline employee. From puppy love to an International playboy. From marriage to divorce. From UFO's to abductions. An adventure filled with mystery, romance, joy and heartbreaks.  As memoirs go, this is pretty darn good! The author is quite optimistic and doesn’t shy away from recounting some of the decisions he made that had less than desired results. The story is full of action and he made me laugh out loud many times. The author admits to being kind of hard-headed at times, because he reminds me of myself in many ways. I award a score of 4.6 stars to “The Comeback Kid”! The score would have been higher except for a large handful of spelling errors I found. The author has told me that they are corrected, so your reading experience will be much smoother.  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Comeback-Kid-memoirs-Thomas-Hay https://www.goodreads.com/-the-comeback-kid https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-comeback-kid-thomas-hay You can follow Thomas: https://twitter.com/thomaslhay http://thomaslhay.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Thomas-L-Hay I have also reviewed two of the author’s novels: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/-an-abduction-revelation-the-comeback-kid-returns-by-thomas-l-hay https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/-abduction-revelation-ii-truth-be-told-by-thomas-l-hay Tags: travel, military, navy, overseas, UFO, abduction, biography, teen, YA Copyright © 2019 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction Multi-genre, multi-volume author, Stewart Hoffman, introduces us to his funny story about life in the afterlife, George Pringate’s Last Hurrah: Hell is tears, pain, and depression, baked into a cake made of misery and despair. Heaven is meet-cutes and puppies, life-affirming moments, and hanging out with Elvis! George Pringate is dead, and he really wants to go to Heaven! But first, he must survive Hell’s assassin, confront his demons with the help of his afterlife counselors, and most critically, be honest with himself.  George is in big trouble. He doesn’t automatically qualify for heaven. He has some work to do, and that’s hard for a depressed slacker. This book is so much fun! I love the way Stewart writes. He has a wonderful knack for humor and I love the humor. His scene-setting is just right. The dialogue makes me laugh so much and the plotting is perfect. George has to go through so much to prove himself worthy of entrance to heaven, including not being destroyed by an assassin from the underworld. The action is really good also, the pace and flow make for a very smooth read. George thought life was hard, he is learning it’s even harder being dead. I award “George Pringate’s Last Hurrah” 5 stars! You will laugh yourself silly!  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/George-Pringates-Hurrah-Stewart-Hoffman-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/book/-george-pringate-s-last-hurrah https://amazon.co.uk/George-Pringates-Hurrah-Stewart-Hoffman You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/stewartfhoffman http://www.talkiegazette.com/books https://www.facebook.com/StewartFHoffman https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15583189.Stewart_Hoffman Tags: humorous fantasy, fiction I have also reviewed this book "The Bug Boys" and interviewed the Stewart under the review, here is the link: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-bug-boys-by-stewart-hoffman I reviewed the next book also “The Bug Boys Vs. Professor Blake Blackhart” https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-bug-boys-vs-professor-blake-blackhart-by-stewart-hoffman Copyright © Mark L Schultz 2019 except for the author’s introduction Debut author, Mark S. Moore, introduces us to his historical fantasy novel, “Rise: Birth of a Revolution”: Mark S. Moore's debut novel follows the fledgling Ricchan rebellion. A dark and gritty tale of war, intrigue, and betrayal. Rise is driven by a diverse array of complex characters and moral consequence. Between muskets and firebrands, Damien Flynn finds himself in the midst of growing turmoil. Political espionage, assassinations, scandalous affairs, underhanded deals, and dirty politics threaten to plunge the known world into chaos. What makes a patriot? What makes a traitor?  The desire to be free and make your own choices is a huge part of the human experience, no one wants to be a slave. This book taps into that theme very effectively. Change a few names and this could be the story of every free society on earth. This book brings a great mix of big picture events, the people who cause them and the people who are caught up in them. I enjoyed the dialogue tremendously; personalities are captured so well. The action is plentiful without being overwhelming. The scene setting is very well done, just enough to avoid getting in the way. The characters are gorgeous, so real and full of life. I give “Rise: Birth of a Revolution” 4.9 stars! The score would have been higher except for a handful of spelling errors that the author has corrected. Your reading experience will be that much smoother.  You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Rise-Birth-Revolution-Flynn-Chronicles-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/rise-birth-of-a-revolution https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Birth-Revolution-Flynn-Chronicles-ebook You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/RedBeardFlynn http://marksmoorebooks.com https://m.facebook.com/MarkSMooreBooks Tags: historical fiction, historical fantasy, war, romance, politics, spies, rebels Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction 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.  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.  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 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 CPA’s 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  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!  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 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.  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! The score would have been higher except for a handful of spelling errors.  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 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.  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 found one missing word. That has been fixed. I award “Santa’s Magical Christmas Tree” a score of 5.0 stars, just for all the cuteness.  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 (My American Almost Royal Cousin Series Book 4) |
Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
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