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The Infinite Wisdom
![The Infinite Wisdom (The Snow Adventures Book 2) by [Estes, Danny C]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51lb9mi0BrL.jpg)
You can tell a good book from the first chapter. I loved the first paragraph, as the author used animal characters which I enjoyed reading. The story line is fun, and the reader easily falls in love with the characters. One good thing about this book is that the reader learns a few lessons after every chapter. Reading about animal characters is exciting, as apart from the knowledge we have about animals, the author added other traits to make the book more interesting.
Mr. Thomas Thelin and his wife were among my favorite characters in the book. I also loved Mrs. Svea Dovell as she was a bold character. She was also not afraid of showing her disgust towards the characters she didn’t like. Though aggressive at times, I loved her attitude. Some stories are broken into smaller bits, which make it easy for the reader to understand.
What better way of making the book a little colorful than to add pictures of characters? I loved that the author added images in between the chapters which made it easier to picture the characters’ habits and their physical looks. Johnny Roo’s outfit fits his character.
The Infinite Wisdom is a great read for fans of the fantasy genre as I found this book to be engrossing. The character development, as I’ve seen in many pieces by Danny Estes, is superb. Using anthropomorphic animals to tell the story adds an extra layer of intrigue to every piece of character interaction. This book is a fun read and I was quickly swept away as the characters navigate a genetics lab and track down the hairless apes.
The Infinite Wisdom is an excellent book for both young adults and anyone looking for a lighthearted read that still captures your imagination. Like any good author, Danny Estes has a good command of language and sets his character up for twists that I surely didn’t see coming.
I enjoy books that make me lose myself when reading and this book did exactly that. I couldn’t stop once I started.
Pages: 287 | ASIN: B07HD79PW5
Apex Five: The Plane
![Apex Five: The Plane, Book One by [Katz, Sarah]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51R%2BVejH3jL._SY346_.jpg)
Apex Five: The Plane, is a science fiction novel that details life on another plane of existence. We are given a very brief history of this world in the prologue, and then in Chapter 1 we find the story propelled forward about 12,000 years from a life altering event known as The Storm.
The first character we are introduced to is Nasin, and the story immediately takes a rather political turn. Nasin was sent to Tabir to try and secure a sort of trade deal between her own nation of Lir and the people of Tabir. The story and dialogue are well written, but I couldn’t help but feel that it was rather dry reading from the onset and it had a hard time keeping my attention. However, once we are introduced to Hazard 14, the story becomes a lot more intriguing.
The character Hazard 14, whose real name is Rohem, is absolutely fascinating. I think the author did a great job of describing his physical differences (anomalies?) from other people; the scene where he is being examined by the doctor in Lir was a great way to introduce the reader to his unusual abilities. From this point forward, it’s hard to put the book down. It’s clear from the beginning that the Tabirians think that Rohem is a dangerous criminal, while Nasin sees a vulnerable little boy who needs protection. The distinct differences between the Tabir and Lir nationalities really become apparent through their treatment of Rohem. I really loved how the author brought these things to light through his character, rather than in a more direct way.
I always think it’s a little bit difficult to get acquainted with characters in a science fiction novel of this type; where all the races and customs are new to the reader. As well as some of the names being a little difficult to pronounce. However, overall the author did a good job of creating dialogue between the characters that explains the characteristics and histories of the races while still seeming like natural conversation. A lot of times this type of description can seem forced and pretentious but I did not think that it came across that way in Apex Five.
I also found the imagery in the book to be really great. I could envision the different terrains; the dunes of Lir, the industrial feel of Tabir, the rainforests of the Ayam. The evolution of all the different groups of people, from the The Storm forward, is a very believable progression and also written really well. It’s clear that while their relationships with one another are largely diplomatic, there are undertones of distrust. For instance, when Nasin is in Tabir she is asked if they’ve (the Lir) succeeded in making any weaponry, to which she fibs and tells them they have not. The reader is quickly privy to the fact that something is culminating between the different races that is soon going to come to a head. This suspense definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall, I ended up enjoying the story thoroughly and wouldn’t hesitate to pick up any other book by this author.
Pages: 338 | ASIN: B07BRCRD8V
House of Pain
![House of Pain (The Forsaken Ones Book 1) by [Holm, Denna]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41By1tpH6iL.jpg)
House of Pain, by Denna Holm, is a dark, provocative and devilish book that will leave you lusting for more! The novel opens with a brother and sister cowering before a terrifying demon to whom they have made a promise. They must deliver on this promise or spend eternity kept alive simply to be tortured by this diabolical creature. Their promise comes in the form of the beautiful Magdalena, Maggie, who is half human/half demon. Although raised in a whorehouse she is our lovely virgin full of kindness but also the ability to suck life from people through sex! Holms paints a grim story of the future and it is not one of hope but one in which humans and nature have destroyed the Earth and demons can enter the planet and are on the cusp of entering to stay.
This is a dreary story in many ways, due to the state of the world in which it is set and the predicament of many of the characters but also ends up being very much a love story. Yes, there are erotic scenes and themes, but this story is truly about the endurance of family and the strength of love. It is slightly odd to write that about a book which includes incubus’s and succubus’s, a whorehouse full of debauchery and more but it is truly fitting in this first novel in what seems will be a series. I can definitely see future challenges arising for our main characters as well as the possibility of the portal re-opening. Demons are quite clever, after all!
I was impressed with the originality of this story. I love when authors create truly original story lines. It felt like this was a story in which the author was truly enmeshed. I want to know how she got the idea for this story. It was so uniquely creative and unlike any other fantasy story I’ve come across.
As stated earlier, there are some adult scenes, which are done respectfully but not appropriate for people under 17. I loved Holm’s writing style. It was dripping with tension, drama, romance, and a dark-side that I truly found intriguing. Her story did not drag on, the scenes moved quickly, and I did not want to put it down. I found it quite easy and fun to read! Be certain you are one who is down for some macabre, some romance and some sexiness in this fantasy fiction novel.
Pages: 335 | ASIN: B07HLP7QN1
Made of Stone
![Made of Stone: Book One: Satori Stone Series by [Palmer, Desiree M.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51hDX9dkVQL.jpg)
There are women of mystery, and then there’s Satori Stone. Satori is, in all truth, a mystery to herself. When she makes preparations to pack and sell her mother’s belongings following her death, Satori discovers she isn’t who her mother always made her believe she was. As the days go by, Satori is hit with a new relationship–the relationship she has always wanted–and a realization about her own abilities. Soon after the revelation of her own identity, Satori finds her life and that of her daughter, Sarah, threatened by a force she does not recognize. With the help of her friend and mentor, Naoma, Satori learns quickly who she truly is and how to control the gift she never knew she possessed.
Made of Stone, by Desiree Palmer, is a truly unique blend of mysticism, fantasy, and romance. Main character, Satori Stone, is thoughtful and introspective and has all the makings of a stand-out figure for a series. Palmer has begun, with this book, what promises to be a string of books in which readers will be afforded the opportunity to watch Satori grow and prosper in her newly discovered skills.
Satori’s reactions are genuine throughout the book. Palmer writes in a real and raw manner of the heart-wrenching moment when Satori discovers the truth about her parentage. In addition, Satori’s emotional crisis on the plane with what could be the man of her dreams reflects every woman’s self talk and contains highly relatable moments of nervousness and apprehension.
The friendship Satori has with Naoma is unique and enviable. The two are as much family as they are friends, and Palmer does a nice job of dragging out Naoma’s connection to mysticism. Even though I had some notions early on about Naoma, I appreciated the slow reveal of Naoma’s truth and, subsequently, Satori’s truth.
As this is the first book in a series, I am looking forward to seeing the full story on Darvey, Satori’s new love interest. He intrigues me. Palmer has successfully created a character who could easily, down the road, be a hero or a villain. As much as Satori wants him to be the answer to her prayers, I wanted to see a hidden truth in his actions and his questions. He stands as an enigma and, for me, really makes the story more fascinating.
The whole aspect of mysticism is captivating. Naoma’s explanation of the power within oneself is eye-opening. Palmer definitely builds a case for the mystics of the world with the character of Naoma. She, aside from Darvey, is my favorite character in the series thus far.
I didn’t like the speed with which Satori is forced to use her abilities. As the first part of the book has a much slower pace leading up to the reveal of powers, I would like to have seen Satori struggle a bit more to get a grasp on her newfound skills. It felt to me as if the pace picked up quickly and some opportunities for character development were missed. All in all, Made of Stone is a fun read with a compelling story line and memorable characters.
Pages: 203 | ASIN: B07HLHHG7N
Christmas with Snowman Paul
![Christmas with Snowman Paul by [Lapid, Yossi]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51T4EUbW8RL.jpg)
All Paul wants is to enjoy Christmas with his friend. He watches from the window as his friend eats and plays and sings with his family all winter long. Paul is a snowman, so he can’t go inside, or he will melt. This doesn’t stop him from longing for the companionship of others though. Paul’s friend takes his unhappiness seriously and with the help of his family, they work to come up with a plan to help Paul out.
Yossi Lapid has written an endearing children’s book and Joanna Pasek’s illustrations bring the story to life in a way that will capture the hearts of kids young and old. Christmas with Snowman Paul takes the idea of a snowman coming to life and gives it a different twist from the traditional stories we are used to. While Paul he can play with the kids and family outside in the day, it is not enough for him. He feels lonely and left out. Paul’s friend acts right away to do something to make him feel included. This is a great lesson for kids of all ages. It teaches about people being different, having different needs, and being compassionate. Such a simple story with many great life lessons on how to be a good person.
This would be a great book to kick off the winter season, while it focuses on Christmas it is a good book that could apply to any of the winter holidays.
Pages: 26 | ASIN: B076BX4KNQ
So, You’re Raising Your Grandkids!
![So, You're Raising Your Grandkids!: Tested Tips, Research, & Real Life Stories to Make Your Life Easier by [Hodgson, Harriet]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51MJJIlebcL.jpg)
It is common to see grandparents raise their grandkids. The reasons vary from the children getting in trouble, passing away, divorce, teen pregnancies, parents being in jail, not being in a capacity to raise the kids, or not having the right parental skills. Grandparents raising grandkids may seem easy, but it’s not. Harriet Hodgson takes us through the struggles, the fun times that create the relationship children have with their grandparents.
Harriet Hodgson uses real-life example to delivery some poignant and sage advice. She raised her daughters’ children, and so speaks from a position of experience throughout the book, but not as a teacher, more as a knowing grandparent. The kids were twins and raising them was an amazing experience. The author notes how difficult it can be when grandkids ask for information which you think would be best explained by their parents. Losing her daughter was painful. Grieving for her daughter, the twin’s father, her brother, and father in law was among the lowest moments in her life.
This book reads like a parenting guide for grandparents. Some may feel that, since they are grandparents, they know how to raise kids. But remember, you are raising kids from a different perspective now and this book illuminates those differences and helps you tackle them. The author writes about family values and helps one understand what children want and how they should be treated. Raising teens can be an uphill task for anyone. The writer shares her experience raising her grandkids in their teen years, and how adolescents react to issues.
The tips Harriet Hodgson shares should be mastered by everyone as they will always come in handy at some point in life. The book is written in a flowing style, with the author listing her thoughts then explaining later in detail. This book not only educates you on parenting, but also helps to understand and cope with grief.
Throughout the bok Harriet Hodgson words are backed by research and science. That is the other amazing thing about this book. Everything listed is a fact, and one gets to understand how some families come to be. From the texts in the book, one can tell that Harriet is excellent at care-giving.
I’ve learned a lot just by reading this book. Mourning can take a toll on someone, but there is always that period where you rise up. The author did well by talking about stress and the effect it has on kids and how one should take care of their health. You understand how you can encourage a child to aim higher and get to the peak in everything they do.
Pages: 200 | ASIN: B075J5YNKW
Dabble in the Dark Side
Laura Simmons Author Interview
Dark Karma follows Luke and Nina on a quest for vengeance, punctuated by secrets, and colored with dark magic. What were some driving ideals behind the development of this novel?
I wanted to write something different and unpredictable. My first book, Little Bits of Karma, focused on reincarnation; the second one, Tough Karma, focused on that same concept plus unusual psychic talents and a deranged villain. I wanted to use all of those concepts in Dark Karma, but take it to another level. The concept of traveling to other dimensions of reality intrigues me, and I thought it would be a wonderful element to include in this story. The main characters, Nina and Luke, are supporting characters in Tough Karma so it was easy to write for them. I’m just a channel for my characters, they work through me to tell their tales. I have to give them all of the kudos for the wonderful unpredictability of this story! They gave me the plot twists and turns as I commuted back and forth from work.
Luke and Nina have a fascinating and deep relationship. What was the inspiration for their characters and their relationship?
The inspiration for their characters came from my previous books. New characters come to me when I need to add one to move a story along. In Little Bits of Karma, I needed a bad guy (supposed) older brother to help an antagonist get his point across and Luke made his first appearance. He was a very minor character with only one or two sentences. When the antagonist from Little Bits of Karma became the redeemed romantic hero, Bryce, in Tough Karma, he needed his brother’s help to save his sweetheart, Amber. Luke’s character began to grow and he let me know that he was a CIA operative who worked with people who had unusual psychic abilities. Luke called up Nina and she entered the story. She was a free-spirited and spunky psychic gifted with telekinesis who knew how to manipulate energy and situations on the astral plane. She helped everyone by using her talents. I thought it would be fun to have a sexy friendship between Nina and Luke with both of them being independent and not needing anyone romantically; until he gets jealous of another man interested in her and makes his true feelings known. The seed for a deep and loving relationship was always there, but they both had their defenses up.
I enjoyed the well crafted use of magic throughout this novel. How did you balance magic to keep things grounded while also keeping readers wondering?
Thank you, but I honestly don’t know. I just wrote what came through. Most of this novel surprised me too! Dark Karma went in a direction I never dreamed of when I started writing it. You mentioned in your review that you gave up trying to predict what would happen and I laughed because that was my intent. As far as magic goes, I’ve been fascinated with it my whole life. I have books of spells which I’ve never tried and I would never dabble in the dark side. I love living vicariously through my characters and traveling the astral, moving objects with my mind, manipulating energy, and everything else.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’ve started writing the follow-on book to Dark Karma but the plot hasn’t solidified. I strive to write all of my books as stand alones, however, it is proving difficult with this next story. I don’t have a title for it yet, I usually come up with those much later. For now I’m calling it Karma Book 4. I’m going to let the characters guide me and hope they can provide something just as unpredictable as Dark Karma. If not, then I hope whatever comes through is an entertaining read. My goal is to have it published by the end of next year or early in 2020.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
![Dark Karma: Sword of Vengeance by [Simmons, Laura]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41j5GFQOQUL.jpg)
A remarkable tale of vengeance, time travel, and dark magic. What would you do if you woke up one morning and your world was inexplicably changed in the worst way imaginable? Banished by his enemy into a hellish alternate dimension, Luke Decker fights to understand why his world has suddenly changed, and why is he on trial for the murder of his beloved Nina? What he doesn’t know is she’s not dead. Nina watches him vanish into thin air and is completely bereft, struggling to find out how and why he disappeared. Using all of her psychic talents and traversing the astral realm, she frantically searches for him to no avail. She owns a secret item which holds the key to his salvation, but will she figure it out before he’s condemned to live the rest of his life in a realm of darkness?
Imaginary Offshoots
Terry Tumbler Author Interview
Future World Rolls follows two FBI agents with psychic abilities as they start recruiting for a mission that will change human history. What was the inspiration behind the setup to this fascinating story?
Research into the 19-year-long career of one individual, a remote seer for the US government. He reported on the existence of ‘buck naked’ green men on the moon and its irregular placement as a protective screen against the solar flares of the sun. By whom? One may well ask.
As always, your characters are unique and fun to read. What is your process like to create such lively characters?
I always loosely base them on real, memorable people like Stan Laurel and the Big Bopper. Disparate? Maybe.
You masterfully imbue your work with music throughout the story. What were some key themes in your choice of music for this book?
Pure relevance to the storyline, plus hefty research into the ways in which these series of songs originated. I used this method to carry on the themes they might have used if they’d stayed on course, like Buddy Holly staying with The Crickets. In some instances, I began writing original tunes as imaginary offshoots. A classic example is the 2190 Overture, which could be sung by the likes of Queen in the same vein as Bohemian Rhapsody.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am well into the first few chapters of book 3 of the Carousels of Life, Simply Spiffin’, Future Criminologist. It is all in my mind, to keep on track.
Author Links: Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blogspot
![FUTURE WORLD ROLLS!: We Are Family (Carousels of Life Book 2) by [Tumbler, Terry]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51OFukcasLL.jpg)
This Space Opera is set to Rock n’ Roll and classical music, many of the songs being entirely original and composed by the author.
It starts in the mid-20th century with two talented FBI Special Agents being tasked with recruiting people to undertake a really unusual mission. In the process, they are themselves abducted to take a leading role in that mission, which is intended to save the human race from alien conquest.
It involves time travel into the future, as they lead their hostile hunters on a merry chase across the centuries. They have the full support of other sympathetic races in their imaginative survival techniques, allowing them to go on the offensive.
The characters within embark on a series of adventures that are truly moving in their significance. Based initially on our own Planet Earth, the story employs reported alien sightings and events.
Future World ROLLS to its very core!
LITERARY TITAN 