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Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Book Review of Telemachus and Homer

Book Review of Telemachus and Homer
Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.



 About the Book

 Title: Telemachus and Homer

Author: Scott Locke
Genre: YA Fantasy

For every boy who grew up in his father’s shadow and every girl who has been underestimated, there comes a time to look within themselves to see if they have the strength to meet the challenges of the lives.  For Telemachus this time arrives soon after Odysseus returns from his twenty year absence, when Telemachus comes to appreciate that his own life needs to be about more than waiting for his father to guide him.  On the verge of embarking on an adventure, he learns that his community has been threatened and realizes that he does not know how to help.  Swallowing his pride, he recognizes that Homer, a young blind woman is a necessary ally.  Homer, like Telemachus has something to prove, for although she is respected for her knowledge, she feels unfairly defined by her community.  Together, as the people of Ithaca’s last hope, they begin their quest.

Author Bio

Scott Locke is a graduate of Brown University with a concentration in biology and of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, where he earned his J.D.  Scott has published many articles on various aspects of intellectual property.  Telemachus and Homer is Scott’s first publication of fiction.

Links







http://blog.dreamtheanswer.com/2014/04/underestimated-and-living-in-a-shadow/ 

Book Excerpts
              When he arrived at the house, it was empty. This was no surprise, because everyone was at the party. Before he began to pack, Telemachus surveyed the house, just as he did the path leading up to it. He slowly walked up and down the halls, which were decorated with paintings and sculptures that depicted his fathers rugged features, chiseled muscles, broad shoulders, and angular face. As he had done so many times in the past, after seeing the dozens of tributes to his father, Telemachus looked at his own reflection in the back of a shield and in a still pool of water. He paused and felt his biceps, as if wishing to make them grow. But after a few moments, he again accepted his small stature, his soft features, and his thin body. In his mother, these features were a source of beauty, but in a young man, like Telemachus, they were a source of insecurity.

Telemachus then methodically packed two bows, thirty-six arrows, two swords, two daggers, a shield, a helmet, his paint box, twelve canvases, his journal, and rations that in addition to any fish that he could catch would hold for two months. If he could not establish himself somewhere and be self-sufficient in that time, then he would return to the world where he was be merely an extension of his father.

When everything was loaded in his wheelbarrow, he sat down to write a note to his parents.
Dear Mom and Dad,
By the time that you read this note, I will be gone. Ithaca holds very little for me, and it is my time to explore the world. I have taken my ship. I am not sure where I will go, but I know that a journey is in my destiny.
I would have told you in person, but I know that you would have tried to stop me. I love you and will send word when I arrive at my destination.
Always your son, Telemachus

He sealed the letter with his family crest and affixed it to the door.

Review: 

I love retellings of old stories.  This was especially fun to read as both my children just studied the Odyssey this past year.  I liked the twists and turns to the story.

Mythology is a fun read.  I like the concept of bringing different mythological connections together.

I give this story 4 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.




Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Book Review of Nanovision

Book Review of Nanovision
Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours

Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

  


About The Book

Title: Nanovision
Author: Paul Harry
Genre: YA Science fiction / Fantasy

Synopsis:

Daniel Raye was only sixteen when he walked in on a mob hit against his father. Brutally beaten and left for dead, Daniel awakens in a hospital to find himself blind and with no memory of the hit. Placed in the FBI’s witness protection program, Daniel is relocated to Northern California where he’s given residence with a long, lost Aunt who runs a bio-tech firm called NanoBytes. Over time, Daniel rebuilds his life and adapts well to his newfound family, but as fate would have it, comes under the scrutiny of the mob once again–but not before his Aunt finds a cure for his blindness. Using a radical untested procedure incorporating robotic nanites spliced with the DNA from animals and insects, Daniel is injected with a serum that only a mad scientist could create.

Does it work?

Better than anyone imagined.

What would you do with x-ray vision?

Author Bio
As a young boy I cut my teeth on Marvel Comics, Edgar Rice Burrough's serial novels,(John Carter & Tarzan)and classic movies like "The Day The Earth Stood Still." I also spent many days reading classic science fiction works by authors such as Asimov, Heinlein, Clark, Silverberg, and Bradbury to name a few.

In school my favorite subjects were English and Theater Arts. It is the combination of all of this that led me into writing, especially screenplays. I love the visual medium of movies and television though too many movies today put special effects ahead of the story. I think the greatest compliment I've received about my writing is that people can see the visual images I am creating as I write.

NANOVISION is my latest novel and I think readers will have a lot of fun with it. In writing the novel I used my forty years of experience in the Las Vegas gaming industry as a background for the story. So for those of you who might ask—Are the casino scenes real? The answer is most definitely, Yes!
My other works on Amazon are: THE 5 MOONS OF TIIANA, and THE GARDEN, The Unauthorized Biography of Adam and Eve.
 
Links
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Review: 

Interesting tale about the dangers of new technology.  I like fiction where the outcome is possible when talking about technology.


I love the possibility of technology being used to heal, but the science fiction was great.  I wasn't as pleased that he fell for the "trampy" girl and in my mind he gets over her and finds a girl like his cousin.  You'll understand when you read the story.

I give this book 4 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.


Sunday, January 25, 2015

Book Review of The Fire Mages

Book Review of The Fire Mages
Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours




Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

About The Book
Title: The Fire Mages
Author: Pauline M. Ross
Genre: Epic Fantasy Adventure / Romance
Kyra has always been drawn to the magic of spellpages. She is determined to leave her small village far behind and become a scribe, wielding the power of magic through her pen. Halfway through her training, she has a mage as patron and her ambitions are within her grasp. But a simple favour for her sister goes disastrously awry, destroying Kyra's dreams in an instant.

Devastated, she accepts an offer from a stranger to help her find out what went wrong. The young man sees growing power within Kyra, potentially stronger than spellpages or any living mage. The answers to unlocking that power may lie within the glowing walls of the Imperial City, but its magic is strong and the unwary vanish without trace on its streets. Thirsty for knowledge and desperate to avoid another accident, she feels compelled to risk it.

While she focuses on controlling her abilities, a storm of greed and ambition boils up around her. Kyra is a pawn in the struggle for dominance between unscrupulous factions vying for rule of her country. Trusting the wrong side could get her killed--or worse, the potent magic she barely understands could be put to unthinkable evil.

Author Bio
Pauline lives in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland with her husband, her grown up daughter and a mad cat. She likes chocolate, whisky, her Kindle, massed pipe bands, long leisurely lunches, watching TV with her daughter, chocolate, going places in her campervan, eating pizza in Italy, summer nights that never get dark, wood fires in winter, chocolate, the view from the study window looking out over the Moray Firth and the Black Isle to the mountains beyond. And chocolate. She dislikes driving on motorways, cooking, shopping, hospitals. ‘The Fire Mages’ is her second published work. ‘The Plains of Kallanash’ was published in September 2014.

Links

Book Excerpts
“Kyra, I’ve found a spell to prevent pregnancy, and if you were to write it out…”
“Deyria, I’m not allowed to! Even if I had the proper paper and ink, it’s absolutely forbidden. I’d be thrown out of the scribery. Besides, I’ve never written a true spellpage.”
“Oh, it doesn’t need to be real,” she said airily, “but everyone knows that writing out the spell and then burning it in a crucible - well, it isn’t guaranteed to work, like the real thing, but it increases the chances.”
“Even a true spellpage isn’t guaranteed to work,” I said acidly. “This is just superstition, Deyria. Without the proper paper, ink and quill, it can’t possibly have any effect. There’s no magic in the words themselves, the power is all in the paper and ink. It’s a waste of time.”
“But it would make me feel better about all this,” she said softly.
It was quite illogical, but many people believed such things and paid a little to have someone write out a spell when they couldn’t afford the silver for a true spellpage. It would do no harm, I reasoned, and perhaps it would bring her some comfort, even if it couldn’t possibly prevent her getting pregnant. It was clear that she was as good as committed to the Kellon already - she even called him by his given name.
So, despite my misgivings, I wrote out the spell on Mother’s regular paper, and watched the letters jump and shimmer as they settled onto the page. Then I gave it to Deyria, and her face lit up with pleasure. She hugged me and thanked me over and over.
“We’ll go to Ginzia’s house tonight. She won’t mind us using her crucible.”
“Not me, no. I’m a scribe, Deyria, I don’t like to watch ordinary pages burned in the crucible. It seems wrong somehow. The crucible is only for true spellpages.”
So she went alone and came back smiling. But that night, I dreamt of flames and ash.

Review: 

Interesting mythology.  I loved how the story unfolded and you saw things from the view of the girl.  And I want to live in this land and be a Fire Mage.  I can't wait to read other works by this author.  I highly recommend this book for any fantasy lover.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.


Saturday, January 17, 2015

Book Review of Valentine’s Day is Murder

Book Review of Valentine’s Day is Murder
Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours




Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.

About the Book

Title: Valentine’s Day is Murder
Author: Carolyn Arnold
Genre: Cozy Mystery
 
Jimmy finally takes a vacation--and a chance on love--only to be abducted. His female companion originally thinks he had cold feet about their relationship, but Sean and Sara know there’s more to it. Jimmy isn’t the type to just up and disappear, let alone leave a lady stranded.

Setting out on their private jet, Sean and Sara reach the tropical paradise of Ocho Rios, Jamaica with sightseeing as the last thing on their minds.

With a gold coin being their initial tie to Jimmy’s kidnapper, Sean and Sara even speculate about the involvement of pirates. Yet as the hours pass, and there’s no word from Jimmy’s captors, Sean and Sara will need to figure out the real motive before it’s too late.

With help from their friend, Adam, back in Albany, the pieces come together and not a moment too soon.

Strap in for an adventure that will take you to the beautiful island of Jamaica and have you wanting a piña colada.


Amazon – http://ow.ly/G4Yl6
Amazon UK – http://ow.ly/G4Ynv
Barnes & Noble – http://ow.ly/G4Ype
iTunes – http://ow.ly/G4Yqv

Author Bio

CAROLYN ARNOLD is the bestselling author of the Madison Knight series, the Brandon Fisher series, and the McKinley Mysteries. Her love for writing dates back to her teen years, but her passion was reignited in 2006 when a fellow employee said "tell me a story." Since then Carolyn has never looked back.

Her writing has since been compared to New York Times Bestsellers such as JD Robb, Mary Higgins Clark, Sue Grafton, Michael Connelly, Tess Gerritsen, and more.

Carolyn was born in 1976 in a rural town of Ontario, Canada, and she currently lives with her husband and two beagles in a city near Toronto.

For more information on the author visit https://carolynarnold.net/


Excerpt:


Time Flies

Sean sipped his orange juice as he peered out a window that overlooked the backyard. The morning was overcast and would be downright gloomy if it wasn’t for the white blanket of snow clinging to the bushes and the trees. He had an odd realization—how depressing it would be if the snow were black, red, pink, or, essentially, any other color.

He was in the sitting room, with the dark wood trim and piano, both of which Sara had fallen in love with at first sight. She was holed up in her office, a room of the house she had claimed for her writing. He was glad to see that she was back to her craft and taking it more seriously than ever.

This left him with one concern. Valentine’s Day. It was a few days away and he wanted to make it memorable for Sara. But it was tough to devise a plan that would surprise the imagination of a novelist. He had given her jewels and a top-of-the-line desktop computer with a large monitor for Christmas.

And if the pressure of a memorable Valentine’s Day wasn’t enough, the end of this month marked one year since the day he’d proposed—and Sara’s birthday. Tagged onto that, the start of March was their wedding anniversary. Time had flown.

The last two months had been particularly busy as they set out organizing their private investigator firm. Obtaining their PI licenses had proven easy, given the advantage of their past experience. They renewed their licenses and registered a couple semi-automatic handguns. They were ready to go. The only things left were deciding on a name and setting up shop.

Sara came into the room. “Good morning, darling.”

“How’s the book coming along?”

“Oh, it comes.” She went over to him and kissed his forehead, but he tugged her down into his lap, swept his fingers through her hair, and took her mouth.

She put her hand on his chest, and pulled back. “Someone’s in a great mood this morning.”

“You have no idea. I was just thinking about how far we’ve come and how fast time goes.”

Sara let out a puff of breath. “I agree. Can you believe it’s almost been a year since we got married? It’s unbelievable to me.”

“It feels longer?”

She batted his chest and angled her head. “You want me to feed your ego? It’s been the best twelve months of my life, Sean.”

She pressed her lips to his, and he didn’t want the display of affection to end, but the shrill ring of the phone on the side table was enough to disrupt them.

“Let Helen get the phone. Now, where were—” He put his hand to the nape of her neck and drew her to him.

“Sara? Oh, I’m terribly sorry.” Helen, their housekeeper, stood in the doorway, her hand beneath her chin, and her eyes screwed up toward the ceiling. Her face was flushed when she looked back at them. “It’s for you, Sara.”

“Thank you.” She reached for the handset while remaining on Sean’s lap. “Hello, this is Sara McKinley.”

Sean played with her hair, twirling the long chestnut strands around his fingers.

“What do you mean gone?” Her eyes cut to him before she got up, paced a few steps, and stopped. “You have no idea where he is?”

Sean sat straighter and aligned eye contact with her.

“He just disappeared at dinner? And you haven’t seen him since? We’ll be there as fast as we can. Stay put, all right? Everything will be fine.” Sara lowered the receiver to its cradle. She appeared peaked.

Sean took her hand. “What is it?”

“Jimmy. He’s missing.”

“Missing?”

“Yes. Meredith said she’d excused herself to go to the washroom and when she came back he was gone. They hadn’t even finished their meal.”

“He never came back to the resort?”

Sara shook her head. “What could have happened to him, Sean? I can’t see him leaving her there. Did someone take Jimmy?”

“I don’t know, darling, but we’re going to find out and get him back.”

Review: 

This is a short story but packed with adventure.  After reading it I am interested in reading more about this PI duo.  This story is just the right length for a quick read.

I give this story 4.5 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.





Thursday, January 15, 2015

Book Review of The Schwarzschild Radius

Book Review of The Schwarzschild Radius
Sponsored by Enchanted Book Tours




Welcome to Books, Books, and More Books.  I am pleased to share this book with you.  Thank you for visiting and please come again.
 
Book blurb and cover

Title: The Schwarzschild Radius

Author: Gustavo Florentin

Genre: Thriller / Suspense

Rachel, an 18-year-old Columbia University student descends into the netherworld of runaways and predators to find her sister, Olivia, who has suddenly disappeared. After getting a job in a strip joint where Olivia worked, then doing private shows in the homes of rich clients, Rachel discovers that Olivia has been abducted by a killer who auctions the deaths of young girls in an eBay of agony. As she closes in on the killer who has taken Olivia, Rachel becomes his next target.
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Author Bio
Gustavo Florentin was born in Queens, New York and received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the Polytechnic University of New York. He spent a decade in the defense industry working on the F-14 fighter jet and classified electronics projects. After the fall of the Soviet Union, many thought America wouldn't need weapons anymore, so while others waited for the peace dividend, he moved on to the financial sector in New York where he is currently a network engineer. His passions include violin, travel to exotic places and exploring worldwide conspiracies. He lives in New Jersey where he is working on his third novel.  His thriller, In the Talons of the Condor, won the following awards:

WUACADEMIA--Prix d'Or Best Novel
The Verb First Chapter Contest--First Prize
Mount Arrowsmith Best Novel 4th place
The Writing Show--Second Prize best first chapter of a novel.
Second Prize--16th Annual International Latino Book Awards
Links
Review: 

This can be difficult to read as it details some of the most heinous things people can do to others.  But it is also a story of hope and the triumph of human perseverance and love.  While I sometimes wanted to put my hands over my eyes, I couldn’t stop reading.

I give this 4 out of 5 clouds.


This product or book may have been distributed for review; this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.