When the world is about to end - it gets really hard to tell who the good guys are!

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You would think that vanishing for a year in a fugue state would make a person the talk of the cocktail party.  The fact that Hector can't remember what he did during that year doesn't mean that he wasn't busy though.  While in he amnesiastic state, all Hector was doing was becoming the Blessed Man and getting ready for his part in Armageddon.

So when Hector is outed as the "Blessed Man," (which is news to his wife as well as himself) he winds up on a team whose side includes a "witch" who can perform astral travel with some serious angelic connections, a YooTV channel superstud who has a religious conversion that would make Jim Bakker jealous, a leader of a drug gang with stigmata, and an owner of a security firm.  Then all hell breaks loose.
No, seriously - all hell does break loose.

The Bleeders have been tracking down artifacts while trying to find the Blessed Man.  Using some pretty intense "readjustment" techniques on some people within the Occupy movement, the bad guys also have a job opening for someone who can lead their Legion.  The main qualification include wearing a couple thousand year old pig head that has some biblical history of its own.

But who is fighting for what?  The "bad" guys are trying to stop Armegeddon from happening (which really makes one wonder - are things really THAT bad on earth that the people on the side of Hell want to keep it that way!).  The good guys are trying to set about the end of the world.

Maybe humanity can hope for a draw and we can revisit this whole Armageddon thing in a few thousand years down the road......

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"The Blessed Man and the Witch" by David Dubrow is a story unlike any that I have come across before.  Plenty of action, lots of neat characters, plot infused with biblical relics, and an climax that will really leaving you wondering who you want to root for.  Bad guys win - world keeps going.  Good guys win - beginning of the end.

The characters were strong, and easy to connect to.  The plot was very ambitious and there was enough action to keep you turning the pages.

A couple things that I did find confusing - lots of mention of Angels names and no real background of who they were or why they were important.  Also, as ambitious as the plot was, the ending was a cliffhanger.  I almost had the feeling that the ending may have been written by a different author.  The beginning and middle of the novel seemed to move at a good pace, the ending seemed frantic.  But, we are talking about the end of the world here - and I am sure I am not going to be sitting around in a leisure suit with a glass of fine cognac in reflection of great literature at that moment.

I am hopeful that Dubrow is planning a second novel to "The Blessed Man and the Witch" - the suspense has been built up.  There is more story to tell with this novel, and the characters are too well developed not to hear from again.

(Movies and Manuscripts were provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

I made $70 million in the stock market today, went to celebrate with a friend, got a lapdance while waiting - and then things went all wrong

Zero Alternative by Luca Pesaro

Scott Walker is one of the top traders for his company, but burnout is right around the corner.  It is time to call it a career.  With a computer program that scans current events and can give probabilities of future ones, Scott Walker almost has an unfair advantage against the competition. Just one more big hit, and Walker can sit on the beach with his biggest worry being what drink to order next.

When the DeepOmega program predicts a market collapse, Walker makes millions in a matter of minutes by short selling the market. 

As they say, knowledge is power.  And when you have big knowledge and make big money with it - well you are going to attract some big enemies who are willing to kill to know what Scott Walker knows.

After an explanation of how short selling works, the action picks up at a feverish pace and doesn't stop until the end.  With all of the countries that Walker and his sidekick, Layla, travel to - it almost feels like you are getting an Economic & Geography lesson wrapped around evading the bad guys, murders, and close calls.

I don't want to give too much away and be a spoiler, but this has been one of the better action books that I have reviewed.


Strengths   

-  Very strong characters, writing, and plot.   It is obvious that the author did his research and knows his stuff.

- Characters that you slowly grow to like, just like making a fine wine, the end is worth the wait.

- I found myself thinking about the next move I would make as I read - only to find out that it would have been the wrong one most of the time!  Nothing obvious, which kept it enjoyable.


Weaknesses

- The beginning is just a little slow with the explanation of short selling.  However, I can see where this was necessary since not every reader would be familiar with the concept.  Don't let that scare you, knowledge of finance is not needed to enjoy this book!

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Lemon, Salt, Shot of Tequila - Start Shooting!!

Jack Fleming was assumed to have been killed in Afghanistan five and half years ago.  It seems that on most days, he might have wished that were true.  But like the saying goes - if were easy, everyone would do it.

Tequila Assassin: Malinalli Way by Greg Prosmushkin is a book that starts out of the gate with action, and doesn't let up until the end.  Buckle up, because if you read this book, you will be in for a ride.  Don't wait for the movie - it won't be as good as the book.  I promise.

Jack thought it was just a simple hit job on a creep who probably had it coming anyways.  But after too many double crosses to count, losing body parts, and serving up a seven foot buffet up to a swine - the story goes from not just enjoyable, but to full-on "can't put this down."

What makes this book even more remarkable is that according to the acknowledgements, the author, Greg Prosmushkin, is the co-founder of Malinalli Tequila.  He fully admits to shamelessly cross marketing his product in the book right up front.  When I read this, my first thought was - great, this guy is expecting me to read a 172 page commercial.  You know what?  If Prosmushkin's Tequila is as good as this book - I am going to quit writing this post and head on down to a bar and have a few shots!

Strengths

-  I don't know if Prosmushkin has written anything else, or plans to - but if Jack Fleming does have more missions in him, I am shamelessly going to request an advance copy to review!

-  The story is told from Jack Fleming's point of view, who describes the story through his very Alpha Male point of view.  Prosmushkin never tries to turn Jack Fleming into something that he is not to appease the reader - and for this I am thankful.

-  Absolutely no issues with grammar or spelling.

Weaknesses

- There are none.  And that's not the tequila talking.  Hey bartender!  Why is this glass empty!!!

(I purchased this book after seeing it on a few different sites - something I don't do often for reviews, but for some reason, it just felt right.)

(There is strong violence, drug use, and language - This book is for mature audiences only)

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