Required Reading

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Books I have authored.

Many times I receive books for FREE to give them an honest review. I do not get paid to give a good or bad review. Spotlights are promotional and should be regarded as advertising for the book spotlighted. Regardless of where or how I got a book, my review will be as honest as I can make it.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Beetle Boy Hardcover by M.G. Leonard


This is a book aimed at kids in the 8-12 age range.  Darkus is a young man faced with the mysterious disappearance of his father.  Darkus has not recovered from the loss of his mother so his father's disappearance really impacts him.  

Darkus is a likeable young man who is befriended by Humphrey and Pickering his neighbors.  The three discover that the beetles infesting Humphrey and Pickering's home are anything but ordinary. 

The villain is the story is the mysterious Lucretia Cutter who evokes visions of Cruella DeVil although beetles are much harder to warm up to than Dalmatian puppies.

It is a cute mystery that seems fine for it's age group.  It moves well and should hold their interest.

web site:  http://www.mgleonard.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving 2015





Audacity Jones To the Rescue by Kirby Larson

A home for wayward girls is hosted by the self absorbed Miss Maisie.  Miss Maisie may also be intellectually challenged.  Audacity appears to be the only "true" orphan in Miss Maisie's care.   Audacity is pulled into political intrigue by the mysterious Commodore Crutchfield.

Audacity is a remarkably precocious young lady for eleven years old.  She is truly close only to Miniver, Min for short, her companion who happens to be a cat.   Min is not just a sidebar, Min claims a full role for her self in this age appropriate action adventure.

Audacity is no one's fool and the Commodore finds this out to his dismay.    I liked the miniature lesson in basic economics and the impact the automobile has on the fortunes of those committed to horses.

This is a book that should capture a youngster's imagination, particularly if said youngster is a pre-teen girl who loves cats.   Min has a substantial role.

This is book one of a series I am sure my own granddaughter will enjoy.

I recommend it.



web site:  http://www.kirbylarson.com/


This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Third Degree by Greg Iles

I said Greg Iles was a master of tension in my review of Dead Sleep.   I  may have to upgrade that to an elite master of tension.  Tension in this book was beyond palatable it was visceral.  This is a tale of infidelity, disease, distrust and an assortment of unlikeable characters.

I have mentioned before how likeability of characters can impact the enjoyment of a book.  Iles has a bunch of unlikeable people making horrible choices and the book was still enormously compelling.  Two marital cheaters reap the whirlwind while law enforcement is portrayed as less than professional.  Iles did offer up an apology for his law enforcement portrayal in the afterword of the book.

This was an excellent mystery, a quality plot and nothing remotely predictable.

I strongly recommend.

 web site: http://www.gregiles.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Michigan Roll by Tom Kakonis


 Graphically brutal crime thriller is an appropriate description for this book.  Kakonis has the ability to create deeply flawed characters that never-the-less propel an action stuffed adventure.

Waverly has issues and his soul searching leads him in a journey to his past that embroils  him in some Midnight problems.   A missing package of drugs appropriated by a minor delusional miscreant puts an assortment of escalating bad guys on Waverly's field of play.   A plethora of unnecessary roughness calls would characterize this book with some of the violence stomach wrenching. 

Surprising camaraderie plays a part in Waverly's survival.  Waverly's mentor in survival skills plays a cameo of sadness.  Midnight may play a future role in Waverly's life as short as it may be.

This was a good mystery and action adventure.

Web site: http://www.brash-books.com/author/tom-kakonis/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Saturday, November 14, 2015

The Pawnbroker by Edward Lewis Wallant


This book was hard to read.  It is depressing and designed to be so.  Sol Nazerman is a survivor of the Holocaust at least physically.  Emotionally he has deadened his soul and thoroughly truncated his emotions.  This book shows his life after his emotional death and the catharsis that shatters his emotional dam.

This is a reprint of a book released in 1961.  There is no exploration of the Holocaust nor any lengthy descriptions  There are emotional Instagrams that pop up through the book of Sol's concentration camp experiences.  Those brief interludes provide the explanation for Sol's life.

Web site: http://www.anb.org/articles/16/16-03535.html



This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Warrior of Fate by Debra Mullins.


This a romance novel with a fair amount of action. Tessa and Adrian are the main protagonist in this story. They are two more of the descendants of survivors of the destruction of Atlantis.  They were in the previous book but have moved to the forefront in this one. 



The war between the Seers and the Mendukati, two opposing groups from the survivors of Atlantis continues to grow.  Possession of three ancient stones of power is a major theme in the story.  The ancient lie of who brought about the destruction of Atlantis is another bone of contention. 

Once again the steamy scenes put this book into the romantic category but the action and general story help it to transcend easy categorizing.   Prodigal Son  and Heart of Stone are the preceding books.   As those two books, this  is still a good action/adventure/urban fantasy with romantic overtones. 

I recommend it.




This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Dead Sleep by Greg Iles

Greg Iles is a master of tension.   This book focuses on a somewhat famous photo journalist and her missing sister.   The FBI and New Orleans figure prominently in the story.

Jordon Glass is a twin and she is missing her sister.   She travels the world shooting misery with her lens but finds personal misery far too close.   Iles provides us with background on Glass so we have some idea of how she became the person in the story.
There is brutal action and behavior not suitable for the faint of heart.   The pace is intense with nothing as it seems.  Even the obvious doesn't always turn out to be obvious.   The author has no difficulty killing off characters to enhance the story.  Be warned, don't get emotionally involved, you don't know who will be missing in the next chapter.

This was an excellent mystery, a quality plot and nothing predictable.

I strongly recommend.


web site: http://www.gregiles.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Navy SEAL Training Class 144: My BUD/S Journal by Stephen Templin


I don't normally read non-fiction as I find the world around me often provides me with more reality than I care to face at any given time.  Stephen Templin writes about his SEAL training and the results thereof.  

One of the things I got out of the book was that it doesn't matter how many muscles you have, how buff you are or tough you are, what matters is how much you want a goal.  What little I have read about SEALS has impressed me.  After reading this book, I am literally in awe.   These young guys go through things that most people can not imagine.   They push themselves far beyond anything they thought they could do.   This book gives you pause, considering how you would fare in a similar situation and wondering if you could survive let alone thrive.

A thought provoking and awe inspiring book with a bit of a surprise at the end.

web site:http://www.stephentemplin.com/

This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.