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book reviews |
A sequel to The Black Douglas TrilogyMulti-volume, multi-genre author introduces us to her latest work of historical fiction, “The Douglas Bastard” is the sequel to the Black Douglas trilogy: King Robert the Bruce and the Black Douglas are dead — and Scots once more must fight for their freedom. Young Archibald, the Black Douglas's bastard son, returns from exile to a Scotland ravaged by war. With treachery and danger on every side, he must learn to sleep with a claymore in his hand and one eye open because even his closest friend may betray him... Content warning: violence against a child  This is a marvelous book! I love historical fiction it’s my third favorite genre. Books centered on the United Kingdom are particularly attractive to me because much of my heritage comes from there. The author has taken a minor figure and walked with him through the major events he would have faced and been involved in. She did a great job! I love how she wove so many minor details of daily life into the story. I felt I was right there with Archibald. His struggles with being the bastard son of a noble included repeated bullying by his peers. He held his own with even odds. The fights, jousts and war scenes were brutal like daily life for most people. The dialogue came across quite real. This is a great read and I award 4.9 stars.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Douglas-Bastard-Sequel-Black-Trilogy-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-the-douglas-bastard https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-douglas-bastard You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/TomlinJeanne http://www.jrtomlin.com http://jeannetomlin.blogspot.com I have reviewed another book by the author: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-wayward-alliance Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
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At the Edge of the Jordan: What Waits for Us After This Life and Why It Matters by Leah Chrest5/28/2022 Debut author, Leah Chrest introduces us to her fiction story about the afterlife: What waits for us when we die? How can the truth of heaven revolutionize our faith? In this unique work, Leah Chrest, a lifelong Christian, draws from both hundreds of near-death experiences and the Bible to create a captivating tale of faith and personal transformation. Based on the NDEs of Nancy Rynes, Rev. Howard Storm, Dr. Eben Alexander, Mary C. Neal, George Ritchie, and dozens more, Aislinn's story will answer your heart's deepest questions and inspire you to live a more peaceful, inspired, faith-filled life. Journey with Aislinn, a young woman who is no stranger to grief, having lost her sister and grandparents in the span of just a few years. On her honeymoon, Aislinn drowns in a freak surfing accident. Her soul leaves her body and enters heaven, where she meets with Jesus and has the innermost questions of her soul answered:
If you have always wondered about near-death experiences, this well-researched narrative account will warm your heart and inspire you to live with deeper purpose and meaning.  A fascinating story with tantalizing glimpses of what heaven and hell might be like. It’s an emotional rollercoaster at times with the death of loved ones and suffering being part of the story. Those darker moments are balanced with healings and connecting again with family members. I found the footnotes to be interesting and they add a welcome depth to the story. I enjoyed them as an information junkie. However, you can enjoy the story quite well without reading any of the footnotes. The story easily stands on its own. I give “At the Edge of the Jordan” 4.8 stars.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/At-Edge-Jordan-Waits-Matters-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-at-the-edge-of-the-jordan You can follow the author: https://twitter.com/ChristianMedit2 http://thecontemplativechristian.com https://www.instagram.com/christianmedit2/ https://www.youtube.com/c/christianmeditation https://www.facebook.com/christianmedit2 Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction Multi-volume, multi-genre author, Jacqueline Mead introduces us to her children’s book, “The Tales of Mr. Mouse and Friends”: Join Mr. Mouse as he tends to his award-winning garden, makes friendships, meets Hilda his future wife, all the while drinking lots of tea and eating lots of cake. Mr. Mouse is a popular character whose door is always open, who is on hand to help anyone who needs assistance, who will rally around a worthwhile cause and who is highly thought of throughout the woodland community. Each chapter is a short story of its own and set in a season, there are twelve chapters following Mr. Mouse over three years. Read about the woodlands during a harsh winter when the woodlands are covered in six-foot snow drifts, during spring when the season is changing from winter, summer when Mr. Mouse’s award-winning gardens are at their best and autumn when the trees and plants are losing their leaves. Mr. Mouse with a house on the River Louse will become a favourite bedtime story for your children.  I enjoyed this book a lot. My two granddaughters did also. The casual rhyming was clever and the character names were pleasing. I loved the illustrations also, they are soft, the pastels are easy on the eyes. Each chapter has a full-page illustration. They look nice even on my Kindle. Each chapter is its own story. That makes for a pleasantly short read for bedtime, leaving time to answer questions a child might have. The overarching theme of the book is that family and friends are important and worthy of attention. Another wonderful theme is caring for your surroundings and environment. You are going to enjoy this peaceful visit to the river and woods where Mr. Mouse and his friends live.  You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Mr-Mouse-Friends-ebook https://www.goodreads.com/-the-tales-of-mr-mouse-and-friends https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tales-of-mr-mouse-and-friends-jacqueline-mead You can follow the author: @Jackiem158 http://www.jacquelinemead.com Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction A Battered Mother’s Message to Her Son |
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You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Tangled-Webs-Haunted-Book-2-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-tangled-webs
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/tangled-webs
Here is the review of Hearth Fires, book 1 in the series:
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/hearth-fires-the-haunted-book-1-by-bibiana-krall-and-veronica-cline-barton
Here is the review of Wicked Mist, book 3 in the series:
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/wicked-mist
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
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the authors’ introduction
https://www.amazon.com/Tangled-Webs-Haunted-Book-2-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-tangled-webs
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/tangled-webs
Here is the review of Hearth Fires, book 1 in the series:
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/hearth-fires-the-haunted-book-1-by-bibiana-krall-and-veronica-cline-barton
Here is the review of Wicked Mist, book 3 in the series:
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/wicked-mist
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
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the authors’ introduction
Multi-volume author, Richard Smith introduces us to his MG stories of time travel, "Time Trap" and "Time Trap 2":
Time Trap
Who was the mysterious Hector Lightfoot? What was he up to when he disappeared, and who were the two ghosts once seen in his house? School friends Jamie and Todd are destined to find out when they go to London to spend a weekend with Jamie's Uncle Simon, who now lives in that very house. Soon after they arrive, Jamie has a frightening encounter with the two ghosts. Hector, a veteran from the First Afghan War, joined a covert expedition to China, and afterwards worked on a secret Government project in an underground lab at the British Museum. He vanished suddenly, and was never heard from again. Simon takes the boys to the lab, where they find a strange contraption - which, unknown to any of them, is a time-travel device. When the building is struck by lightning, the device is energised, and sends the boys back in time to the year 1862. There, surrounded by danger and exposed to disease, they are sucked into a life of crime in order to survive. Only if they can find Hector will they have any chance of getting home again. But why has he gone into hiding? Who is the man after him and what does he want? As the boys struggle to escape back to their own time, Jamie becomes convinced that the two ghosts he saw earlier are following them...
Time Trap 2
Jamie and Todd are horrified to learn that the Grand Plan, which they thought had been defeated, is about to be implemented in 1775, America. Hector and Catherine have to go back in time and thwart Travis - an agent of the Grand Plan - who is hell bent on world domination.
Jamie and Todd go with Hector and Catherine on a mission to 1775, to prevent a super gun from being used in the Battle of Bunker Hill, during the American War of Independence, but only have days to stop history from being altered.
Jamie and Todd go with Hector and Catherine on a mission to 1775, to prevent a super gun from being used in the Battle of Bunker Hill, during the American War of Independence, but only have days to stop history from being altered.
 Time Trap is a wonderful adventure story for middle grade children and above. The story clearly depicts how brutal life was in Victorian England if you didn’t have any money. The author is smart by not explaining how the time travel mechanism actually works. We see it all from the perspective of the two teenage boys. They are unexpectedly thrust backwards in time and struggle to locate the people who might be able to help them return to their time. I enjoyed the accents as portrayed by the people who live in Victorian England. The use of the environment as an important aspect of the experience the two boys had is quite good. The action is excellent and very important to the story. I award 4.8 stars to Time Trap. |  Time trap 2 is a fun extension of the story from Time Trap. Instead of Jamie and Todd being trapped in Victorian London, their scientist friends, Hector and Catherine, from that period appear in modern London. Hector and his wife are chasing another time traveler, Travis, who is seeking to further the goal of world domination by a shadowy organization. Travis has obtained an early model of the Gatling gun from the 1860s and is taking it to the American Colonies in the 1770s. If he is not stopped, Western History will be radically changed. More great writing in a very exciting story! I give Time Trap 2 a score of 4.9 stars. |
You can buy these books:
https://smile.amazon.com/Time-Trap-Richard-Smith-ebook
https://smile.amazon.com/Time-Trap-Two-Richard-Smith-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/book/-time-trap
You can follow Richard Smith:
https://twitter.com/RichardSmithTT
https://www.facebook.com/Time-Trap-1862-360641754046977/
http://www.timetrap.co.uk/
I promoted his first book here: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-darziods-stone
Copyright © 2021 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introductions
https://smile.amazon.com/Time-Trap-Richard-Smith-ebook
https://smile.amazon.com/Time-Trap-Two-Richard-Smith-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/book/-time-trap
You can follow Richard Smith:
https://twitter.com/RichardSmithTT
https://www.facebook.com/Time-Trap-1862-360641754046977/
http://www.timetrap.co.uk/
I promoted his first book here: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-darziods-stone
Copyright © 2021 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introductions
Multi-volume author, MK Schultz introduces us to his latest in his science fiction series, “Equilibrium”:
Experience Kassius Kanex like never before in the epic conclusion.
In anticipation of the arrival of an evil that could rob Kassius Kanex of his power, he must go off-grid, in search of the only hope there is to defeat it.
With the help of his larger-than-life, best friend Rock, the engineers, his faithful pod keepers, a secret-keeping crow and a time-travel-enabling octopus, Kassius Kanex must expand his organization to levels even he did not dream to be possible.
Can the world survive the evil long enough for Kassius to find the only thing powerful enough to stop it? The whole of humanity depends on one thing: EQUILIBRIUM.
Experience Kassius Kanex like never before in the epic conclusion.
In anticipation of the arrival of an evil that could rob Kassius Kanex of his power, he must go off-grid, in search of the only hope there is to defeat it.
With the help of his larger-than-life, best friend Rock, the engineers, his faithful pod keepers, a secret-keeping crow and a time-travel-enabling octopus, Kassius Kanex must expand his organization to levels even he did not dream to be possible.
Can the world survive the evil long enough for Kassius to find the only thing powerful enough to stop it? The whole of humanity depends on one thing: EQUILIBRIUM.
This has been an interesting and exciting journey in this series! The plots and subplots weave around each other quite well. Some of the events depicting the incarnate evil are somewhat horrific and bloody. Be warned.
This style of writing reminds me of the golden age of science fiction and brings back fond memories of some great stories.
The ending was very shocking also. I enjoyed the story a lot.
The ending leaves room for the series to continue, I hope it does.
This style of writing reminds me of the golden age of science fiction and brings back fond memories of some great stories.
The ending was very shocking also. I enjoyed the story a lot.
The ending leaves room for the series to continue, I hope it does.
You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Equilibrium-Kassius-Kanex-Book-3-ebook
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/equilibrium-mk-schultz
https://www.iuniverse.com/-equilibrium
https://www.goodreads.com/-equilibrium
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/Makemali
https://www.mkschultz.com
https://www.instagram.com/mkschultzauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/MK_Schultz
I reviewed the first book here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/kassius-kanex-by-mk-schultz
I reviewed the second book here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-fishing-trip-kassius-kanex-book-2-by-m-k-schultz
Tags: science fiction, action, adventure, time travel, suspense, dystopian
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
https://smile.amazon.com/Equilibrium-Kassius-Kanex-Book-3-ebook
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/equilibrium-mk-schultz
https://www.iuniverse.com/-equilibrium
https://www.goodreads.com/-equilibrium
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/Makemali
https://www.mkschultz.com
https://www.instagram.com/mkschultzauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/MK_Schultz
I reviewed the first book here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/kassius-kanex-by-mk-schultz
I reviewed the second book here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-fishing-trip-kassius-kanex-book-2-by-m-k-schultz
Tags: science fiction, action, adventure, time travel, suspense, dystopian
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
Debut author, Joyce A. Harvey introduces us to her memoir about the loss of her daughter, “Swan Lessons”:
Swan Lessons: A Bereaved Mother’s Story of Courage and Discovery by Joyce A. Harvey is an account of military harassment, a series of poor decisions, and the desperate suicide of a young Lance Corporal. It describes the daunting challenge of a bereaved mother attempting to proceed with a public career in the midst of profound grief. It is also an amazing story of ongoing communication with the spirit of her daughter Jennifer, through dreams, signs, and spiritual mediums, including George Anderson. The author tackles tough subjects such as whether to pursue a wrongful death suit with the military. She also takes on clichés that are typically said to the grief-stricken and helps readers understand why they are better left unsaid. She shares dreams where she was “warned” that she might lose Jennifer and dreams in which Jennifer “visits” following her death. Ms. Harvey tells readers early in the book about her association of Jennifer’s death with the song “Vincent,” which refers to Vincent van Gogh’s suicide. Could the seemingly “coincidental” appearances of the song and references to Van Gogh be vehicles Jennifer uses to communicate with her mother from the afterlife? There are individual books on grief, suicide, dream work, after-death communication, spirituality, and abuse of power in the military. However, the author hasn’t found any examples written by a bereaved parent that combine all of these subjects into one book, as Swan Lessons does, helping readers to put it all together. As the book winds its way through the canyons of grief, it offers glimpses of hope, moments of utter astonishment, and examples of courage. The author skillfully weaves journal entries, as well as letters to and from Jennifer, to tell the story of a mother-daughter bond even death cannot sever.
Swan Lessons: A Bereaved Mother’s Story of Courage and Discovery by Joyce A. Harvey is an account of military harassment, a series of poor decisions, and the desperate suicide of a young Lance Corporal. It describes the daunting challenge of a bereaved mother attempting to proceed with a public career in the midst of profound grief. It is also an amazing story of ongoing communication with the spirit of her daughter Jennifer, through dreams, signs, and spiritual mediums, including George Anderson. The author tackles tough subjects such as whether to pursue a wrongful death suit with the military. She also takes on clichés that are typically said to the grief-stricken and helps readers understand why they are better left unsaid. She shares dreams where she was “warned” that she might lose Jennifer and dreams in which Jennifer “visits” following her death. Ms. Harvey tells readers early in the book about her association of Jennifer’s death with the song “Vincent,” which refers to Vincent van Gogh’s suicide. Could the seemingly “coincidental” appearances of the song and references to Van Gogh be vehicles Jennifer uses to communicate with her mother from the afterlife? There are individual books on grief, suicide, dream work, after-death communication, spirituality, and abuse of power in the military. However, the author hasn’t found any examples written by a bereaved parent that combine all of these subjects into one book, as Swan Lessons does, helping readers to put it all together. As the book winds its way through the canyons of grief, it offers glimpses of hope, moments of utter astonishment, and examples of courage. The author skillfully weaves journal entries, as well as letters to and from Jennifer, to tell the story of a mother-daughter bond even death cannot sever.
A powerful and well-written book!
Though she describes it quite well, I find it very hard to imagine the grief that Joyce experienced. Isn’t that one of a parent’s worst nightmares? We, as parents, expect to pass on before our children. It seems the ordinary order of events. I have no reservation, in my mind, her pain was far worse than what she described.
What she discovered after her daughter’s death is very fascinating. The communications from across the divide were extraordinary!
I appreciate that she shared the good and the bad support she received from different people. Her extended family really stepped up to the plate.
I award 4.9 stars to “Swan Lessons”.
Though she describes it quite well, I find it very hard to imagine the grief that Joyce experienced. Isn’t that one of a parent’s worst nightmares? We, as parents, expect to pass on before our children. It seems the ordinary order of events. I have no reservation, in my mind, her pain was far worse than what she described.
What she discovered after her daughter’s death is very fascinating. The communications from across the divide were extraordinary!
I appreciate that she shared the good and the bad support she received from different people. Her extended family really stepped up to the plate.
I award 4.9 stars to “Swan Lessons”.
You can buy this book:
https://rdrpublishers.com/swan-lessons-a-bereaved-mothers-story-of-courage-and-discovery
https://www.amazon.com/SWAN-LESSONS-Bereaved-Mothers-Discovery-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-swan-lessons
You can follow the author:
https://joyceanneharvey.com
https://www.facebook.com/joyceanneharvey
grief, bereavement, death, heaven, Catholic church, suicide, dreams, signs, workplace abuse, military, marines
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
https://rdrpublishers.com/swan-lessons-a-bereaved-mothers-story-of-courage-and-discovery
https://www.amazon.com/SWAN-LESSONS-Bereaved-Mothers-Discovery-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-swan-lessons
You can follow the author:
https://joyceanneharvey.com
https://www.facebook.com/joyceanneharvey
grief, bereavement, death, heaven, Catholic church, suicide, dreams, signs, workplace abuse, military, marines
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
Multi-volume, multi-genre author, Maura Beth Brennan introduces us to her latest domestic thriller, “The Edge of Fear”:
When you have everything you always wanted, you have everything to lose.
After years of struggling to overcome her tragic childhood, Hattie has the life of her dreams--her adored husband, Eli, her precious little daughter, Lilly, a beautiful home, and more money than she ever dreamed possible. But lately, a feeling nags at her, a sense of something not quite right. Is this just her imagination? Hattie's family and her best friend, Celine, keep telling her that it is.
Meanwhile Hattie's ex-husband, Frank, has learned of Hattie's good fortune and it's eating away at him. He comes up with a plan to get some of Hattie's windfall for himself--a plan that will shatter Hattie's life and bring about her worst nightmare. That's when Hattie notices odd things happening. Small things at first--but the incidents escalate, until finally the unthinkable happens.
Hattie does everything the police advise her to do. But as time passes and her life crumbles around her, it seems everyone fails her--law enforcement, a private detective, even her husband. Why has Eli suddenly gone off and left her to struggle with this alone?
Desperate but determined, Hattie decides to take matters into her own hands. Aided by her best friend, Celine, she sets out on a mission. Will she be able to take back what is hers? Or will she lose it all?
When you have everything you always wanted, you have everything to lose.
After years of struggling to overcome her tragic childhood, Hattie has the life of her dreams--her adored husband, Eli, her precious little daughter, Lilly, a beautiful home, and more money than she ever dreamed possible. But lately, a feeling nags at her, a sense of something not quite right. Is this just her imagination? Hattie's family and her best friend, Celine, keep telling her that it is.
Meanwhile Hattie's ex-husband, Frank, has learned of Hattie's good fortune and it's eating away at him. He comes up with a plan to get some of Hattie's windfall for himself--a plan that will shatter Hattie's life and bring about her worst nightmare. That's when Hattie notices odd things happening. Small things at first--but the incidents escalate, until finally the unthinkable happens.
Hattie does everything the police advise her to do. But as time passes and her life crumbles around her, it seems everyone fails her--law enforcement, a private detective, even her husband. Why has Eli suddenly gone off and left her to struggle with this alone?
Desperate but determined, Hattie decides to take matters into her own hands. Aided by her best friend, Celine, she sets out on a mission. Will she be able to take back what is hers? Or will she lose it all?
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a mother fighting to regain her daughter and life.
The story is told in the first person and I love that for the intimacy it provides. The action builds up slowly as the ex-husband gets his plan rolling. The current husband is working his angle as well.
I enjoyed the dialogue and the plotting quite a bit.
The ending is so exciting! No spoilers from me! I was on the edge of my Kindle through much of the book.
Get it! Read it! You will be glad you did!
I award 5 stars to “Edge of Fear”!
The story is told in the first person and I love that for the intimacy it provides. The action builds up slowly as the ex-husband gets his plan rolling. The current husband is working his angle as well.
I enjoyed the dialogue and the plotting quite a bit.
The ending is so exciting! No spoilers from me! I was on the edge of my Kindle through much of the book.
Get it! Read it! You will be glad you did!
I award 5 stars to “Edge of Fear”!
You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Fear-Maura-Beth-Brennan
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-edge-of-fear
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/maurabeth2014
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
Tags: mystery, thriller, police, family, child, kidnapping, gang, ransom, bestie, girlfriend, rescue
https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Fear-Maura-Beth-Brennan
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-edge-of-fear
You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/maurabeth2014
Copyright © 2021 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
Tags: mystery, thriller, police, family, child, kidnapping, gang, ransom, bestie, girlfriend, rescue
Who am I?
An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather.
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