Reprise Review: The Redemption of Michael Hollister by Shawn Inmon

 

Genre: Time Travel

Description:

“All Michael Hollister wanted was death.

What he got, was time travel.

Convicted of murder, and with nothing left to live for, Michael commits suicide in his jail cell in 1977, then opens his eyes in 1966, in his eight-year-old body, all memories of his previous life intact.

His first thoughts are of the dark intentions of his father. When the man who raised him once again tries to do the unthinkable, Michael has a chance to right his childhood's greatest wrong. But, can he do that without becoming a killer all over again?”

Author:

“Have you ever noticed how almost every author on Amazon is both a ‘bestselling’ and ‘award winning’ author? Well, so is Shawn Inmon. He once dominated the Lithuanian Clog Dancing Romance category for two heady days back in 2013. He also was named third runner up in Mrs. Marsh's third grade spelling bee in 1968. Somewhere, he still has the certificate to prove it. Although he has never matched either of these two career highlights, he keeps plugging away.

Shawn hails from Mossyrock, Washington--the setting for his first two books, Feels Like the First Time, and Both Sides Now.

He is a full-time author who lives in picturesque Seaview, Washington on the Pacific Ocean.”??

Appraisal:

This book is being billed as the second in the “Middle Falls Time Travel series.” The first, The Unusual Second Life of Thomas Weaver, had as its protagonist a character who died and found himself in a new life, kind of. He’d wake up as the same person, taken back in time to when he was a kid, but with all the knowledge of what he’d done in his past life or lives. Maybe a better term would be a “do over.” In that book Thomas had a classmate, Michael Hollister. If you’ve read the book you’ll know Michael wasn’t a very nice person. In fact, he was Oregon’s most prolific serial killer.

With that introduction to Michael you might wonder how he could possibly redeem himself. But when Michael finds a way to “end it all” while in prison, then wakes up in his boyhood bed in his boyhood home he’s smart enough to recognize the chance he’s been given. That’s the easy part. The hard part is figuring out what to do differently this time around.

The author does a masterful job of taking a character that was irredeemable to those who read the prior book and somehow redeeming him. Not excusing him for the crimes he committed in his past life, but helping us to understand how he got to that point and drawing us into the story so that we were pulling for Michael to find a different path for his life the next time around. The premise of the books in this series of being given another chance is an interesting mind exercise that makes for entertaining books. Well done, Mr. Inmon.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Reprise Review: Shadowed Places by Smoky Zeidel

 Genre: Short Story Collection

Description:

A collection of 4 short stories.

Author:

“Smoky Zeidel is a novelist and poet, whose love of the natural world is thematic in all she writes. She taught writing and creativity workshops for many years at venues throughout the Midwest before--in lieu of having a midlife crisis when she turned 50--she succumbed to her bohemian urges and moved to Southern California. Her work has earned her five nominations for the prestigious Pushcart Prize.

Smoky lives in the Coachella Valley, which is part of the vast Colorado Desert in Southern California, with her husband Scott, two cats, and a Chihuahua named Tufa (who considers herself the Boss of Everything). She is an avid desert gardener, an orchid grower, and monarch caterpillar rancher. When she isn't writing, she spends her time hiking in the mountains and deserts with Scott, creating funky yard art, and resisting the urge to speak in haiku.”

Appraisal:

Four short stories with four very different protagonists. But each is going through something difficult and is doing what they deem as best for them. That and a dark edge are two things these stories have in common. Being entertaining, thought-provoking, and well written are three more commonalities. If you’re a fan of the short story form and looking for a few good ones, this collection would be a good choice.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 9-10,000 words

Reprise Review: Swerve by Mike Markel

 Genre: Police Procedural

Description:

“The Central Montana State community has waited a year to learn whether Syclone Systems, a maker of self-driving car technology, will enter into a long-term R&D partnership with the university. At a live demo on campus, where the company is expected to announce its decision, its man on campus, Bryan Orville, is run down by one of his experimental cars. Whoever altered the car’s computer code to kill him also erased all the forensic evidence. Because Orville had some nasty habits--fooling around with grad students, stealing promising research ideas, and publicly humiliating professors who didn’t meet his standards--Seagate and Miner are swamped with suspects. When a second body turns up, and then someone hacks Syclone and threatens to put them out of business, the detectives devise a plan to lure the killer out of hiding with a phony reward for solving the hack. But the killer knows there is much more money to be made selling the company’s trade secrets on the dark web. Besides, the killer is quite busy planning one last murder.”

Author:

“Mike Markel writes the Detectives Seagate and Miner Mystery series, which is set in the fictional small city of Rawlings, Montana, home of Central Montana State University. That university is somewhat like Boise State University, where Mike taught writing, but in Rawlings the weather is colder, the football team less successful, and the murder rate much, much higher.

Mike lives with his wife in Boise.”

Appraisal:

I’ve read several of the Seagate and Miner book. I’ve liked all of them, but realized that my main reasons for liking each book has varied a lot. That’s a good thing. In some installments, in addition to the mystery at the heart of every book, I’ve been focused on Seagate and Miner’s relationship, how their flaws and idiosyncrasies tend to offset each other, making them a strong team. In other books, my focus is on something different. For Swerve that was the concept of self-driving cars and what some of the complications of these might turn out to be. But, as always, the mystery kept me guessing and Seagate and Miner kept me entertained as I tried to solve the case with them.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

While this is the eighth book in the Seagate and Miner Mystery series this can be read as a standalone.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words

Reprise Review: The Last Deception by D.V. Berkom

 

Genre: Thriller

Description:

“In the Cold War, you knew who your friends and enemies were. In war today, there’s no difference.

Just when former assassin Leine Basso thinks she’s free from the business of murder and deception, a desperate call from a friend drags her back into the dark world of espionage and arms dealers.

Leine uncovers information that implicates a well-known Russian businessman in a horrendous deception that affects national security and could have global repercussions. It’s up to the former assassin to persuade the powers that be to ignore the obvious and trust her, or disregard the information and bring the world to the brink of a devastating war. Can she make it in time to warn them before The Last Deception?”

Author:

“DV Berkom is the USA Today best-selling author of two action-packed thriller series featuring strong female leads: Leine Basso and Kate Jones. Her love of creating resilient, kick-ass women characters stems from a lifelong addiction to reading spy novels, mysteries, and thrillers, and longing to find the female equivalent within those pages.”

Appraisal:

From book to book it’s hard to predict what kind of situation Leine Basso is going to find herself involved in. That she’s going to acquit herself well, dealing with whatever unexpected twists life throws at her, is the only predictable part of Leine’s life. In this latest installment of the series, Leine finds herself embroiled in a situation that, if it doesn’t go well, could have serious repercussions for much of the world.

As with any good story of this type, action was fast-paced. The reader is kept guessing at what’s going to happen next, and the tension is high. If you’re a thriller reader, especially if you like espionage or spy thrillers, The Last Deception is your kind of book.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Reprise Review: True Shifter (TOTEM Book 9) by Christine Rains

 

Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Mystery/Mythology

Description:

“Saskia Dorn can't bear to lose anyone else. But when the only man she's ever loved turns his back on her, she runs off to sacrifice herself to the totem quest.

With a disgusting kiss, a dying house spirit grants her the power to shift into any creature. Yet she has neither the time to train nor the imagination to utilize the gift to its fullest. How will she manage to defeat a villain who has mastered the ability and made her the person she is? Saskia only has a few freakin' hours to figure it out. After all, the fate of every shifter in the world depends on her victory.”

Author:

“Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not reading or writing, she's going on adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of S.C.I.F.I. and Untethered Realms. She has one novel and several novellas and short stories published. Her newest urban fantasy series, Totem, is almost complete at nine books.”

To learn more visit Ms Rains’ Facebook page.

Appraisal:

True Shifter, as far as I know, is the finale of the TOTEM series. And it packs a wallop! The tension and suspense ran high all through this novella. Saskia is faced with many challenges and conflicts, she’s intelligent and approached things in a logical manner. However, she is hard-headed, and still carries some insecurities. Watching her navigate the mysteries they are faced with to gain the remaining tokens is well written and enthralling.

Family and relationship dynamics play heavily in the plot as the story twists and turns back on itself. It turns out to be an emotional journey for the whole group. I was extremely satisfied with the captivating images painted by Ms. Rains, and the heart-warming climax of this series.

I’m hoping we get to hear further stories about the Dorn sisters and their chosen mates in the future. After all Lucky and Ametta need a new house spirit (domovoi) for the manor, and the kikimora, domovoi’s wife, has been charged with finding one. Then there is Berton Ellsworth, the vampire, who is inviting a water dragon to his castle. Seems like a lot of fun times ahead to me. :)

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

True Shifter is book nine in the TOTEM series. It is important to read this series in order as events build, and the characters grow through the previous books in the series.

Be warned, there are several F-bombs dropped.

Format/Typo Issues:

I came across no significant issues in proofing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words

Reprise Review: Other Fine Gifts by Jeffrey N. Johnson

 

Genre: Short Story Collection

Description:

“A dynamic collection of stories from the winner of the 2011 Andrew Lytle Fiction Prize. Caught in a chaotic spiral of loss and memory, the characters in Other Fine Gifts often seek solace in their origin. From a man who has lost his home to foreclosure, to another confronting his xenophobia, to a boy in search of God in the stones of Rome, each is in need of enlightenment and redemption. Despite their limited visions and tragic losses, their struggle for memory never impedes their sense of hope.”

Author:

Jeffrey N. Johnson’s “first novel, The Hunger Artist, was a finalist for the Library of Virginia's People's Choice Award for fiction in 2015, and he was awarded the Andrew Lytle Fiction Prize by The Sewanee Review in 2011.”

Appraisal:

An excellent short story collection. While the stories have a variety of plots and unique characters, each is a compelling look at the human condition from one point of view. If you’re a fan of the short story form, especially stories that are contemporary or literary fiction, this collection is one you’ll want to grab.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Reprise Review: Boy Toy by Beth Orsoff

 

Genre: Chick-lit

Description:

“Sabrina Mayerson is turning 40, and all she wants for her birthday is one night of hot, sweaty, twenty-something sex.  Twenty-eight-year old Andrew Whelan is happy to oblige.  But when one night becomes a weekend, and a weekend turns into a relationship, Sabrina knows she's in trouble.  Because Sabrina's desire for Andrew is rivaled only by her desire for a child.  And the responsibility of fatherhood is something Andrew definitely does not want.”

Author:

“Beth Orsoff writes chick lit, romantic comedy, and humorous mystery/suspense novels. She recently attempted to write a dark and brooding book, and even that one turned out to be funny (see The Billionaire Who Wasn't). So Beth has decided to feed her dark side on Netflix, and embrace her love of witty repartee in her books.”

Appraisal:

The book kicks off with us meeting the protagonist, Sabrina. She’s turning forty and the Silicon Valley corporate lawyer is celebrating by spending a weekend with her best friend Gillian in Napa Valley. Needless to say, wine is consumed. Sabrina’s reasonably happy with her career, but her personal life, not so much. That becomes apparent as you get to know a bit about her ex-husband (aka “the lying bastard”) and she ruminates on her desire to become a mother, but the lack of viable father candidates is a concern.

Enter Andrew, the man serving up drinks at the winery where Sabrina and Gillian are currently hanging out. He’s too young and in a completely different place in life than Sabrina, but when the sparks fly a short fling doesn’t seem like that big of a deal, right?

As you should be able to guess, things get complicated. Then they get even more complicated. Then they get … well, you get the picture. How all of this happens and subsequently gets resolved is humorous (since it is happening to someone else), entertaining, and a fun read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and content.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review is based on a pre-release copy and I can’t judge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Reprise Review: The Call by Laurie Boris

 Genre: Women’s Fiction/Sports Fiction

Description:

“As one of the first female umpires in the minors, Margie puts up with insults and worse from people who think women don’t belong in baseball. Forget making history—Margie just wants to do her job and be part of the game she loves.

She’s ready for the rude comments. The lousy pay. The endless traveling. But when she suspects a big-name slugger of cheating, she has to choose: let the dirty player get away with it, or blow the whistle and risk her career…and maybe her twin brother’s major-league prospects, too.

Now it’s up to Margie to make the call.”

Author:

“Laurie Boris has been writing fiction for over twenty-five years and is the award-winning author of seven novels. When not playing with the universe of imaginary people in her head, she’s a freelance copyeditor and enjoys baseball, reading, and avoiding housework. She lives in New York’s lovely Hudson Valley.”

Appraisal:

For me this was a great read for many different reasons. Some of those reasons might be things that would apply to you too.

The main appeal is that this is a good story. The struggle to be as good as you can be at your chosen profession, the difficulties that sometimes complicate that, and figuring out how to deal with it, is something many of us can empathize with. I’ve also read a couple things lately that talked about how fiction can help us better understand the lives of people not like us, and this was good for me to imagine the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated profession. I suspect men and women are going to benefit from reading this kind of tale in different ways, but benefit regardless.

I’m not a big sports fan, but I’m sure those who are will enjoy the baseball part of the story. As someone who came of age about the same time as the characters in this story (late 70s) I found myself experiencing a bit of nostalgia that the typical reader wouldn’t. (But I refuse to call this historical fiction for you young’uns.) All in all, a good read, even for those who would typically stay away from women’s fiction or sports fiction.

I was also curious as to the status of female umpires in the major and minor leagues. How credible was this? What I found is that the first woman to work as an umpire in the minor leagues of professional baseball did so in 1972, so the story could have happened as indicated. But 45 years later it looks like women umpires are still a rarity with the first woman to work in the major leagues not doing so until 2007 and very few that work in professional baseball at any level. Maybe the difficulties Margie experiences are more contemporary than I thought.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Uses some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Reprise Review: Double Dealing in Dubuque by Dean Klinkenberg

 

Genre: Mystery

Description:

“Writer Frank Dodge is feeling optimistic for a change. He just landed a plum assignment from a national magazine to write about the growth of boutique food in the Midwest. Dodge's mood quickly turns sour, though, when his scheming rival Helen shows up--is she trying to steal another story from him? When a fire erupts at the food convention Dodge is scouting out, two people die and Dodge can't shake the feeling that the fire was no accident.

Dodge's search for the truth will take him from the specialty shops of Galena, Illinois, through the neighborhoods of Dubuque, Iowa, and to the murky backwaters of the Mississippi River, landing him in the middle of a volatile feud between ice cream queen Stella and chocolatier Ashley.

Can he keep Helen at bay as he investigates the fire? And how far will Stella and Ashley ultimately go to skewer each other? Double-Dealing in Dubuque is a compelling novel that delves into what can go wrong when feuds get out of hand.”

Author:

“Dean Klinkenberg, the Mississippi Valley Traveler, explores the back roads and backwaters of the Mississippi River Valley, a place with an abundance of stories to tell, big characters, epic struggles, do-gooders and evil-doers. Some of those stories are in the Frank Dodge mystery series; others you’ll find in the Mississippi Valley Traveler guidebooks. He lives in St. Louis with his husband, John, and a parrot, Ra.”

Appraisal:

This is Dean Klinkenberg’s second Frank Dodge mystery and, like Klinkenberg himself, Dodge operates in what he describes as “Middle America, where—in the mind of my editor—cultural trends arrive via Pony Express. But, hey, it’s my home, where I keep my stuff—parachute pants, pet rock, and all.” There might be a hint there of who the ideal reader for this book would be. The setting for the series in smaller towns and cities along the Mississippi is going to work best for those from Middle America who can laugh at our foibles, but also recognize that those on the coasts aren’t as special as they might think. As Dodge put it, “When folks on the coasts adopt things that we’ve been doing all along, we’re content to let them think they invented it. It’s important to them to feel that way, and we’re sensitive to other people’s feelings.”

As the paragraph above shows, Klinkenberg delivers a few straight lines that should elicit a laugh or at least a chuckle from readers who are paying attention. But there is also a good mystery here. Some interesting characters and a fun time for the reader to follow along with Frank while we try to figure out who set the fire that killed two people at the convention center.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

This is the second mystery in this series featuring Frank Dodge. However, this book can be read as a standalone.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Reprise Review: Election 2064 by Scott McDermott

 Genre: Science Fiction/Political Thriller

Description:

 “Nearly five decades from now, America is finding its legs again after years of bitter conflict. Civ-2, as the Second Civil War came to be known, turned many of the nation's cities into battlefields and took millions of lives. Early in the 2060 campaign, Reformation League candidate Acton Granger made an unprecedented concession – he would forego a running mate and offer the vice presidency to his chief rival, whomever that may become. It was a gesture of unity that rocketed Granger to victory. Still stinging from defeat, the Conservative League’s Elijah Schroeder chose to swallow his pride and accept Granger’s offer, alienating his own supporters and political allies in the process.

Now two years into their fragile partnership, the 2064 campaign looms, and Elijah learns his selection was more complicated than the call for healing he and the country were led to believe. He must decide whether to continue toiling as a false symbol of harmony, or turn against the man who is now his boss and leader of the free world.

Meanwhile, other national figures emerge with their own designs on the election, from the Freedom League’s rebellious darling Shelby Monroe to the Progressive League's technology mogul Ben Allen, who could become the country’s first gay president.

As each contender charts their strategies and the barnstorming begins, a terrorist attack – orchestrated by a new, horrifying weapon – rocks the nation and turns all of their campaigns upside-down.

That is, all of them but one.”

Author:

 “Scott McDermott lives in Virginia Beach with his wife and two furballs.”

Appraisal:

This is quite a story. I’m inclined to call it dystopian because it has a lot of the elements of that genre, specifically a political slant that looks at a current direction some are advocating or trying to take the country and projects the slippery slope of going too far that way. In this case that direction is using what’s often described as “big data” to predict how voters will react to certain things and politicians positioning their campaigns based on that. (Google “Robert Mercer” if you’re interested in learning more about this.) However, dystopian usually implies the opposite of a utopia, a world you wouldn’t want to live in. The US in 2064 when this story takes place is no utopia, but it isn’t a dystopia either. But the questions and concerns it raises if you read between the lines aren’t much different from what you’d expect in the dystopian genre. Maybe it’s dystopian lite as well as being a political thriller set in the not-so-distant future.

Those tuned in to the current political landscape will spot other similarities in this future world the author has imagined. But there are also some significant differences that are interesting food for thought, for example there have been changes that have happened, moving from a two-party system to a multi-party system with the parties called “leagues.” How politicians and voters react due to the recent second Civil War and some changes in the political divisions in the country (there are now something like 75 states) are a few of the changes.

Overall, I found this story a satisfying and thought-provoking read in the same way a well-done dystopian novel might be, but also with the same intensity that would come from a good political thriller. If you like one or the other, this should do. If you’re a fan of both genres, what are you waiting for? My only complaint is the cliffhanger ending which has left me wondering when book two will be out. I’m ready now.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

This is the first of a series.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating:***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Reprise Review: Dig Two Graves by Keith Nixon

 Genre: Thriller/Noir/Police Procedural

Description:

“When teenager Nick Buckingham tumbles from the fifth floor of an apartment block, Detective Sergeant Solomon Gray answers the call with a sick feeling in his stomach. The victim was just a kid, sixteen years old. And the exact age the detective's son, Tom, would've been, had he not gone missing at a funfair ten years ago. Each case involving children haunts Gray with the reminder that his son may still be out there - or worse, dead. The seemingly open and shut case of suicide twists into a darker discovery. Buckingham and Gray have never met, so why is Gray's number on the dead teenager's mobile phone?

With his boss, Detective Inspector Yvonne Hamson, Gray begins to unravel a murky world of abuse, lies, and corruption. An investigator from the Met is called in to assist, setting the local police on edge. And when the body of Reverend David Hill is found shot to death in the vestry of Gray's old church, Gray wonders how far the depravity stretches and who might be next. Nothing seems connected, and yet there is one common thread: Detective Sergeant Solomon Gray, himself. As the bodies pile up, Gray must face his own demons. Crippled by loss but determined to find the truth, Gray takes the first step on the long road of redemption.

Set in the once grand town of Margate in the south of England, the now broken and depressed seaside resort becomes its own character in this dark detective thriller.”

Author:

During the day Keith Nixon is employed in a “senior sales role” by a high-tech company in the UK. But when he gets home you’ll find him working on this next book in one of two unrelated genres, either hard-boiled crime fiction or historical fiction.

Appraisal:

This is the first of the Solomon Gray series and I’m already a fan. Gray is a detective and the main story thread appears, at least at first, to be a straightforward (although certainly unique) murder case. I anticipated a straightforward police procedural. It might have been except for Solomon Gray’s past, which haunts him in many ways and I think tends to change the way he views and approaches crime solving. As the story alternates between the two threads, us learning about Gray’s past and observing his efforts to solve the current case (eventually cases) the two threads start getting tangled with each other. I never saw that coming.

The result can be viewed as a police procedural or noir crime fiction or a bit of both. But what struck me is that the underlying story has more depth than is typical of either.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Reprise Review: Mr. Pish's Woodland Adventure (A Mr. Pish Backyard Adventure Book 1) by K. S. Brooks

 

Genre: Children’s Adventure/Nature/Educational

Description:

“Mr. Pish, the adventurous Jack Russell Terrier, leads readers on an expedition into the forest in Mr. Pish's Woodland Adventure. With full color photographs and engaging text geared to promote outdoor learning, Mr. Pish shows how easy it is to experience nature no matter where you live. Mr. Pish even teaches kids how to make their own Great Explorer's scrapbook! Best viewed on a full-color reader.”

Author:

“K.S. Brooks has been writing for over thirty years. An award-winning author and photographer, she has written over 30 titles, is currently the administrator for the superblog Indies Unlimited, and is founder of ‘Authors for Hurricane Sandy Library Recovery’ and the ‘Liberty Library’ for soldiers and veterans. Mr. Pish is a curly-haired Jack Russell terrier who has traveled the USA and Canada to spread the word about outdoor learning and literacy.”

To learn more about Mr. Pish you may visit is his website. To learn more about Ms. Brooks you may also visit her website.

Appraisal:

Mr. Pish has an infectious personality that readily draws the reader in and includes you in the dialogue as he explores. He also has rules to follow while exploring; take plenty of water and snacks, stay on the path, and always stay in sight of an adult. The adult is basically the pack mule to carry everything for you on your adventure. Never go on an exploring adventure alone. Also, pay attention to your surroundings. If you don’t think you see anything stop, look, and listen for a while. Check out the flora, fauna, and trees.

This book is loaded with gorgeous pictures of wildlife, critters, and Mr. Pish. I found this book a treasure trove of information written simply enough for children to understand and engage with. I think any of Mr. Pish’s series books would make a wonderful addition to any library, be it a primary school, public, or a child’s own personal library.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Best viewed on a full-color device. Mr. Pish's Woodland Adventure is book one in MR. PISH BACKYARD ADVENTURE SERIES. Book two is The Mighty Oak and Me.

Format/Typo Issues:

I came across no issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: Twenty-eight pages.

Reprise Review: Foreign Relations by Rebecca Forster

 Genre: Mystery/Police Procedural

Description:

“Traffic in downtown Los Angeles turns hellish when a woman hurtles from an overpass and crashes through the windshield of a car on the 110 Freeway. Narrowly escaping death in the epic pile up, Detective Finn O’Brien and his partner, Cori Anderson, throw themselves into the fray: Cori to triage and Finn rushing toward the flaming car in a desperate bid to save the woman. But survival is not an option. As the car explodes in a fireball, she dies in his arms. When her autopsy reveals a gruesome secret, Finn is determined to prove her death was no accident. Together with Cori, he follows a twisted trail that leads into the veiled and exotic world of L.A.'s exiled African community, the luxurious enclaves of Hollywood and finally to the doorstep of a third world despot whose cruelty knows no bounds and whose influence has a stranglehold on the City of the Angels.”

Author:

The author of numerous thrillers in multiple subgenres, USA Today bestseller Rebecca Forster lives in Los Angeles with her husband.

Appraisal:

This is only the second book in the Finn O’Brien Thriller series and already I feel like I’ve turned into a raving fan. In my mind, the case Finn and his partner Cori are working on doesn’t matter. They’re the reason I’m reading. The police procedural series that I’ve liked the most drew me in because of the appeal of the regular characters. That’s the solid foundation that’s needed for any series to succeed. Here, it’s not only the positive attributes Finn and Cori bring to the table (integrity, doggedness, and loyalty to name a few), but their imperfections as well, which lay that foundation. Not being able to tell the other how they feel about them is just one imperfection both share.

Of course, the story still has to work, and this one does. It combines international intrigue and Hollywood in the kind of story that could only take place in Los Angeles. Multiple story threads take unexpected twists before they all come together as Finn and Cori nail the culprit. I’d like to claim I saw it coming. The clues were there. But nope, that’s not who I would have guessed was whodunit.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

While the second in a series, this book can be read as a standalone.

Format/Typo Issues:

My review is based on a pre-release ARC and I can’t judge the final product in this area.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Reprise Review: Molten Dusk by Karissa Laurel

 Genre: Urban Fantasy/Mythology/Romance

Description:

“While recovering from a devastating betrayal, Solina becomes increasingly drawn to Thorin as he helps her hunt down Skoll, the mythical wolf who vowed to kill her. If she can find and destroy the beast, she’ll bring a swift and brutal end to her enemies’ schemes. But nothing ever goes as planned in Solina’s strange new world.

During her search for Skoll, Solina uncovers a plot to unleash a battalion of legendary soldiers and launch an apocalyptic war. Before she and her allies can locate the fabled army, several ghosts from her past return to haunt her. Solina must fight for life and the fate of the world, or her hopes for love and a peaceful future will go up in flames.”

Author:

“Karissa lives in North Carolina with her kid, her husband, the occasional in-law, and a very hairy husky. Some of her favorite things are coffee, chocolate, and super heroes. She can quote Princess Bride verbatim. She loves to read and has a sweet tooth for fantasy, sci-fi, and anything in between. Sometimes her husband convinces her to put down the books and go to the flea market to find something rusty to reuse and purpose.”

To learn more about Ms. Laurel stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

WOW! Karissa Laurel is a wonderful storyteller. All of her characters are authentic and well written with depth. The plot is riddled with twists that keeps the tension and intrigue high. There is double-crossing as well unexpected help when you least expect it. And epic battles with mindless soldiers that Solina’s fire can’t harm.

Solina’s journey is enhanced by a vision quest, which helps her sort out the nightmares she is having and the guilt she feels about her brother’s death. Thorin also shares some of his fond memories as well as heartbreaking times of his past with Solina.

Through it all Solina remains true to herself, meaning she still defies Thorin occasionally. Despite that, they both do their share of saving each other in dire times. Solina knows how Thorin feels about her, but she is strong-willed and won’t admit her emotional walls are crumbling.

There is so much more I haven’t mentioned and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed in Molten Dusk. All plot points are tied up nicely with a satisfying ending. I’m not sure if this series is finished though, I can see other stories stemming from this solid foundation.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Molten Dusk is book three in THE NORSE CHRONICLES. I would recommend reading this series in order starting with Midnight Burning then Arctic Dawn.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing errors.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ? wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 90-95,000 words

Reprise Review: Descending Moon (Totem Book 8) by Christine Rains

 

Genre: Fantasy/Romance/Mystery/Mythology

Description:

“Some say the moon is for lovers, but wise folks know to fear it.

Kinley Dorn must be strong for her family in these dark times. Sometimes she feels she’s all that’s holding them together. But when the frightening Moon Man attacks and bestows a burdensome gift upon her, Kinley might have to do more than simply help her family. She will have to battle a god, but which one? If it’s the sly man hunting her in the astral plane, Kinley might not make it out alive.”

Author:

“Christine Rains is a writer, blogger, and geek mom. She has four degrees which help nothing with motherhood but make her a great Jeopardy player. When she's not reading or writing, she's going on adventures with her son or watching cheesy movies on Syfy Channel. She's a member of S.C.I.F.I. and Untethered Realms. She has one novel and several novellas and short stories published. Her newest urban fantasy series, Totem, is almost complete at nine books.”

To learn more visit Ms. Rains website or stalk her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

This addition to the series centers mainly on Kinley and the myth about the Moon Man. Ms. Rains has done a wonderful job building her myths in this series. The plot moves fast as Christmas is approaching and the bear totem looms closer than ever. So why has the Moon Man chosen Kinley to terrorize?

One thing I really enjoyed was a larger role for the local vampire, Bert Ellsworth. The Dorn sisters are building and designing Bert’s new home in the wilderness. Ransom, Kinley’s boyfriend, is also Bert’s personal assistant. His help becomes dire for Kinley and I hope to see more of him in the future.

Descending Moon is action packed and full of tension with a shocking ending on more than one level. That fact alone makes book eight exceptional. I’m not sure how they are going to manage getting all the tokens to put the totem pole back together to save all shifters in one more book. However, I am looking forward to finding out.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Descending Moon is book eight in the TOTEM series. It is important to read this series in order as events build, and characters grow from other books in the series.

Be warned about sensitive adult topics and there are several F-bombs.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ? wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words