Book Review: The Women in Me: How They Helped Me Survive and Thrive by Nancy Maloney-Mercado & Jackie J O’Donnell

24/03/202325/03/2023Jackie J O'Donnell, memoir, Nancy Maloney-MercadoLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Nancy Maloney-Mercado & Jackie J O’Donnell
Release Date: 6th December 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Memoir, Inspirational
Format: E-book
Pages: 166
Publisher: Sunflower Press
Blurb:
Are you caring for your chronically ill husband? Did you grow up with suicidal, alcoholic parents? Are you searching for a loving relationship? Have your efforts at starting a fulfilling career been thwarted by someone determined to hold you back? Maybe you’ve postponed your own dreams in order to keep from making waves with a significant other. Does your life seem to be heading a long wat from where you’d wish it to be? Any of these can steal your happiness or keep you from achieving your potential. All can crush your hopes and dreams.This is the story of a woman who grew up in a dysfunctional family, was trapped by a predator at age 8, was suffocated by an abusive marriage, grappled with being a single mother, finally found her soulmate, struggled with a blended family, juggled the incompatible roles of wife and caregiver, yet maintained her faith, at least most of the time. She did it thanks to some special women who supported her in ways she didn’t recognize until she unconsciously drew upon their influence. We hope you’ll learn to call on the influencers in our own life. Possibly you’ve drawn on them in your past and can now appreciate their impact on you.

Review

The Women in Me: How They Helped Me Survive and Thrive by Nancy Maloney-Mercado & Jackie J O’Donnell is a beautifully written inspirational memoir that is extremely thought-provoking and very emotional.

The author’s writing is very simple, yet speaks straight to the reader’s heart. The author’s struggles are extremely relatable and one cannot help but feel drawn into the book right from the beginning, finding themselves rooting for the author and even the other characters in the book.

All women should read this beautifully written work by two new authors as it strongly resonates with the problems faced by women. This book can provide equal enjoyment for men, too. I would strongly recommend it to readers of women’s fiction and to those who like reading inspirational memoirs.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: An Imperishable Promise: If Afterlife Is True, Will You Still Come To Me? by Sarathi Sabyasachi Sahoo

03/03/2023Contemporary Fiction, Indian Literature, Romance, Sarathi Sabyasachi SahooLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Sarathi Sabyasachi Sahoo
Release Date: 19th September 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 152
Publisher: Notion Press
Blurb:
What happens to your love when you die? Does your love end? Does your love stay in your heart or in your body? When you say, “I Love You,” what does the “I” stand for? Is it your body, mind, or soul? When you die, is your love also destroyed like your body, or is it immortal like your soul? Then the question comes, is the soul immortal? Nobody can give a perfect answer to these questions. This book has tried to find the answers to that mystery. It’s a love story between two immortal souls. Love is an endless fuel to the energy called the soul, which will keep it alive forever.
Read An Imperishable Promise to find the real meaning of love. It is filled with lots of suspense and twists. What will happen to Raj and Kashish’s love when death becomes an obstacle between them? Will they overcome this false materialistic life to keep their love alive forever? Will their love survive without having a physical existence of the human body? Dive in to find all these answers.

Review

An Imperishable Promise: If Afterlife Is True, Will You Still Come To Me? by Sarathi Sabyasachi Sahoo is a unique love story that is narrated as a part of a flashback by a secondary yet important character and the story takes quite unexpected turns as it unfolds keeping the readers engaged at all times.

I liked the concept of the book and the storyline. The characters were good but needed a bit more development as I couldn’t feel a strong connection to them. Although their emotions did come through beautifully despite the problems with the flow of the writing, the narration delivered the emotions quite well. There was more telling than showing, but the good plot more than made up for it and the weak characterisation.

Overall, the book was unique, enjoyable and pretty thought-provoking. And I would recommend it to all contemporary romance readers.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Match by Emma Grace

08/02/202308/02/2023Dystopian, Emma Grace, Fantasy, High fantasyLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Emma Grace
Release Date: 1st February 2023
~~Series~~:
Genre: Dystopian Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 210
Publisher:
Blurb:
Katie Davis has had her whole life planned out for her since birth. She, along with every other citizen of Carcera, is predestined to marry her perfect Match. She knows that she will eventually have two children, and that none of the citizens will never leave the Border, the wall of stone encircling the city. No one could have predicted, however, the harrowing night that forces Katie and her three best friends to flee for their lives only days after their Matching Ceremony. With nowhere to go, Katie and her friends must make impossible choices at every turn.
They are faced with life-altering decisions, such as whether or not to join the Underground, a resistance army dedicated to overthrowing Borders. The smaller choices seem just as unfathomable as the larger ones-what to eat for dinner, what to do in their free time, and even what to wear. When their luck begins to run out, they are left with only two options: fight, or die.
Match is the first installment of The Matchbook Trilogy.

Review

Match by Emma Grace is an action-packed dystopian novel that will take you on an adventurous and emotions rollercoaster ride. It is the first book in the Matchbook trilogy.

Author Emma Grace has done a fabulous job of creating a realistic and intricate world that pulls in the readers right from the beginning and keeps them thoroughly engaged till the very last page, ending the book on a perfect cliffhanger. This book has rich and well-developed characters and is an excellently plotted novel that is fast-paced and laced with tense and unpredictable twists and turns. Overall, the writing is good and complimented the plot very well.

I would definitely recommend this book to all dystopian fiction fans and fans of elaborate and intrinsic world-building in fantasy novels. This book is a perfect read for anyone wanting to explore a series by a talented new author.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Vegetable Garden Soil Science Made Easy: Create a Soil Base for Abundant Harvests in Your Raised Bed, Container, or No-Dig Garden by James Bright

08/02/202307/02/2023James Bright, Non-FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: James Bright
Release Date: 28th September 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Non-Fiction, Guide, How-to Books, Gardening
Format: E-book
Pages: 121
Publisher: Heath Publishing Company
Blurb:
“If I wanted to have a happy garden, I must ally myself with my soil; study and help it to the utmost, untiringly … Always, the soil must come first. — Marion Dudley Cran, the 1st woman gardening broadcaster
In Vegetable Garden Soil Science Made Easy, garden fertility and soil science expert James R. Bright draws on many years of cultivating high-yield vegetable gardens to provide you with proven methods that anybody can use to easily set up your garden to grow healthy vegetable crops, even if you have never planted vegetables before, or have limited space and time to grow delicious vegetables, spices, and other gardens delights.
As Ms. Cron said in the 1930s, the key to growing a beautiful garden anywhere in the world is maintaining fertile soil, and in this easy-to-understand gardening book, James Bright teaches all gardeners how to understand soil composition, soil testing, PH levels and acidity, soil moisture and soil microbes – and how to manage these vital soil factors each year in your garden, without buying expensive fertilizers or garden tools.

In this straightforward and practical soil maintenance and gardening book, you will learn:

In-depth explanations of all of the most important soil characteristics of high-yielding gardens… and how to optimize your home garden soil to produce the most vegetables with the fewest extra soil additives, fertilizers and chemicals.
Easy step-by-step directions for setting up amazingly productive gardens whether you have a large yard or a limited space, including inexpensive hand-made raised bed gardens and container gardens, as well as how to plant no-dig gardens, the best option for in-ground home gardens.
Seasonal soil maintenance – how to treat soil and your garden after harvest each year to improve soil conditions for the next growing season.
The perfect soil mix for raised bed gardens and container gardens to get the ideal mixture of organic matter for nutrients, moisture retention, and aeration.
Proven soil testing methods to determine the timing and amounts of organic fertilizers, lime, nitrogen, nutrients, or soil microbes to improve soil health and maximize fertility.
How to protect beneficial soil microbes, understand your soil’s ecosystem, and apply this knowledge for bountiful vegetable production.

If you have ever struggled to produce beautiful, healthy fruits and vegetables, the problem is not you – it’s poor soil… and there is a solution. It’s time to start setting up your home garden for success, and years of producing cheap, healthy vegetables, as well providing you with many hours of relaxing outdoor activity and a sense of individual accomplishment, when you save hundreds of dollars in grocery bills and grow your own organic food.

Review

Vegetable Garden Soil Science Made Easy: Create a Soil Base for Abundant Harvests in Your Raised Bed, Container, or No-Dig Garden by James Bright is a marvellous book that teaches about the complicated yet extremely important science of soil in an extremely simple and understandable way.

This book is a practical guide for everyone who likes greenery and wants to grow a vegetable garden in their backyard in small containers, on a terrace garden, or on a farm. This book is an excellent guide for beginners, especially as the author, James Bright, break down complicated concepts into simple-to-understand, bite-sized pieces of information that are not only easily digestible but also very practical to apply and get results.

I’d recommend this book to everyone who wants to have their own vegetable garden, as this book offers a lot of knowledge on the most important element of vegetable gardening: the soil!

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Kojiro by Khalil A. Barnett

05/02/202305/02/2023Asian Literature, Asian Myths, Fantasy, High fantasy, Khallil Barnett, MythologyLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Khalil A. Barnett
Release Date: 15th November 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: High Fantasy Asian Myths & Legends, Asian Literature
Format: E-book
Pages: 436
Publisher: Booklocker.com
Blurb:
A sword & sorcery fantasy novel based on Asian myths & legends.
Tulpas, otherwise known as thought-forms, spring first from the imagination, then go on to live lives independent of their creators. And sometimes, they maintain a hostile, even violent, relationship with said creators.
No one knows this quite like Coletrane Marx, the only son of an eccentric billionaire archeologist, who one night as a child unwittingly created a tulpa himself; one that visited him in demon form in the middle of the night to murder his parents with a samurai sword.

Forever changed by this trauma, Coletrane grows up to inherit his father’s obsession with archeology and to discover that his unfiltered, childhood imagination created not only this mysterious, cursed samurai named Kojiro, but also an alternate feudal history wherein the strong-willed warrior has his own prophetic story in a world full of mythic creatures, powerful humanoid animal Lords, living deities, and evil Tricksters. A world, Coletrane in addition learns, that will overlap with his own in catastrophic ways if he and Kojiro do not reconcile their dark, shared past and come together as one to stop it.

Review

Kijiro by Khalil A. Barnett is a sword & sorcery fantasy novel based on Asian myths & legends and tells the story of Kojiro, a malignant manifestation of a young child, the son of a billionaire archeologist.

This book is so different from the usual fantasy stories that one reads, especially the popular culture Fantasy books, as most of them draw heavily from Greek and/or Roman legends. But this book was a real treat for me because it is based on Asian mythology and being an Asian myself it was so gratifying to read a story about the culture I could, if not entirely being a South Asian, at least partially, relate to way more than the European fantasy plots. I could feel more connected to the story and especially the motivations of the character and the stakes in the story for them.

I loved the author’s writing style — it had a great flow, making the book seem like a lullaby, albeit dark. The pacing of the novel is spot on and the tension runs tight throughout the story, keeping the readers engaged right from the beginning to the very last page. The concept is phenomenal, the execution fantastic and the overall story extremely captivating and entertaining.

I enjoyed this book thoroughly and would highly recommend it to all readers, especially to all Asian readers to explore this amazing gem.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Please Feel Bad I’m Dead by M. Price

27/01/202327/01/2023Contemporary Fiction, Mental Health, Surreal FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: M. Price
Release Date: 28th May 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Surreal Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 294
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Jhaegar Holdburn is a forlorn teenage edgelord who constantly attempts suicide and finds himself continually failing due to last second blunders. His desire for death comes from his often frazzled, often incoherent mind and how it fuels the way he’s ostracized by his peers as well as how he’s been made a pariah in the current social climate. At last the opportunity arises, Jhaegar manages to commit suicide using a foolproof method, and after years of despair he finally dies…
But not quite…
Jhaegar is instead resurrected…as he will always be resurrected. He finds the one thing standing in the way of sweet death is his uncanny inability to truly die and that his suicides result in increasingly stranger and psychedelic realities, irreversibly made worse by his ever deteriorating mind. He discovers the only way to break this cycle of death and rebirth is to uncover the real root of his problems and find his own personal sense of happiness, as well as to unravel the esoteric tangle of his own repressed psyche.
But, with his grasp of reality slipping away by the minute, will Jhaegar have time to save himself from his own self-destruction?

Review

Please Feel Bad I’m Dead by M. Price is a dark contemporary take on teenage mental health issues. This book is about a teen boy whose dark thoughts, and the inhumanity of the world around him, lead his psyche to deteriorate to a point where he wants nothing but to end his life. So he commits suicide only to find that he cannot end his life. Every time he kills himself, he is resurrected.

This book chronicles his journey of trying to kill himself and then resurrecting with an even more deteriorated psyche only to conclude that he would have to face his own demons and explore the depths of his fragile mind which might hold the key for him to understand what is happening and maybe even his happiness.

This book is quite similar to Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, although much darker and with a different concept of resurrection. I would recommend this book to all mental health fiction readers and anyone wanting to explore the surrealism of being trapped in a mind that suffers from acute and clinical depression.

Although be advised this could be a strongly triggering read for people who are sensitive, especially to suicide and depression.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

ARC Review: An Enemy Like Me by Teri M Brown

13/01/202313/01/2023Historical, historical-fiction, Literary Fiction, Teri M. Brown2 Comments

Book Details:

Author: Teri M Brown
Release Date: 24th January 2023
~~Series~~:
Genre: Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Generational Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 328
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Blurb:
How does a man show his love – for country, for heritage, for family – during a war that sets the three at odds? What sets in motion the necessity to choose one over the other? How will this choice change everything and everyone he loves?
Jacob Miller, a first-generation American, grew up in New Berlin, a small German immigrant town in Ohio where he endured the Great Depression, met his wife, and started a family. Though his early years were not easy, Jacob believes he is headed toward his ‘happily ever after’ until a friend is sent to an internment camp for enemy combatants, and the war lands resolutely on his doorstep.

In An Enemy Like Me, Teri M. Brown uses the backdrop of World War II to show the angst experienced by Jacob, his wife, and his four-year-old son as he leaves for and fights in a war he did not create. She explores the concepts of xenophobia, intrafamily dynamics, and the recognition that war is not won and lost by nations, but by ordinary men and women and the families who support them.

Review

An Enemy Like Me by Teri M Brown is a beautiful historical fiction novel that tells the story of Jacob Miller and how being a true patriot brings him face-to-face with a truth that can shatter anyone’s world: that he is more similar to the enemy that he’d been fighting with than the people he was fighting for. An Enemy Like Me is a beautiful exploration of 2nd, 3rd and even 4th generation immigrants who face discrimination based on their looks, family origins, accent, etc. albeit in different intensity at different times in history.

This story is about a soldier who is trying his best to fight for the country he currently lives in, yet battling emotions, imagining that his previous generations were part of the country that he was fighting with and how this has a profound impact on him. This book also explores the perspective on war from different generational views, providing readers insights into how different people, at other points in time, think about the same historic events and issues that had a great impact on their lives.

An Enemy Like Me explores a lot of themes which will resonate with most readers of historical, literary fiction and war fiction genres. So I’d like to recommend it to all the readers as this book has a lot to offer to all of its readers.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Book Review: A Pterodactyl Named Kahoutek by Matthew Levine

05/01/202306/01/2023Children's Fiction, Humor, Matthew Levine, Short-StoriesLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Matthew Levine
Release Date: 9th November 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Children’s Humorous Literature, Short Stories collection, Children’s Humor
Format: E-book
Pages: 20
Publisher: –
Blurb:
A short story for youth of all ages with humor adults might enjoy about a clumsy Pterodactyl that befriends a sad teenage girl on a San Francisco bus. Contain discussion questions for students at the end.

Review

A Pterodactyl Named Kahoutek by Matthew Levine is a beautifully written book with an equally beautiful and important message that is delivered adeptly using humour and amazing imagery.

This book is a very short read, but the message it offers to its readers is way broader than the confines of this book as it applies to everyone, universally. The author had done an amazing job of sharing some very important life lessons with great moral value using simple language and a very interesting story that is brought to life with well-developed characterisation.

I would strongly recommend this book to all children and adult readers alike because it has something to offer to all its readers.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Me and My Shadow: Memoirs of a Cancer Survivor by John Walker Pattison

02/01/202302/01/2023John Walker Pattison, memoir, Non-Fiction1 Comment

Book Details:

Author: John Walker Pattison
Release Date: 29th October 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Memoir, Non-Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 233
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Me and My Shadow – Memoirs of a Cancer Survivor is a brutally honest account of one teenager’s struggle to understand and deal with the most feared diagnosis known to society: cancer. At 18 years of age, John Walker Pattison was thrust onto a roller coaster ride of emotional turbulence – his innocence cruelly stripped from him; his fate woven into the tapestry of life. After years of failed chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments that ravaged his physical frame and almost destroyed his psychological stability – his parents were told that he would not survive. Yet, today, he is one of the longest surviving cancer patients in the UK.

Eight years after his unexpected recovery, the news that all parents fear, his daughter is diagnosed with terminal leukaemia. Yet like her father, she too would defy the odds and go on to become an international swimmer.
Pattison turned his life full circle and became a cancer nurse specialist at the same hospital that made his diagnosis decades earlier. He prescribes chemotherapy and cares for individuals with the same cancers experienced by both him and his daughter.
Throughout his journey, Pattison’s inspirations were the space rock legends, Hawkwind. He would get to play on stage with his heroes at the Donnington Festival in 2007.
More significantly, he found solace throughout his cancer journey in the history and spirituality of the Lakota Sioux Nation. In 2018, he would spend time on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with the indigenous people of South Dakota. The same people who, unknowingly, supported him through life’s greatest challenge: cancer.

Review

Me and My Shadow: Memoirs of a Cancer Survivor by John Walker Pattison is a gut-wrenching, eye-opening and heart-melting read from the author who shares his experience of not only living with cancer but also overcoming it, having been through seeing his daughter having it and seeing her overcome it. This book is an emotional roller-coaster of ups and downs that the author had experienced throughout his life, since his teenage years when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

This book serves as s tremendous source of information and inspiration because it has a lot to offer to all its readers. The emotional turmoil in the book conveys the hardships and predicaments that the author had to suffer many times in his life and makes the readers connect with the author on completely another level.

This book would be best for anyone suffering from cancer or any other terminal illness, a survivor of one, or the family member of anyone suffering from a terminal illness or anyone really who wants to read about how it feels to be stuck in such a situation and yet not to lose hope and in fact come out of it stronger. Really, everyone should give this book a read as there are so many takeaways for each reader in this book.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Origins of Resilience by Jessica Jane Robinson

16/12/202216/12/2022Comics/Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Graphic-Novel, High fantasy, Jessica Jane RobinsonLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Jessica Jane Robinson
Release Date: 2018
~~Series~~:
Genre: Graphic Novel, High Fantasy, Superhero Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 38
Publisher: Resilience Birthright, Inc Presents
Blurb:
On the last day of the existence of her planet, Queen Filoli Vitae, the last of the Evolusarians, is hiding in Mount Altis with her newborn baby daughter only a few hours old, whom she has yet to name. She is levitating in the air holding her child as tears stream from her eyes. With each tear that falls a memory releases; a memory of how her planet and kingdom, Terravitae, fell to destruction with her husband, King Asim. Her life flashes before her eyes, memories of how she became exiled from her home and now in hiding to protect the life of her daughter, the one prophesied to stop the evil force that is destroying her planet and threatens all life within the universe.

Review

Origins of Resilience by Jessica Jane Robinson is a graphic novel about the birth of an environmental superheroine who will take your breath away and turn you into a fan!

This book is beautifully conceptualised, has a sound foundation and an excellent plot (albeit a bit similar to Superhero). I enjoyed reading the storyline because it had a great flow and felt extremely engaging and exciting. The tension was tight and kept the pacing really strung up through the entire book.

The illustrations are excellent, and I loved them. They could have been a little spread out, giving the book a cleaner look. But apart from this, I did not have any complaints at all. The dialogues were good, and the characterisation felt well-developed. I hope this series continues and we get to read more about Terravitae and the prophesied daughter of Queen Filoli Vitae and King Asim.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Let’s Celebrate Being Different by Lainey Dee

13/12/2022Children's Fiction, Lainey DeeLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Lainey Dee
Release Date: 29th August 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Children’s Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 23
Publisher: ShieldCrest Publishing
Blurb:
Todd is different from all the other animals -with the head of a bird, the tummy of a bear and the legs of a tiger and he feels he doesn’t quite fit in anywhere! His family love him dearly but it’s hard for him to make friends.
During a visit to his grandmother’s, Todd express’s his concern and she tells him: ‘It’s okay to be different’.
Instilled with new confidence he sets out for the Friday Club, a place where all the animals gather and socialise with their friends. Will he find the courage to face his fears and embrace his differences?
He might be surprised to find some friends along the way! More importantly can he learn to accept himself?

Review

Let’s Celebrate Being Different by Lainey Dee is a brilliant children’s book that touches upon the important topic of accepting oneself the way one is and how it affects and helps the surrounding people accept them too. The concept of self-acceptance is beautifully illustrated in this book through the protagonist, Todd, who is unlike any other animal. The author had done an excellent job in bringing forth his doubts and fears about being different and then having his grandmother helping him encourage him to accept himself for his identity and to be okay with who or what he is.

This book has a beautiful message and a very well-structured story that demonstrates the problems faced by most children, especially children who are not like others in any way. The illustrations are wonderful and convey the point across well. Overall, I’d recommend this book to all children of ages 4 and above, and their parents, as this book has a beautiful lesson to teach the younger kids.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: The Beginners Guide to Chicken Health and Care: How to Optimize Your Flock’s Health, Avoid Diseases and Losses by O. Banks

13/12/2022Non-Fiction, O. BanksLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: O. Banks
Release Date: 5th September 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Non-Fiction, How-To, Guide, Animal Care
Format: E-book
Pages: 156
Publisher:
Blurb:
If you are yearning for respite from the cumbersome task of probing the undying cause of deteriorating chicken health and seek to learn preventative and integrative healthcare practices that save your gallinaceous pet from embarking upon a punitive expedition… You might want to pique your curious appetite by delving into this book.
Do you ever feel as if your indomitable spirit and love for your backyard chickens are being pushed to the brink of collapse by communicable diseases that drive a wedge between your chickens and unblemished health? Consider your exploratory spelunking adventure into the depths of uncertainty to be over! This book weaves the essential healthcare practices into the fabric of raising chicken flocks needed to mitigate the spread of diseases. The process of caring for these inherently inseparable gallinaceous members of the family can be turned into a snag-free greased slide by peering into this book, which encompasses all elements of veterinary care.

Amid the sanctimonious abyss created by multitudes of books with the premise of the argument articulated solely through palliative care, this book enlightens a higher path toward raising a healthy brood through unique management practices that avert the possibility of the brood catching disease. These practices have been corroborated by studies that have glaringly proved that healthy chickens produce healthier eggs and meat.
Surrendering to the hearty clasp of this awe-inspiring book is inevitable because this book:

Provides the diagnostic tools required to identify health problems in chickens and the ways through which they can be overcome.
Lays out plans for structuring sanitary and hygienic chicken coops that provide a safe environment for the flock.
Addresses ways of stifling the burgeoning threat of antimicrobial resistance that results from the overuse of antibiotics.
Highlights quintessential brood health maintenance techniques that ameliorate egg-laying problems and maximize yield.
Conveys cost-effective alternative care regimens combined with knowledge of hazardous backyard materials that are detrimental to chickens if ingested.

Review

The Beginners Guide to Chicken Health and Care: How to Optimize Your Flock’s Health, Avoid Diseases and Losses by O. Banks is an extremely insightful book about raising chickens and taking good care of them. The author has methodically laid out the plans and strategies needed to provide a safe environment for one’s flock and has provided a lot of useful insights into how to deal with and manage different types of medical conditions in the flock.

This book is a treasure trove of information for anyone looking to raise and maintain a chicken shed/farm or flock in a very systematic and sensible way. The book is well-structured and the author’s writing is very clear, concise and to the point.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to get into poultry farming or knows anyone who plans to.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Contrarian (Lars The Hitman #2) by Lucas Sterling

11/12/202211/12/2022Lucas Sterling, Mystery, psychological thriller, ThrillerLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Lucas Sterling
Release Date: 25th October 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Thriller, Psychological Thriller
Format: E-book
Pages:
Publisher: Nurrebbul Productions
Blurb:
Everyone has a secret. But some are deadlier than others…
Former Homeland Security Agent Lars Christopherson is not what he seems. Despite his impressive skills and impeccable record, Lars has a dark side few are aware of. And those who discover his secret rarely live to tell the tale…
Frederic Ulrich is a man with a mission… A skilled agent of Germany’s BND intelligence service, he is determined to right a wrong from his past, and shut down a deadly Hungarian crime ring once and for all.

When these two unlikely allies are forced to work together, they quickly uncover a sinister threat – a vast criminal conspiracy, poised to unleash environmental chaos on the United States. To stop this monstrous terror plot, they’ll have to put their differences aside and work together.
But trust is hard to come by in the shadowy world of espionage and crime. And sometimes, the only way to stop a monster is to become one…

Review

Contrarian by Lucas Sterling is a fast-paced ride on an action-packed thrilling adventure undertaken by the two protagonists of the story. This book has so many things happening (in a good way) that it kept me engaged and at the edge of my seat with each and every page I turned.

I loved the characterisation in this book, the concept was amazing, and the writing completely complimented the story flow and made it a really quick read. Over all, I enjoyed this book a lot, especially the mind-bending twists and turns and the ending.

I’d recommend this book to all mystery, thriller and espionage readers, especially those who like elaborate conspiratorial mysteries set in diverse locations.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: 14 Lessons in Happiness: A Guidebook on Improving Your Life by Gina Ross

09/12/202209/12/2022Gina Ross , Non-Fiction, Self-HelpLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Gina Ross
Release Date: 10th August 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help
Format: E-book
Pages: 123 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
HAPPINESS MADE EASY
Although there is evidence to show that some people are genetically born happier than others, there is also a mountain of proof that this can be changed and that happiness is, in fact, a choice.
In 14 Lessons in Happiness, Gina Ross, a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist, teaches you how to be happier with simple and practical tips and techniques outlined within the following lessons:

LESSON ONE: Maintain a Positive Outlook
LESSON TWO: Pay Attention To Your Breathing
LESSON THREE: Meditate Daily
LESSON FOUR: Practice Mindfulness
LESSON FIVE: Love Yourself
LESSON SIX: Be More Confident
LESSON SEVEN: Pursue Your Dreams
LESSON EIGHT: Be Kind
LESSON NINE: Learn to Deal With Negative Emotions
LESSON TEN: Learn To Deal With Other People’s Negativity
LESSON ELEVEN: Practice Forgiveness
LESSON TWELVE: Learn To Deal With Fear And Anxiety
LESSON THIRTEEN: What To Do When You F**K UP
LESSON FOURTEEN: Dealing With Death

Overall, 14 Lessons in Happiness will give you the tools needed to experience the following:

an increase in inner calm;
an ability to reduce anxiety;
strength to conquer fears and phobias;
an improvement in relationships; and
an overall unleashing of self-love and self-confidence.

Review

14 Lessons in Happiness: A Guidebook on Improving Your Life by Gina Ross is a new self-help book that teaches the reader to learn to be happy (or be happier) as it is an emotion that can be inculcated through simple daily practices listed in the book.

This book is a treasure trove of advice for anyone seeking to learn how to have a more positive outlook towards themselves, their lives and their surroundings and be a better and happier person overall. The author, who is a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist, has come up with a great set of simple-to-follow practices that the readers can easily practice and perform consistently in their daily busy lives and achieve their goals of living a happier and healthier life.

I’d strongly recommend this book to every self-help book reader as this has a lot to offer and ais a pretty quick read packed with a lot of useful tidbits.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Murder Under A Bridal Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery by Abigail Keam

29/11/202229/11/2022Abigail Keam, Historical, historical-fiction, Mystery1 Comment

Book Details:

Author: Abigail Keam
Release Date: 27th May 2019
Series: A Mona Moon Mystery (book #10)
Genre: Historical Mystery
Format: E-book
Pages: 268 pages
Publisher: Worker Bee Press
Blurb:
Mona Moon is planning her wedding to Robert Farley, Duke of Brynelleth, when her preparations go haywire after one of her maids is found murdered. With just days before the blessed event, unwanted guests invade Moon Manor throwing a wrench into Mona’s plans and making it more difficult to seek the truth. Now Robert is a suspect in the maid’s murder. A missing gold brooch and twenty five-dollar bills are the only clues Mona has to find the murderer. She must clear Robert from suspicion or he will call off the wedding, saying he refuses to taint Mona’s good name. Can she discover the killer before the wedding, or will the murderer witness the breakup between Mona and Robert? Was that the intention all along?

Review

Murder Under A Bridal Moon: A 1930s Mona Moon Mystery by Abigail Keam is a cosy historical mystery that will take you on a fun rollercoaster of ups and downs of interesting twists and turns.

This book is a well-written mystery in an ongoing series but it can very well be read as a stand-alone novel. At least, that’s the impression that I got while reading it, since the characterisation was rich and well-developed, I didn’t think that I was missing out on anything.

The story begins with a murder and pulls the readers in from the beginning hooking them for good till the very end where the ending blows the mind just like any reader of mystery might expect, but what really makes this book an excellent and phenomenal read is the vivid descriptions, rich settings, fully-fleshed-out characters and a brilliantly executed plot that has been well-thought out and perfectly plotted. Being a long-time reader of the mystery genre, I could not find a single fault in the book’s carefully woven mystery.

I’d strongly recommend this book to all mystery readers especially those who like their mysteries set in cosy historical settings.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

ARC Review: The Cyclone Release by Bruce Overby

14/11/202214/11/2022Bruce Overby, Contemporary FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Bruce Overby
Release Date: 15th November 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Corporate Fiction, Literary Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 254 pages
Publisher: Madville Publishing
Blurb:
It’s the late 90s Internet boom, and Brendon Meagher has just lost his wife Sadie in a freakish car accident at the edge of Silicon Valley. The Cyclone Release follows Brendon as he emerges from tragedy and lands in a pre-IPO start-up that promises astonishing riches. Mo Gramercy, a bright and commanding colleague with her own deep secret, joins Brendon, disrupts his malaise, and takes him as her lover. The characters’ careen toward IPO millions, their secrets suddenly converging, and both are shaken without mercy from bucolic notions of work, life, and impending fortune.

Review

The Cyclone Release by Bruce Overby is a definitive page-turning corporate fiction that will blow your mind and leave you wanting to read more works by the author!

This book is a heady mix of engaging prose, a captivating concept and a well-executed story developed around extremely realistic and relatable characterisation. This story pulls you in and takes you to the time when Silicon Valley was not how we see it today and tells the story of Brendon, a man stuck in the crazy turmoil of life whose career is in the field that is tethering over a precarious edge.

Well-written, absorbing and thoroughly interesting as well as intriguing, The Cyclone Release has a lot to offer to its readers and therefore I’d strongly recommend it to all fiction readers, especially those who like exploring corporate fiction and are interested in learning the details about the behind-the-scenes reality of the Silicon Valley.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Not Yet Available

Amazon

Not Yet Available

Book Review: Victorian Songlight: The Birthings Of Magic & Mystery by Dr. Kathy Martone

10/11/2022Fantasy, High fantasy, Kathy Martone, Supernatural2 Comments

Book Details:

Author: Dr. Kathy Martone
Release Date: 15th October 2019
~~Series~~:
Genre: High Fantasy, Supernatural Romance, Mythology & Lores
Format: E-book
Pages: 215 pages
Publisher: Dreaming Big Publications
Blurb:
The birth of a magical child at the time of the Devil Moon sets the stage for heartache and misery, magic and supernatural love. Beset by unrelenting obstacles and bestowed with remarkable psychic gifts, Kate is often accompanied by fantastical black ravens who carry her through time and space. A well known legend in the Ozark Mountain countryside where Kate lives, Grandfather is a ghost with large golden eyes who frequently rides on the back of Pegasus, another Ozarkian legend.
Victorian Songlight is a tale of redemption and renewal, death and rebirth, triumph over darkness. But most importantly, it is a love story. Alone and utterly forsaken, adrift on treacherous waters, Kate meets Grandfather for the second time in her life and they become lovers fulfilling a prophecy at the moment of her birth.

Review

Victorian Songlight: The Birthings Of Magic & Mystery by Dr. Kathy Martone is a high fantasy supernatural romance novel that has a very refreshing and unique concept and revolves around the legends and lores of the Ozark Mountain countryside known as the Ozarkian legends.

I found this book thoroughly engaging and entertaining and felt that the writing was apt for the plot. The characterisation was good and the overall world-building was also good. The characters felt real and believable and I was able to feel a connection with the main protagonist, Kate. The pacing in the book kept me hooked till the very last page and the ending felt extremely rewarding.

Overall this book made for an excellent fantasy read and I would recommend it to all fantasy readers especially those who like exploring new lores and legends.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Creatrix of Strife by DC Allen

08/11/2022Science-Fiction, Speculative-FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: DC Allen
Release Date: 11th March 2021
~~Series~~:
Genre: Science-Fiction, Speculative Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 128 pages
Publisher: Demodocus Publishing LLC
Blurb:
“Stand in Hell, But Reach For Heaven.”
Rekha is a Disciple of Obcasus: science-worshiping zealots who live deep beneath a poisonous volcano and await the sign to arise and conquer the world. While her fellow Disciples are content to recite violent oaths and practice a form of combat based on instantaneous genetic modifications, Rekha is consumed with doubts. After she instigates a mêlée that goes horribly awry, she is cast out. Now separated from the only life she knows, the young heretic stumbles into the heart of a mystery seven generations in the making, and the reckoning that follows. If the Obcasian Death Cult’s apocalyptic dogma is true, what comes next?

CREATRIX OF STRIFE is a literary anthem realized in lyrical, mind-bending, and brutal prose. Set in an arcane, minutely detailed world where troglodytic saints weaponize their own DNA and the main defense against volcanic death is a massive clockwork defense system, Rekha’s tale is a thrilling science fiction adventure, but also the account of an outcast channeling her frustration into strength and finding purpose in a storm of uncertainty.

Review

Creatrix Of Strife by DC Allen is a powerfully-written and amazingly gripping new science-fiction novel about gene modification, science-worshipping zealots and DNA weaponisation against volcanic death – all this and so much MORE!

This book started on a high note and, thankfully, kept up with it all throughout the story till the very end. I enjoyed reading it because of the level of detailing of the word-building, realistically developed characters, especially that of Rekha, and some other secondary characters who added a lot of emotional depth to the main and sub-plots of the story and the flow of the writing which made reading this book a quick and fun experience.

Overall this book had a lot of elements that kept me hooked right from the start to the very last page! It has an amazing concept, a very engaging and entertaining storyline and a well-developed and excellently executed plot. Overall this book has a lot to offer to its readers (ages 14+) and I would strongly recommend it to everyone who likes reading science-fiction and speculative fiction genres.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: When We Lost Touch by Susan Kraus

07/11/202207/11/2022Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Susan Kraus, women's fictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Susan Kraus
Release Date: 29th October 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Format: E-book
Pages: 515 pages
Publisher: Flint Hills Publishing
Blurb:
Grace, a family therapist, returns from a cruise to find that life has been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Her daughter’s graduate program goes virtual, and her 11-year-old grandson on the spectrum is home 24/7 with school by Zoom. Her best friend, Katrina, contracts the virus early on but isn’t recovering. On top of that, Grace is called to facilitate a COVID grief group, whose members express rage and sadness at the senseless deaths of people they love.
Meanwhile, Molly and Mike forge a long-distance friendship over Zoom. A young couple, Zed and Cherry, finds validation and connection in QAnon. And on another front, Theo, a respiratory therapist, questions the ethics of keeping oxygen-starved patients alive.

When We Lost Touch is contemporary historical fiction set during the first 18 months of a deadly pandemic. Ordinary people lose touch with friends, family, reality, and truth as they’re caught in a war zone where most of the casualties are taken down by friendly fire. Kraus expertly weaves stories that portray life during a pandemic, providing a gripping, nuanced look at political, social, and medical challenges.

Review

When We Lost Touch by Susan Kraus is a work of contemporary literary fiction in which the author has explored the toughest time we all had to go through during the endless months that turned into two horrendous years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this book, several stories are told from different point-of-views covering a wide range of emotions and situations that different people had to go through during the pandemic when we all were cooped up inside our houses and the only means of communication was the internet. There is a wide range of emotional aspects covered in this book and it makes it a really interesting and very relatable read.

The writing is good and it can clearly be noticed that the author has drawn upon her extensive experience of being a therapist and working in clinical surroundings. These two factors add a sense of reality to the whole book making it a tremendously relatable read.

I’d recommend this book to all readers of women’s literature and to literary fiction enthusiasts.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: The 2-Hour Cocktail Party by Nick Gray

07/11/202207/11/2022Nick Gray, Non-Fiction, Self-HelpLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Nick Gray
Release Date: 14th June 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Non-Fiction, Social Skills, Self-Help, How-To
Format: E-book
Pages: 278 pages
Publisher: Lioncrest Publishing
Blurb:
You know that well-connected friend who only exists in the movies? The one who throws the best parties and can set up any introduction you need?
Everyone wants to know someone magical like this who brings people together. The secret is: you can be that person. You should be that person. The 2-Hour Cocktail Party will show you how.
Discover a simple formula with step-by-step instructions to host parties that help you meet new people, strengthen your existing relationships, and make you the person everyone wants to know.

You’ll learn which days are the best (probably not the ones you think!) and what to say to the first people who arrive. Read how to ensure your invitations get responses and your guests show up excited to mingle. Plus, get helpful pre-party checklists and a breakdown of activities to encourage new connections.
With The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, you’ll make new friends, boost your career, and leave everyone asking, “When’s your next party?”
Pick up your copy today!

“An encouraging, upbeat, and useful call to host parties and make friends.”
2022 KIRKUS STAR AWARD

Review

The 2-Hour Cocktail Party by Nick Gray is a useful book on hosting parties that would be sure-as-hell engaging and make you the ‘it’ person in town with whom everybody would want to connect with.

This book goes into detail about not just how to host fun and successful parties but also lists the kind-of dos and don’t at the party, ways to make sure your guests accept your invite and actually show up to your party and then have a fantastic experience while at your party.

If you are someone who is not sure about throwing your first or the most amazing cocktail party then this book is definitely for you!

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Duck for Cover & Other Tales: A Collection of Short Stories by Barbara Venkataramana

06/11/202206/11/2022Barbara Venkataraman, Humor, Short-StoriesLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Barbara Venkataraman
Release Date: 17th August 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Short Stories, Humor
Format: E-book
Pages: 58 pages
Publisher: Next Chapter
Blurb:
Fourteen short stories with a twist, Duck for Cover & Other Tales is filled with surprises.
The Yes Man is about a woman who looks after her elderly father with dementia, only to discover he still has life lessons to teach her. Living My Best Life tells the story of an aging rock star who finds his legacy lives on in a way he hadn’t imagined. Thicker Than Blood is about the dilemmas caused by modern technology when a trio of siblings is asked to make the hardest decision of their lives. The Devil’s Workshop is the story of a young man being scared straight from a life of delinquency by a clever probation officer and an ex-con.
Topical, relatable and just plain fun, these and many other stories in this collection deal with friendship, kinship and the complexities of the modern world, and are sure to leave you with a smile.

Review

Duck for Cover & Other Tales: A Collection of Short Stories by Barbara Venkataramana is a beautiful collection of witty short stories that would surely leave a big smile on every reader’s face.

I loved each and every one of the short stories in this collection. Each one of these fourteen stories was funny, sweet, heart-warming and introspective stories that felt really light but, in reality, had so much to say in the deeper sense that only a very skilled writer could have pulled off without making the stories over-bearing and that’s exactly how Barbara Venkatramana did it. The writing felt great and had a good flow making this book a very fluid read. The characters in each of the stories felt realistic and I was able to feel a connection with them instantaneously in piste of the stories being so short.

I would definitely recommend this book to all short story readers. This collection has a LOT to offer!

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Click here

Amazon

Click here

Book Review: Corrupted: Book Two of The Terrian Trilogy by Jenny Benjamin

05/11/202204/11/2022Fantasy, High fantasy, Jenny Benjamin, Science-Fiction, Science-Fiction Fantasy, Young AdultLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Jenny Benjamin
Release Date: 2nd September 2022
Series: The Terrian Trilogy (Book #2)
Genre: Young-Adult, Science-Fiction Fantasy, High Fantasy
Format: E-book
Pages: 267 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Book Two begins ten days after the events of Book One with Jesse, Kate, and Hayden traveling in the found alien ship and trailing the Gelfs who have kidnapped Sofia. Plagued with rage and guilt because of Sofia’s capture, Jesse finds himself losing control of his emotions and the Triumvirate’s mission to bring peace to two worlds—Earth and Terria.
Tensions, attractions, and powers crackle with energy in the second installment of the Terrian Trilogy. Jesse and his friends discover new abilities, face hybrid beasts, and carry out rescue missions on Terria. What else? More revelations about Terria’s corruption? Genetic modification? The unveiling of a terrifying plot by Terria’s faction leaders? Yes. Maybe. Jesse and his friends are called to act.

Review

Corrupted by Jenny Benjamin is the second book in the new young-adult sci-fi-fantasy Terrain trilogy This book begins right where the first book, Enhanced left off so it would be ideal to read this series in order.

This book took the plot of the last book further, exploring amazing new avenues and sub-plots and with some new characters added to the mix that explored the world of this trilogy further, it made for an excellent read. I was able to understand the motivations and drives of the characters better in this part as they were explored on a yet deeper level, facing new perils that tested their strengths and grit.

I am looking forward to reading the next and the last part of this trilogy as I know it would answer some questions that this book had given rise to. But most of all, I really want to see how things end for the main characters, Jesse, Kate and Hayden.

I would strongly recommend this book (and the series) to all science-fiction readers and to high-fantasy enthusiasts who love reading well-developed and realistic young-adult characters.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Review: Revimore by Ciel Dexter

03/11/202203/11/2022Ciel Dexter, Speculative-FictionLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Ciel Dexter
Release Date: 14th September 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Speculative Fiction, Feminist Literature
Format: E-book
Pages: 160 pages
Publisher: Pink Narcissus Press
Blurb:
“At Revimore we do not pretend to take away your grief. Death is a natural part of life. But what if you were able to continue to share your life with your loved one? To begin and end each day knowing that you never need to be alone again?”
Told through the voices of women touched by loss, this thought-provoking work examines the nature of grief, and the ethical dilemmas inherent in Revimore, a company that creates artificially intelligent replicants to replace loved ones after death.

“Dexter raises all the standard questions about AI rights, sentience, and ethics, but the close, personal lens on the issue provided by her three captivating heroines adds depth and nuance to these themes. It’s a well-done meditation on humanity, companionship, and grief.”
Publishers Weekly

Review

Revimore by Ciel Dexter is a work of speculative feminist literature that explores the technological responses to grief by three different women in three different parts of this short story.

I loved reading this book because provided such a unique perspective on technology on the whole and grief as a specific theme. The writing is very smooth and fluid and made reading this book a fantastically quick affair, which I always appreciate. I liked how the author put her ideas and thoughts forward without them being overbearing at any point in the entire story, which is a difficult feat to achieve in feminist literature and I’d like to commend the author on executing the concept in such an interesting yet non-provocative way.

I’d strongly recommend this book to all speculative readers and to feminist ideologists and readers of related literature. Though even if you are not a feminist, this book could simply be enjoyed as a work of speculative fiction alone.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Review: Enhanced: Book One of The Terrian Trilogy by Jenny Benjamin

31/10/202201/11/2022Fantasy, High fantasy, Jenny Benjamin, Science-Fiction, Science-Fiction Fantasy, Young Adult1 Comment

Book Details:

Author: Jenny Benjamin
Release Date: 1st October 2021
Series: The Terrian Trilogy (Book #1)
Genre: Young-Adult, Science-Fiction Fantasy, High Fantasy
Format: E-book
Pages: 260 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
Jesse Woods – drum line maestro, track star, honors student – is a standout as one of the only Black students at a suburban Chicago high school. His well-organized world is thrown into chaos when his school is attacked by an alien species, Terrians, who have been playing gods throughout human history. Jesse and two others from the drumline, Kate and Hayden, are pulled into an epic alien conspiracy and forced on a quest to retrieve an ancient artifact that will help decide the victory in the battle for planet Earth. The three teenagers will face impossible odds and fight the powerful enemies, as well as their own demons, to protect their loved ones and save the world they know.
Yeah, right, what else, locusts? Dragons in the sky? Alien ships? War between worlds? Armageddon? Yes. Maybe. Only Jesse and his friends can stop it.

Review

Enhanced by Jenny Benjamin is the first book in the new young-adult sci-fi-fantasy Terrain trilogy. This book marked an excellent beginning of what could be a potentially amazing trilogy. This book had everything that I had expected and SO MUCH MORE!

The concept is brilliant setting a strong foundation not only for this book but for the next two books as well and the author’s writing kept the flow of the story very fluid and smooth making it a flawless experience. The characters were well-built and the world-building was up to the mark, the creatures/monsters were terrific and the detailing in the book was commendable. Overall this book made for a fantastically engrossing read and had me hooked right from the beginning till the very end, making me want to jump into the next book right away (which, of course, I did!)

I would strongly recommend this book to all science-fiction readers and to high-fantasy enthusiasts who love reading well-developed and realistic young-adult characters.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Review: The Billionaire’s Conspiracy (Janusz Soltani #3) by M.J. Javani

17/10/2022Espionage, noir, Suspense, ThrillerLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: M.J. Javani
Release Date: 28th March 2022
Series: Janusz Soltani (Book #3)
Genre: Espionage, Action Thriller, Suspense, Mystery
Format: E-book
Pages: 307 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
TO PROTECT EVERYTHING HE LOVES, HE MUST DEFEND TRUTH
The time is the present. A group of anarchists is planning to attack the White House. They are supported by a rapacious billionaire with a secret agenda. Across the Potomac River, someone is systematically killing members of a private intelligence company. Known as Unit 81, this group is not subject to the debilitating political correctness that shackles the federal bureaucracy.

A trusted liaison points the finger at the Russians. But all is not as it seems. When the Unit’s top operative, Janusz Soltani, discovers the truth about their enemies, his wife is mysteriously kidnapped. Time is running out to rescue her from a horrible end.
Fans of Robert Ludlum, Vince Flynn, and Brad Thor will enjoy this action-packed series.

“Author MJ Javani has created a compelling conspiracy thriller that becomes more engrossing with each chapter.”
BestThrillers.com

Review

Murder, mystery, mayhem… this book has it all!

The Billionaire’s Conspiracy by M.J. Javani is the third instalment in the Janusz Soltani series. It is an action-packed thriller that leaves the reader at the edge of their seat for most of the book and throws them completely off-guard right towards the end, reeling them back with a twist in the gut – well, at least that’s how I really felt!

This book is a complete package for espionage thriller lovers and occasional readers of the genre, such as myself, as it has so much to offer right from an elaborate conspiracy to well-built characters walking a tight rope full of tension and suspense. The thrill seeker in me relished the action sequences and the out of the box twists that the author had in store around every bend throughout the novel.

I enjoyed reading this book thoroughly and would recommend it to all thriller, mystery and espionage fiction readers. And also to those readers who are looking for a new series and/or a new author to explore.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Review: Hip Set by Michael Fertik

09/10/202209/10/2022Michael Fertik, Mystery, noir, Suspense, ThrillerLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Michael Fertik
Release Date: 19th September 2019
~~Series~~:
Genre: Noir Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
Format: E-book
Pages: 200 pages
Publisher: Skiddaw Books
Blurb:
Oscar Orleans is a Congolese refugee in Israel. He’s also the only Hebrew-speaking liaison to the African refugee community living in Tel Aviv’s worst slums. When his old friend Inspector Kobi Sambinsky of the Asylum Unit calls him early on Shabbat morning, he knows something is wrong. A young South Sudanese immigrant has been found murdered in the city’s most iconic waterfront building and no-one can quite place his origins.

The only clue is his unusual name, Kinga, which he shared with another refugee from eight years earlier, and a controversial political figure in South Sudan’s most dangerous warring faction. Kobi and Oscar must venture into the heart of Tel Aviv’s Sudanese underground, Israel’s hyper-violent Russian mafia, and a mystery that has been dormant for years near the shores of the Dead Sea.

Review

Hip Set by Michael Fertik, the New York Times best-selling author, is a smashing new noir thriller that would take you on a rollercoaster ride of suspense and fast-paced action through the rich settings of Tel Aviv and would leave you wanting more.

I loved this book because the writing flowed so well and had such an amazing literary quality that it did not feel like the author’s first noir thriller but more like a nuanced piece of work by an expert. The characterisation was rich, relatable and realistic – the three Rs that made this book a complete package for me.

Other things that I appreciated in this book are the vivid settings of Tel Aviv that transported me right in the middle of a place I’ve never been to (and would most definitely like to visit someday, especially after having read this book), the African refugee situation that the author has explored in this book and thus provided a very different side of Israel to the readers and, last but not least, the amazing concept of the book (which was totally mind-blowing!)

I would strongly recommend this book to all thriller and mystery readers and to those readers who like reading about different cultures, places and settings. This book delivers on so many fronts that I am sure it will have something or the other to offer to all its readers.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Review: Love The Dark Days by Ira Mathur

06/10/202206/10/2022Ira Mathur, memoir1 Comment

Book Details:

Author: Ira Mathur
Release Date: 1st September 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Memoir
Format: E-book
Pages: 232 pages
Publisher: Peepal Tree Press Ltd.
Blurb:
This frank, fearless and multi-layered debut centres on a privileged but dysfunctional Indian family, with themes of empire, migration, race, and gender. The Victorian India elephant in the room in Ira Mathur’s silk-swathed memoir Love The Dark Days is in chains. By the time calypso replaces the Raj in post-colonial Trinidad, the chains are off three generations of daughters and mothers in a family in their New World exile. But they are still stuck in place and enduring insecurity and threats, seen and unseen.

Set in India, England, Trinidad and a weekend in St Lucia, with Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott Love the Dark Days (Peepal Tree Press) follows the story of a girl, Poppet, of mixed middle-class Hindu and Elite Muslim parentage from post-independent India to her family’s migration to post-colonial Trinidad.
Profoundly raw, unflinching, layered, but not without threads of humour and perceived absurdity, Love the Dark Days reassembles the story of a disintegrating Empire.

Review

Love The Dark Days by Ira Mathur is an emotionally gripping, complex, hard-hitting yet beautiful and creatively written memoir exploring familial ties in a dysfunctional setting. In this remarkable book, the author also explores the labyrinthine effects of migration and racism as the main story unfolds making it a remarkably complex, and thus, a very engaging read.

I loved reading this book because it had so much to offer to its reader in terms of emotional depth, varied perspectives on the problems that are faced by many and, in the end, a ray of hope, that we all are unwittingly looking for.

I’d strongly recommend this book to all memoir readers because this book is one of a kind and the writing is absolutely brilliant.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Review: The Young by Nicholas John Powter

06/10/202206/10/2022Fantasy, Nicholas John PowterLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Nicholas John Powter
Release Date: 28th May 2020
~~Series~~:
Genre: Fantasy
Format: E-book
Pages: 128 pages
Publisher: Balboa Press Au
Blurb:
A father and his son home has been attacked by a mysterious man, an omen a sinister presence has come about the lands of “The Deluge”, the great sun gods know as the Phrazon mur guide and protect the inhabitants who are awake during the day while the evil creatures and man alike come to fruition during the night. For that where the great evil moon gods come up out of hiding. A Religious cult known as the “Spawn” and their most prestigious leader Roland seek to extract the power of the moon gods and destroy the sun gods and plummet the world into but darkness and sorrow. Out two unlikely protagonist must go on a journey to stop them and free their lands from both the gods and the cults grasp. As somewhat reluctant they may be, they will set out on a task of many dangers and one most foreign to them. A journey of family, love loss violence and devastation, divinity and faith.

Review

The Young by Nicholas John Powter is a unique fantasy novel that will take you on a rollercoaster of a magical emotional ride.

One of the reasons why I really liked this book is because of the unique and very rarely used concept of the sun and moon gods going against each other. And the second reason for having really liked this book is the tricky and complex relationship between a father and son that the author has explored in this book. Both these things set The Young apart from other fantasy novels. I enjoyed how the plot unfolded and how different sub-plots and side characters and their stories and conflicts kept the momentum of the story building, while the relationship between Sven and Fren sees its fair share of ups and downs and well… we get to see an apt demonstration of a realistic development that can only be experienced as the story unfolds.

I’d recommend this book to all fantasy lovers who want to explore a book on a new concept and to those readers who want to explore a title by a new author, especially about the dynamic between a father and a son.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Review: A Reservoir Man by L.J. Ambrosio

25/09/202225/09/2022fictional memoir, L.J. AmbrosioLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: L.J. Ambrosio
Release Date: 6th July 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Coming-Of-Age Fictional Memoir
Format: E-book
Pages: 238 pages
Publisher: Film Valor
Blurb:
A Reservoir Man, critics have hailed this explosive and timely work as “a must-read coming-of-age story of 2022.” Twists and turns further pull the reader in to Michael’s action-packed tale, with powerful themes, from betrayal and family to secrets and identity. “Be sure not to blink because you just might miss a pivotal moment in Michael’s rousing, larger-than-life story.” –R.C. Gibson, Indiestoday.com. “This book is a dream, a gamble, a utopia, even.” — Kalyan Panja, Bookmarkks.

Review

A Reservoir Man by L.J. Ambrosio is a brilliantly written coming-of-age fictional memoir that is sure to steal your heart and leave you craving for more.

This book had nearly everything that makes it a perfect read – good writing coupled with great plotting and exceptional pacing, strong characterisation, a lot of tension in the right places and a complex yet identifiable and relatable concept. I enjoyed reading this book because of the amazing and realistic characters that were incredibly relatable and made me want to “know more and more” about them, even the secondary characters.

I’d highly recommend this book to all readers of memoir and fictional memoir genres as this book has a lot to offer all its readers.

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Book Review: Harvey’s Hutch by Phillip Dodd

23/09/202225/09/2022memoir, Non-Fiction, Philip DoddLeave a Comment

Book Details:

Author: Philip Dodd
Release Date: 11th August 2022
~~Series~~:
Genre: Memoir
Format: E-book
Pages: 228 pages
Publisher: –
Blurb:
‘Many children have terrible childhoods. But in mine there is a hole…”
The gaping rent that four-year-old Philip Dodd found one morning in the wire mesh of the hutch which had housed Harvey, his pet rabbit, became a metaphorical one which, along with Harvey’s disappearance, has haunted his thoughts throughout his life. In this sensitive, beautifully told memoir, Dodd ( ‘ a small boy with more air in my brain than knowledge ‘) finds himself, if not Harvey, and learns to become at peace with the unknowable and the forces of darkness. ‘The horns of Elfland are still blowing, as Alfred Lord Tennyson once heard them, and preserved them in his lines, and somewhere beyond the border stones, through the mist on the moors, strange folk ride, as they ever did, in the shadow of the dark tower,’

Review

Harvey’s Hutch by Philip Dodd is a beautiful, lyrical, sentimental, philosophical memoir about coming to terms with what life throws your way and making the best of it – the classic lemon and lemonade situation but written with a lot of poise, sophistication and reverence of one’s own surroundings and people.

Harvey’s Hutch is a beautifully written book that takes the readers through the author’s life, step-by-step, year-by-year giving it a very familial coming-of-age feel making it an instantly relatable tale that is hard not to feel a connection to. It is written in very thoughtful and engaging prose that delivers the author’s sentiments in a beautiful litany of introspective thoughts and exposition that I found extremely easy to read, because of the great narrative flow, and was able to connect to.

I would strongly recommend this book to all non-fiction readers and memoir enthusiasts as I am sure there is much to be gleaned for each reader from such an emotionally complex and rich piece of writing.

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on:

Goodreads

Amazon

Share this:

Like this:

Book Details:

Review

You can also read this review on: