I am calling in sick tomorrow - I am feeling a little "Afflicted"

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"Afflicted Dawn" by Gregory Napier is one of the reasons why I have fallen in love with the zombie genre.  I resisted the urge to view / read anything zombie related as if ignoring the upcoming apocalypse could somehow save my brain from being eaten.

I mean, really, how interesting could slow moving brain eaters be?  No real need to do any "character development" on a creature who might just shrug a limb off just as easily as you might sneeze.

But my milky white eyes have seen the light - and one of the main reasons are books like Napier has written.  You see, the best of the zombie genre don't even really feature the zombies.  Yes, they are there - and you can't really avoid talking about undead braineaters if they happen to have some role in your book - but that doesn't mean that everything focuses on them.  To be fair to Napier - they aren't even really zombies, per se, - they are "afflicted".  The cause of the end of the world - a cancer treatment gone really, really bad.

Dylan and his niece Aurellia are just a couple of survivors trying to make their way in this new world order.  Is it OK to befriend other survivors, or should they be more feared than the afflicted themselves?

This book has it all: zombies that seems to be able to "evolve", bad guys that are looking to make a bad situation good for themselves, survivors willing to take risks and sacrifice everything for a chance to leave their world just a little nicer place, and harrowing escapes (for some characters - not all).

If you've never given the zombie genre a chance - sit down, buy this book, and get ready to feast on some brains.  You won't regret it!

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Kyle Garlett has walked to the edge so that you don't have to and you can still get all the wisdom from that right here!

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"Lessons from the Edge of Life: The Seven Keys to Surviving the Worst and Living Your Best" by Kyle Garlett is a one of those books that makes you just pick it up and smile all the way through.

Kyle Garlett is a four time cancer survivor.  That in and of itself is testament to the man's willpower and attitude.  But what is survival if you then become complacent?  Garlett chose to thrive instead of survive.  Most "healthy" people would not be able to accomplish the feat of completing the Ironman Triathlon.   With a heart transplant and damaged lungs from rounds of chemo, Garlett did just that.

But, like all great people worth listening to, Garlett has a sense of humility that allows him to not just share his story, but to share the insights that were gained from his journey.

Being a personal development coach, I recognized many of the points that Garlett makes, but his examples and twists on them is where the real value of this book lies. Garlett has people facing their gremlins by having them not just facing their fears, but making fear their friend.  He does an excellent job in the very first lesson when he encourages people to "climb out of the valley of the fog".

I also appreciate that Garlett never turns into a "positive in the face of everything cheerleader".  There were times when he suffered setbacks and depression.  No one is ever going to be 100% positive all the time - depression, hurt, helplessness and other emotions are OK for a quick visit, but nothing good happens from an extended stay with these emotions.

One of the greatest take-aways for me was the acronym of AWE:  Attitude, Will, Effort.  I have seen this first hand in myself and others that these three words can take a person quite far if they put them into action.

I could go on and on about the contents of this wonderfully motivating book, but I can't do it justice or give you the wisdom in a blog article.

Do yourself a favor - take Kyle Garlett's hand, walk with him to the edge of life, and learn all you need to learn on how to get more out of each and everyday.  

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(This review was part of an ad package.  This only moved the book to the "front of the line" and in no way influences the review"

Do you really know who you are? This book can help you answer this question!

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As a certified personal development coach, one of the things that I consistently see in my clients is a total lack of spending any time with themselves.  Often, when given a list of different values and asked to prioritize them, you will see most people will put “Self” at the end.

In the short term, things are fine like this.  Stretched out over time, however, the inevitable end result is disillusionment, lack of energy, and frustration.   

How do I know this?  If you pour everything into everyone and everything (work, kids sports, etc.) you will eventually reach the point where you find that you haven’t done anything for yourself in quite a long time.

People will try to justify this saying that they are giving everything to others, and wrap themselves in a shroud of nobility with the statement. 

Three questions. 

1. What happens when you have nothing else to give?  It is going to happen – you can’t run anything on drained batteries.  You need to recharge yourself to be able to give.  Doing something for yourself is not being selfish – it actually will allow you to be and do even better things for others.

2.  What happens when the people you are giving your all to either no longer need or want your help?  Think empty nest syndrome here.  It is no secret that almost all parents go through this with their teenagers.  You want to help, but they are trying to break away and be independent.  The giver is left alone with no sense of who they really are – their identity has been tied into another instead of their own.

3.  Who are you?  Short question, but how you answer this will play a huge part in your happiness and success.

This is where Antoinetta Vogels’ “Healthy Sense of Self” is going to be a game changer for some people.  This book is both scholarly and readable, which isn’t always the case.  In it, readers will find some of the thoughts that they have are really thoughts that they have allowed others to put there.  Then there are the standard demons of depression, insomnia, and addiction.  Self limiting beliefs are another gremlin that this book can help you conquer.

The end result?

“People with a healthy Sense of themselves know what they want in life; they also know their boundaries.  That enables them to come up with a plan for their living and their lives, and they are unlikely to feel the need to higher authorities to do that for them.  They certainly would not consider giving their lives to people who then use them for their won purposes, just as their self-absorbed, abusive parent used to do.  They are able to manage themselves and let their lives be an expression of their own opinion and preferences.  They do not need to be rewarded for good behavior by a person who is higher in rank for they intrinsically and sincerely know their own value.”

If that one paragraph speaks to you, look into a “Healthy Sense of Self” to help guide you to get to that end result.

               

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What happens when artificial intelligence meets a self created killer computer virus?

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In the not so distant future, people cellphones will be littering the junkyard like VCR's did once DVD's and digital recording were invented.  What invention could make us all care less about cracked screens on our iPhone?

Brain Prosthetics.

Need to answer a phone?  Look over at the white circle that pops up in your virtual viewing pane and choose to answer or ignore the ringtone that only you can hear in your head.  Dr. Hagan is the neurosurgeon to some powerful people - including the family of the richest person on earth.  Dr. Hagan can do what once was thought impossible, heal the brain - and when your last name is Devron and your son needs something - it gets done.

As a hobby, Hagan dabble in artificial intelligence.  Well, dabble might not be a strong enough word.  If a hobby causes you to constantly have your job threatened, have your wife walk out on you, and almost kill billions of people - it might just qualify for obsession status.

The trouble with super advanced prosthetics implanted in someones head is that when things go a little wacky - it isn't an easy fix.  And when the prosthetic is like a primordial swamp that can give "birth" to new virtual life forms - that's not good.  And you might get an idea of the character of this new "life form" by the user name it chooses for itself - RedDevil_4.

It is up to the odd couple team of cops to find the connection in murders popping up all over the city and put an end to it.  Krantz, an old curmudgeon of human, still is using outdated prosthetics in his head.  You know the type - still has his Beta and VHS VCR's so he can play his whole library of tapes that he finds in future antique stores.  Krantz is old school, solve a cases by hard work and gut feelings.  Tara is the former military, super-hot, super-cop partner that can't stand working with someone whose brain implant means she has to wait a whole 3 seconds to download an encyclopedia into Krantz's head.

When these three are forced to team up, they will need everything they have - and somethings that they don't quite have yet - to stop RedDevil_4 from wiping out everyone with an implant.  That means only the lost villages in Brazil and some pygmy tribes in Africa are left.  So whatever this team needs to do, including getting past robotic driveway gravel (I know, doesn't sound menacing - but you are sooooo wrong.....) must get done. 
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Red Devil 4 is a fast paced thriller with well developed characters and almost constant action.  The story had more than a few twists and turns that kept me guessing just enough to keep my interest.  If you are a fan of medical science fiction - this needs to be on your brain implant e-reader!

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In Search of - that most myterious literary cryptoid - the Jabberwock!!

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There are some who have all the choices of the world open to them, but for some there is but one choice.  That choice:  to fetch up the old family Vorpal Sword and heading out to track down the namesake of your house - the Jabberwock.

And that is just what the young Astreus does, much to the despair of his father.

And where to start a quest for this creature who, beforehand, is only know through the memory of a chance encounter over centuries before.  In true Lewis Carroll-like fashion - if you don't know where you are going - then any road will get you there.

One does not simply walk out of their home and run into the Jabberwock and cleave off its head.  That would not be a quest worthy of such a legendary recluse creature that is known only to the world but through a poem.  One must go through ill-fated romances on strange islands, become a servant to a chess playing cat, and learn the fate of the person who brings plight to a land that you have never heard of before you started your adventure.

After all of this - you will go through a mind bending trip that will have you thinking "maybe I shouldn't have ordered the mushrooms in that omelet" and cross over into yet another odder world.  Astreus may have second thoughts and may be content about just staying in an odd world, but when you have blood on your hands, the odder and unknown looks like a better choice every minute.

What will our young hero find at the end of this journey?  Will he even know what to do when he finds what he thinks he should find?  Why can't you ever just find a Mad Hatter and sit back with some tea to discuss things and sort them out when you need to?

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Jabberwocky:  A Novella by Theodore Singer is a story that picks up on the poem of the Jabberwock that was written by Lewis Carroll and included in the "Through the Looking Glass" installment of the Alice in Wonderland books.

Never has such nonsense created so much seeking for sense.  What is the meaning of this? Why?  I am sure a doctoral thesis has been done on this cryptid who only walks on paths of parchment in children's books.

And that brings us to this wonderful novella that Singer has created.  I am not going to fall into the trap of trying to look for the deep meaning of the quest of Astreus - that is for the wonkheads to wonk about.  They need to get paid for coming up with wonkish thoughts that only they can understand.

Sometimes the thing that makes the most sense to do with nonsense is to sit back and enjoy it for what it is - a fun and entertaining story designed to put a smile on the face of all who are lucky enough to pick up the book and lose themselves down a rabbit hole for a while.

Buy at Amazon!

(This book review is part of a paid advertising package - this has no bearing on what I choose to include in the review)

Grab a spot in the shade of the hanging tree and learn something new about American history

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So you thought the Godfather movies showed how organized crime "really" was.  You believed that the "mob" came from families with Sicilian roots.  Well, say hello to my little friend, Philip Alston.  Never heard of Alston?  Then you might not know as much about organized crime as you think.

One thing that all criminals look for is opportunity.  The new world that was to be known as the United States of America would have been like a light to a moth.  Alston began counterfeiting before the American Revolution - laying down the groundwork for counterfeiters, horse thieves, prison escape artists, and those who hunting them for more than a century after him.

"Counterfeit Justice" by Eric Alli may have the distinction of being the definitive book when it comes to the origins of organized crime in America. Don't believe me - look at the appendix and you will find a lengthy list of characters who were involved in giving Al Capone a blueprint on how to operate. 

How did Alli become interested in such an eclectic topic?  Well - you could say he is "family".  As in a blood relative of one Gregor McDougall - whose execution at the hands of a mob of "Regulators" may have been the start of the downfall of the Blacklegs.  

What is a Blackleg, you ask?  That depends - he could be a horse thief, a counterfeiter, a person with a double life and multiple identities, a snitcher of fellow Blacklegs once a noose was placed around his neck, or just a cold blooded murderer.  One thing that they did all have in common was the shared fear that turned into hatred by everyone not associated with them.  Having to sleep in a barn with a shotgun just to make sure you still have horses in the morning will eventually do that to you.

Fortunately for you, instead of living through the terror of pioneer organized crime syndicates, you can choose to read about them instead. I am a fan of history, and I thought I had a pretty good handle of US History.  A book like "Counterfeit Justice" is an exciting reminder that there is always something interesting to learn.

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Those are lovely, glowing green eyes you have!

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Beth, a 17 year old teenager, is not having what you would call a good year.  Her parents died, her twin brother is in a coma, and now she is shooting energy everywhere like she is some kind of Van De Graff Generator (one of those ball lightning things...).

It would seem things are not normal, but then her best friends, her recovered twin brother, and a childhood friend who is easy on the eyes all discover they are developing powers as well.

This happens at a good time, as demons seem to be popping out of every crevice.  Mostly wimpy ones, which Beth and her Guardian Warriors, dispatch with ease.  It's those damn class two demons that are a pain in the rear.  And it's not like the townsfolk can even help to save their city since the demons only can be vanquished if hit in an exact location - and that location is different for each one.

Who is behind all of this mess and why would they want to unleash demons all over the city?  I would answer the question now, but I am too busy dispatching some pig nosed class three demons that are just plain annoying me right now.

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"Revelations:  Thera's Eyes Series" by Leia Kiuski is a book that would most likely be enjoyed by the young adult crowd.  There is action, magic, and mayhem tied around a romance that can't happen - all of which equals quite a lot going on.  

For a first book, it is certainly ambitious.  There were some things that I did notice.  Things happened, and no real explanation really occurred.  Some parts of the book felt "rushed" and things were glossed over.  Some of the dialogue seemed forced and a few of the characters repeated struggles over the same thing had me thinking "girl - get some medicine for that OCD!!"  

Anyways, it is a book that is certainly different and should appeal to the crowd that it is written for.  If you like Young Adult Action / Magic - then you won't be disappointed.

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A must have survival guide when your parents are older!

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"Elderly Parents With All Their Marbles:  A Survival Guide for the Kids" by Pamela Carey is one of those books that you don't know you need until you need it.  When your parents become older, the children have to make difficult decisions.  These could include moving them out of a home that they have owned for decades, selecting nursing homes and in-home care, and when it is time to "let them go" if that is what they decide.

Instead of having to learn what to do at the time you need to make a decision, it might be better to read about someone else's trials, errors, and learning moments.  Carey has beautifully broken down her experiences into 49 "rules" for people to consider along with her experiences with her parents that caused her to develop the rules in the first place.

I found this book to be an easy read and full of insights.  My parents are getting to the age that some of these rules might come into play.   I plan on sharing this book with my brother so that we can put together a "game plan" and be on the same pages with our decisions.  Thank you, Pamela, for sharing your experiences in this great "survival guide!"

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One small step for zombies, one huge mess for mankind.......

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Will, owner of Will's Tavern, is about to have a change made to his bar menu.  He wasn't really looking for a change, and even if he was, Will certainly didn't approve of the main ingredients that made up the majority of the new one-item menu for his new customers that were coming in hordes.

Normally, Will would have been thrilled with a huge crowd gathering at his bar.  Especially without having to put on a "happy hour" to do so.  But the new crowd goes wherever the new delicacy can be found - and that just happens to be live humans.  Zombies are well known for eating and not ordering drinks - and hell - they would probably just try and shuffle off without paying the tab anyways. While it is bad business for your well paying regulars to be eaten by non-paying Zombies - paid in full tabs and no tips are the last thing that Will is currently concerned about.

Across the city, a mob boss is having issues of his own.  Nicky "No Nickname" Fratelli is racking up a body count - and not one of them is even a good old family "hit".  In fact - it is mostly his own goomba's and muscle that are winding up dead.  But Nicky notices that they don't stay exactly "dead" for long.  With just his most loyal bodyguard, Paulie Hammerhead - Nicky makes his way over to Will's Tavern for a nice cold one while he tries to wrap his brain around what the hell is going on.

Rounding out this team is a family with a klepto kid, a stuffy father, a wife that has eyes for about anything that moves, and a 15 year old daughter who is just trying like crazy to latch onto anyone who can get her as far away from her family as possible.  Oh yeah, and a few bar patrons who decided not to be on the menu, but most of them are falling down drunks.

So, if you were in charge of the country and the Zombies decide to have a convention in a city in the middle of nowhere, what would you plan on doing?  Well, you could send in the army and wipe out the Zombie horde.  Or, you could do what comes naturally to politicians and start spinning, lying, and creating a diversion.  How about a moon landing to distract everyone?  The fact that there isn't anyone really in space to land on the moon poses just a small problem.  That is until B-Movie director Mark Mathews is caught in a very compromising position and the army makes him a deal.  Make a movie, quick - featuring us landing on the moon.  It doesn't have to win any Academy Awards - it just has to be believable. 

With all of these moving parts, one thing remains constant.  Zombies must eat........

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OK - I am going to admit something that will probably make everyone gasp is shock.  I can honestly say I have only watched two movies featuring zombies in my lifetime - "Abraham Lincoln Zombie Slayer" (just because it looked so horrible!!) and "World War Z".  Not a single zombie book.  So by no means am I an undead aficionado.  

"One Undead Step" by Ian McClellan may have gotten me to turn a corner.  McClellan had a great paced story, and I was really liking all of the characters - that is, until they got eaten.  I was kind of surprised that there are no picky zombies when it comes to food - not one "I won't eat my broccoli" finicky eater exists among them.

McClellan also delighted me with a chapter written from the zombie's point of view.  Again, I don't have much experience in this genre - but I thought it was brilliant.  Short chapter, kind of focused on a single point - but apparently zombies are not great multi-taskers - so I guess I understand!

Anyways - you need to quit reading this blog post and download this book.  I need to quit writing anyways and get myself some steak cooked very rare now.......

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The stars just are lined up for the end of the world in "Misaligned"

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While some people were watching Discovery Channel documentaries about Mayan calendars and planets aligning, others were out saving the destruction of the world from two alien races while dodging the CIA and the Illuminati.

Little did we know as we were watching the clock count down to doomsday, an unlikely pair would show up to try and save the day.  Travis Carter, a computer engineer (aka - hacker), and Tori, a high level Spiritual Leader for the Illuminati, meet quite by accident.  Fortuitous for the entire human race, they get along well enough to kill bad guys instead of each other.

Now we have the good guys, the many bad guys, and countdown to destruction set, I don't want to give too much away to cause a spoiler.  However, the fact that I am still on this planet to be typing this should give you some kind of indication of how things turned out.

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"Misaligned" by Rodney L. Carlson is a short book that tries to tackle a large plot.  The idea of the plot was good, but there were certain points in the book that I couldn't suspend my disbelief.  I realize that is a requirement when reading fiction, but when a member of your "team" vanishes for days and the other members just kind of shrug their shoulders and give each other language lessons - I had a hard time picturing that really being the reaction most would have.

The book had many chapters, but some were literally only one page long on my Kindle, and the next chapter dealt with the same characters, setting, and time line.  This gave this book a kind of "disjointed" feel.

Overall, the story was a good short read.  If you are looking for something that you can devour in a day that is going to entertain you, then this book might be something to consider.

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A Legacy of Leadership

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Alexia's Legacy by Ray White is a short book written about leadership tips that were gleaned from an amazing young woman who may have had a shorter life than everyone wanted, but lived that life in a large way.

Having worked with children for a good portion of my life, there are some that you see and know that they just "get it".  They are "put together" so well that many adults could stand to learn a few lessons from them.  Alexia seems to have been that type of person.

The 50 tips are things that many of us have heard, but rarely practice. A refresher on servant leadership is not a bad thing at all.  To quote Zig Ziglar, "People often say that motivation doesn't last.  Well, neither does bathing.  That's why we recommend it daily."

Take one tip a day and try to put it into practice - and you have 50 motivation & leadership "baths" covered.  Need help in seeing how it is all put into practice?  The author's close relationship as Alexia's mentor allows him to share examples and emails that highlight each tip.  A few of the tips are also illustrated by memoirs of her friends, providing touching moments throughout.

I have gone through the pain of losing a younger sibling much too soon.  I can empathize with the loss that everyone must have felt at the time of Alexia's loss.  White does an excellent job of not only memorializing Alexia throughout this book, but allowing everyone to attempt continue the great lessons that she was just beginning to put into practice.

One aspect of the book that was a little difficult to overlook was the frequent repetition of many of the same topics in the emails that were provided.  While I understand that they were not intended to wind up in a book like this and were written in a very personal style, it did occasionally become a distraction.

(This book review is part of a paid ad that only allowed the author "front of the line" privileges and in no way impacts the review that is written.  This reviewer did purchase the book himself, however, as he was impressed by the material and the cause.)

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Sharpen your blade for a mystery spanning lifetimes in The Sword of Agrippa: Antioch

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As humans, we like to think that we are in control of things and that our knowledge puts us at the top of the evolutionary pyramid.  But how much do we really know?  If you consider just our senses - there are many examples showing that we are inferior to most other creatures.  That leaves us with the ability to reason as one of the things that sets us apart.  And because of this, the science industry is trying desperately to sell the idea that we now know everything there is to know.

Anything that can't be explained by science is tackled by the religious establishment, who have their own reasons for wanting things to stay the same.  Don't think that by wrapping themselves in the blanket of religion, that they are going to be understanding of those (especially scientists) who make new and profound discoveries.  Look up Giordano Bruno and see how the church dealt with scientists who may have held a view differing from theirs.

In between the establishments of science and religion, there is an area where a person can feel the walls of both moving together with them in the middle - and this is exactly where Roy Swenson is.  Roy is on to something - something big.  Something that will shake the establishments down to their core.  Dark energy.  Energy that will change the world.  Energy that powerful will surely draw some attention.

What Roy doesn't know is that he has been chasing this dream not just his whole life, but for lifetimes spanning the past 2,000 plus years.  As a Roman engineer named Agrippa.  Some of this is starting to come back to Roy, but things are still a little hazy.  Roy finds that there are many people who are willing to help him that have been with him through lifetimes, but also just as many who have gone out of their way to stifle his search for just as long.

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The Swords of Agrippa: Antioch is an book with quite an ambitious plot.  The size of the plot is much too broad for one book to contain it, unless you want something on the scale of Stephen King or George R. R. Martin.  I believe that Lloyd has a great concept for an excellent series.  I would like to see more character development, as it is hard to connect with them since the time of the book setting shifts from 2025 to the times of the pharaohs.  I knew from the plot concept and the size of the book that everything wasn't going to be wrapped up nice and tight with a bow on it at the end, but the author already has book two started, so the wait won't be long.

The only other observation about the book is that, other than the abstract "people" who aren't going to like the path that Roy Swenson is headed with his experiments, we never really quite get to know the actual "danger" that he is facing.  I am hoping this side of the story gets told in book two.  

I can easily see this being at least a four or five book series - and one that, when finished, could be truly noteworthy.

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(This review is part of a paid ad that only allowed the book to move to the head of the line on the wait list.  This in no way has any bearing on the review.) 

Travel at the speed of "The Hyperspace Project: The Awakening" from Donald Swan

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With a name like Nick Bannon, you know that even without looking, trouble is just going to find him.  Even an innocent "trial" of his hyperspace project becomes something that can wind up causing problems all over the galaxy. 

The problems start when Nick's trial goes just a little too well, and instead of preliminary testing, Nick becomes the first human to experience hyperspace.  Which would be great - if he had any idea where he was.

After an appropriate "greeting" from a not so friendly alien race, Nick is forced to ditch his ride inside a foreign space craft.  This is one decision that Nick makes that turns out to actually work in his favor.  On board are Kymeans, almost 8 foot tall Rakozians with four arms that would make Hulk Hogan jealous, Meth breathers, and a green female Arisian (a cat like race) with a rather large secret she is hiding.  While "not so well thought out bravery" is not a quality that Nick Bannon is lacking - the sight of the 8 foot  Karg the Rakozian brings a line that had something to do with "live to fight another day."

With some handy technology that aids language, Nick soons finds himself in the middle of a galactic war in a galaxy he previously didn't even know that existed.  Things are always tough for the new kid on the block, but when that new kid has a technology that could be used as the most powerful weapon the aliens have seen - well - that kid is going to attract a lot of attention whether he wants it or not.

Nick would love to just hop in his ship and just cruise hyperspace back home, but it's hard to get to a destination if you don't know where you are going.  So while trying to figure that dilemma out, why not just pick a side and fulfill an ancient prophecy or two along the way........

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I found "The Hyperspace Project" to be an immensely enjoyable read.  I kept picturing Harrison Ford, but with the Indiana Jones personality, but in a Blade Runner world as Nick Bannon.  The pacing was great, Swan did an awesome job giving just enough desription of the new technology and alien races without dragging the story into a grinding halt.  The story had a feel good sense that I got from watching "Guardians of the Galaxy" - where you get to know the characters to the point where you actually want to meet themand have a few drinks at a dive bar to hear more stories.

The dialogue and writing were top notch - and it was clear that this story was thought out before Swan committed it to paper.  With all of the rehashes (really - can we do a Spiderman reboot just one more time please.....) it is nice to meet some new characters in a new adventure - and it doesn't have to end here, since Swan already has book two on the shelves. 

Highly recommend this book for lovers of sci fi!!!

Donald Swan's Hyperspace Project website

(awesome website, by the way!)

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A high seas tale of treachery and murder - a whale of a tale!

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Once the sea gets its grip into you, it is almost impossible for a seagoing man to turn a deaf ear to its siren's song.  Joseph hears the song, and decides to leave everything and sign up as a crew member aboard the whaler ship "Fortune".  "Fortune" might just happen to be the least appropriate name for this ship, however.

After starting their journey successfully and the crew getting along fine with their experienced captain, fortune turns a blind eye to them.  As if hunting and harvesting a whale isn't dangerous enough - when you also have to battle the plague and homicidal maniacs - well, it is enough to make a sailor wish he were a landlubber who decided to sit this trip out.

You can guess some of the author's influences throughout this book, but in the end Michael really does make this book "his own".  A true "last man standing" on the high sea's, this sea story will harpoon you right away and pull you right on board with the rest of the crew of the "Fortune".

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Michael does an exceptional job in his description of the ship, and it is obvious in the detail how much effort and love he put into this novel.  If you love stories of the sea as much as I do, you will find the level of detail unmatched in almost anything else you have read.

Add to this "educational" material a story that is going as fast as a ship with a strong tailwind, and you have a novel that you just won't be able to put down.


I get many offers to review books, but every once in a while - I need to take a break from the randomness of the "list" that I have and read something that I choose to read.  "The Whaler, Fortune" was a book that I chose to read based on Wyatt Michael's other book "Revenge of the Wolf" that I was fortunate enough to review.  I loved the pacing and detail in the plot - and Michael does not disappoint in a setting that is entirely different.

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You can feel the love and anxiety come through the pages

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Book Description

Ever feel your life spinning out of control? You hang on for dear life and hope you end up face forward, and all intact when the storm ends. Situations and circumstances out of your control will come your way. We found ourselves in such a storm after giving birth to our second child, perfectly formed, or so we thought.

You grab onto trust and faith in the Lord as you find out your core essence- how you will withstand the next waves of life that will wash over you.

The amazing realization that if only our eyes could have seen all that was happening around our dear baby as he grew. As events were revealed, we saw the extent of God walking by our side, preparing the way, extending His love and comfort. We are utterly convinced that ‘Every Breath’ has been given and we are to be living each day with purpose.

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Every Breath by Tracy Burkhart is a read that will take you through all the anxiety, tears, love and hope that parents go through when faced with uncertainty.  Often, we can deal with this uncertainty and crisis when we are the ones going through it, but when it involves a child the ability to cope as we normally would doesn't seem to be an option.

This short book is packed with emotions from cover to cover.  Burkhart does an excellent job putting feelings and emotions into words.  She also describes all of the steps that many parents go through along the way when faced with these kinds of events.  One that I feel many of us can relate to is "bargaining" with God.  While we might know on the inside that this isn't something to be done, I can certainly relate to the feeling of "needing to do something."

It was also a testament to the family to see how everyone pulled together and did whatever little things that they could offer to help out.  I believe that this experience is one of the reasons that led them to decide to "pay it forward" through mission trips.

Each of us must make our way in this world on our own journey.  Each person we pass by during the day has a journey and a story that we often have no idea about.  If we knew these stories, maybe we would be just a little nicer and more understanding to everyone we touch throughout the day.  Maybe we would realize that we really aren't "alone" in what is making us tired, depressed, anxious, or ready to give up.  While it is important to understand that each of us reacts differently when faced with these events, it is just as important to remember that a small act of kindness or supportive words can make all the difference in the world.

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I now know that even wizards can have really, really bad days.....

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Reading Sharon Bayliss' "Destruction" makes my holiday's look like utopia.

It is safe to say that David Vandergraff has had better holiday seasons.  Not that he is a grinch - not by any means.  But bringing home two love children from that you had to an affair and introducing them to your wife and three kids without warning could land you on Santa's (and your wife's) naughty list. Mistletoe magic just isn't that powerful to fix these kinds of problems.

Like that isn't enough - David discovers he is losing his company, cars are crashing into his living room, kids are running away, a daughters friend who they were watching while the parents were on vacation becomes a little more of a permanent member of the family.  It is enough to make a person want to flip out and look for someone to kill......

After a freaking crappy week like that, one would think that discovering that they could do magic would be the high point of David's week.  But discovering there is magic, and then discovering he is a "dark wizard" doesn't seem to be adding anything but more problems.

Oh yeah - everyone else around David are wizards too, but for some strange reason he seems to be the last one in on the joke.  It is almost like he has been living in a fantasy world up until this discovery - could there be an logical explanation for this?  Unfortunately, when your whole family consists of wizards and witches, logic isn't always applicable.

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Bayliss has created a first novel in a series that will grab your attention.  The best part is that the second book is already out - so you don't have to wait six years like you do with George R R Martin.

I literally have over 200 books sitting in my "in box", but every once in a while I need to take a break and read something that I pick and that I want to read.  The next book on my "me" list is "Watch Me Burn" - which happens to also be by Bayliss and happens to be the next book in this series.

This book was that good.

The characters popped off the page to me, and each had a personality that seemed to be uniquely "theirs" - in a way that felt natural, not contrived.

I don't know if this book is listed as Young Adult or not, and I really don't care.  I liked Hunger Games and Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children because they were great stories.  "Destruction" is a title that should be on your "to read" list if you liked those books, no matter what age you are.

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Freaky creatures, insane asylums, and secrets make for an awesome adventure!

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Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro follows the young protagonists Hunter Glenn, and Elly Ann through an adventure ripe with adversity, paranormal monsters, secret societies, and most haunting of all, a life without their parents.
The book follows both, the sibling’s emotional struggle from their parent’s sudden loss, as well as their physical journey into a new and strange “home”, an ancient and creepy mansion known only as the Belmonte Estate.
It is here where they first learn of their new guardian, an eccentric old man named Professor Clandestine and the rest of the mansion's caretakers. Tossed into their bedroom, and locked away under the pretense of “safety concerns” it does not take long for the children to hatch an escape plan.
Follow the children as they slowly unravel the secrets of their parent’s true identities, the origin of the strange Mansion, and their inheritance into an ancient secret society of monster hunters known as Seekers.
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Even though I'm 23 years old, I am still a sucker for a good book about kids.  Add in some freaky creatures, mystery, adventure, and maybe even a little magic?  I am sold.  Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro is about two siblings, Elly and Hunter who, after the death of their parents, are sent to live with a godfather whom they have never met, let alone heard of.

Obviously, the kids are scared and intimidated by meeting the stranger, especially since, get this, he has them delivered to an abandoned looking insane asylum.  I don't want to give away too much, but as cool as an abandoned insane asylum would be to explore, the truth is far more incredible. 

Admittedly, I fell in love with Hunter and Elly pretty early on.  They're dealing with a lot of loss and change all at the same time.  Even through the sadness and pain they are feeling, they both have a lot of spunk and are the epitome of kids being kids.  Albeit, kids thrown into a crazy world of monsters and adventure with no prior knowledge.

Secret Seekers Society and the Beast of Bladenboro is a great start to a series and I cannot wait to read more.  There is so much world to learn about and explore in J. L. Hickey's story.  He only touched the surface in this book, and I anticipate many great stories from him.

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(Guest review by Lauren Pesci)