Required Reading

Life is complicated enough without getting into hotwater with federal agencies so: TAKE NOTE Many things I review I got at no charge in exchange for an honest review. Consider this as informing you that ALL things I review may have been gotten at no charge. Realistically about 60% but in order to keep things above board just assume that I got the stuff free. I do not collect information on my readers. If cookies or other tracking stuff is used on my blogs it is due to BLOGGER not ME. Apparently the European Union's new rules state I need to inform you if cookies are being use. If they are it isn't byu me, consider yourself INFORMED.
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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 28, 2016

The Obsidian Chamber Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child


Quirky and dapper FBI agent Pendergast is back and plays a slightly small part in this book due to an involuntary commitment.  Diogenes and Constance are in this book and whenever Pendergast's brother is involved there is sure to be mayhem and skullduggery.

The story is parallel tales for awhile.  Pendergast is stuck in dire straits while someone leads his trusty houseman, Proctor on a chase.  

The  plot is intricate and one is reminded of some of the semi-occult aspects of the Pendergast books.  

Once again I repeat myself from past reviews of this dynamic writing duo, this book has plenty of action, social commentary and thought provoking plot lines to attract a wide variety of readers.

I highly recommend.

Web Site: http://www.prestonchild.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 23, 2016

Black Friday Love


Get the reader in your life a reading shirt!



Black Friday WEEK Discount is BLACKFRILOVE


Tuesday, November 15, 2016

glialplay. com and Melekpdf .online are Stealing.


Piracy isn't just grabbing hostages off the coast of Africa or the plot for a Disney movie.  Piracy is also literary theft.

This morning I got another Google alert that informed me that once again another site is ripping off my books.   They are offering free downloads of  my books and many, many others without getting author permission.   Several of my books are on the site and I have not given them permission to give them away.   Somehow related is Melekpdf . online which is also coming up as giving away my books.   It is one thing for me to offer my books to my readers for free and it is an entirely different thing to find some website charging a fee for unlimited book, game and movie downloads and "giving" away my books.  This is theft, plain and simple.   Every dime I earn goes into producing more books.   My hope is my books help someone in some way.   These thieves are depriving me of income that could produce another book.   

Please DO NOT patronize these or any other pirate sites. 

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Unholy Code by Thomas Waite




This is a frightening thriller that builds on previous novels by Waite but stands alone quite well.   There are references to the previous books but no back store.  The head of a cyber security agency employed by the U.S. government, Lana, is targeted by  Steel Fist and Golden Voice, two cyber villains.  The villains want to bring discord to the country as well as carrying grudges focused on Lana.

Without the presidential election debacle of 2016 there may not have been as much believability of this book.   The divisiveness of that campaign showed how emotions can be stirred without regard to rational thinking or common sense.  The divide and conquer approach to war is clearly illustrated by the author's use of bigotry and bias.   Incitement of aspects of society to attack or deride other aspects of our society is used by Steel Fist.  Steel Fist is unaware that he may not be as much the master of his domain that he thinks. 

Waite includes Islamic extremists attacking the country due to un-natural disaster raising water levels and providing a disrupted coastline open to invasion.  

The story also includes some unlikely heroes and love interests.

This was a sadly frightening story based on recent divisive rhetoric and hacking attacks. 

It was, however, an exciting read.

Web: http://thomaswaite.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.

Saturday, November 5, 2016

The Whizbang Machine by Danielle A. Vann





This is a YA book that was interesting and will be viewed by older readers with a touch of skepticism.  An almost 16 year old girl and her grandfather are embroiled in a mystery that has a curse, mysterious deaths and possessed machines.

I guess as a grandfather my skepticism is based on the fact that I would never expose my granddaughter to the dangers Jack, the grandfather in the book, exposed his granddaughter to.   Jack initiated many really bad examples and led his granddaughter into multiple illegal activities.   Jack also set his granddaughter up to lie to her mother.   It is possible that I may be a touch provincial regarding grand parenting but Jack was seemingly out of control.   Elizabeth on the other hand was willing to swallow just about everything Jack suggested.   Sadly I suspect that I have grandchildren who would accompany me on ill advised adventures but hopefully I have more common sense than the fictional grandfather. 

I know it is fiction and far more preposterous things have been written.   My proclivity for my g-kids most definitely colored my opinion of the book.   Naïveté was named Elizabeth.  

If I can suspend my outraged responsibility factor, it was an entertaining adventure.   Considering one of my all time favorite stories as a child had a space ship fueled by the explosive power of popping corn, one would think I would be well practiced in stretching the imagination.

Web: http://authordanielleavann.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.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Mr. Waldorf Travels to the Mysterious China by By Barbara Terry, Beth Ann Stifflemire and Vladimir Kirichenko



As picture books for children go this offers more than just a pleasant reading experience.   This is the beginning of a series and said series provides information and education in a very entertaining and painless manner.   In addition, the oft used but still extremely effective act of, including a lost or hidden object turns the reading experience into a game, in this case Mr Waldorf's spectacles.

This specific book deals with a visit to China where Mr. Waldorf, a walking upright and talking Golden Labrador, discovers the sights and sounds of travel.  Not many children's books entice me to Goggle aspects of the book.   I was unfamiliar with River Dolphins and was sadden to discover that they are functionally extinct according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.  I also did not know that the Yangtze River was the longest river in Asia.   Fun facts encourage kids to read and research more.

Another feature that I particularly like is that the authors infuse the love of reading into Mr. Waldorf's character.  Encouraging children to read should be a goal of every author. 

I recommend the book.

Web: http://waldorfpublishing.com/category/childrens/This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a bearing on my recommendations.