Gold Fever: Dark Savior Series by Jim Clougherty
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Mines of Mt Couture are cursed, haunted and widely dangerous to any who do not heed the warnings to stay away. The nearby town of Faiwell had heeded this warning closely for decades. However, hard times have befallen the town, and amidst the threat of a famine and scarcity of other precious ores in the other mines, two scouting parties are sent into the Mt Couture mines to search for any possible solutions to the towns problems. They area also tasked with determining whether the rumors are true. Beneath the earth, in the dark mineshafts, the scouting party becomes the hunted in a terrifying ordeal. The second scouting party seeks to rescue the remaining members of the first, but does a certain member of their group know more than he lets on? Just what lives in these mine shafts?
The story overall was good. I think that the rambling at times put me off a bit. I like a good horror story, but the pacing was off (a bit too slow for the story) as well. With some editing, this book can truly shine.


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Wayfinder: The Power of Serving Your Purpose by Emma Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Exploring her own painful past, Author Emma Bennett brings us along the journey of self-discovery, healing, and personal growth. Overcoming personal trauma, pain, loss, and abandonment is not easy. Many of us are stuck in various areas of grief and need a little extra nudge to move on. This is not a self-help book. It is meant to show you one woman’s journey, so that you might reflect on your own and see if some of it can be helpful to you. Exploring mystic teaching, magic, spirituality from both Western and Eastern teachings, the book is fulfilling enough to answer many questions and spark your own shadow journey.
I found the book to be interesting and insightful. Even though I did not think I was holding any pain myself (I bought the book as I was interested in the combination of Western and Eastern teachings), I was surprised to see that there was much within me that I had not yet let go of. Inspiring and deep book.


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Stolen Heir by Sophie Lark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really liked the story, The first chapter just drew me in here. I didn't like Nessa at first, but that was because she seemed so needy. Once Miko isolated her, she started showing some backbone, and I loved the antagonistic scenes between the two. Certainly a book to re-read...
I received a copy from BookSirens and decided to leave an honest review.

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Wraith ; Garbageman Book Three by Erik Dean
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A horror story that will have you leaving the light on at night. In Wraith: Garbageman Book 3, continues where the previous 2 books have left off. While able to read as a standalone, the first book will explain where David’s telekinetic powers come from. In this book, we follow David again as he returns home for a funeral and reconnects with his friends and family. However, the homecoming is somber for more than just the funeral, it seems he and his friends are being hunted. David meets Detective Stanton who is determined to figure out why so many people are suddenly being killed. Together, the two men, along with two other friends start to turn the table on the poltergeist and phantom that is terrorizing the town. Descending into hell to reintern Hellann, David comes face to face with some of his worst fears and must overcome them to survive.
A deliciously horrid story that is worthy of merit and scan be considered on par with the greats, King, Koontz and others. This book showcased the authors writing style, bring horror, paranormal and crime together in a compelling manner. Highly Recommend!


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Falling Too Deep by Shay Lee Giertz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After the death of her father, Brooke McFadden is devastated, grieving and despaired. She isolates herself from well-meaning friends and family who do not seem to understand the true depth of her grief. While out on a yacht, Brooke accidentally falls off the boat and into the deep ice-cold waters of Lake Michigan. When she awakes in her bed, and it’s the beginning of summer again. Navigating bad dreams and reliving the summer, Brooke must piece together memories and dreams to find out how she can escape this time loop.
A teenage rendition of the Groundhog day (although this is more than one day relived), this book explores what a teenager, stuck in grief would do if she had a second (or more) chance to re-do some of her decisions. I liked the story, and I loved the writing style, it was immersive and well thought out. A solid YA book to recommend to others.


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Out of Kilter by Sandy Hyatt-James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sometime in future Britain, in the chaos of survival, a young woman is tasked with guarding a deadly biological agent. After the governments are thrown into chaos, survival of the fittest becomes the new and terrifying mantra. Linden Tallis is a championship archer, but she had never thought she would have to rely on those skills for her own safety. Protecting the biological agent becomes a new priority and Linden meets Jack Ormond a former MI6 officer who helps her with her task. There are many parties interested in this new weapon, certain it will be the key to their dominance in this new broken world. A ruthless Colonel gains hold of the weapon amidst strife and mistrust between Linden and Jack. Will they be able to regain it and stop the Colonel?
The plot was promising, it is set in a chaotic world that is close to what our current reality is, which makes this closer to a reality thriller than SciFi, but I digress. I liked Linden and Jack; however, I prefer my characters to be “perfectly flawed”. Meaning, that there is not such a clear demarcation between good guy and bad guy as it’s never truly so simple in rea life. Other than that, it was an entertaining read.


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The Ashes by Kyle Prue
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Third in the Series, The Ashes follows young warrior Neil Vapros as he fulfills his duty to fight for what’s right. Currently imprisoned by the evil empire, Neil plots and plans his way to a daring escape. When he successfully pulls it off against all odds, some of his actions during the breakout will cause him to question his heritage and come back later to haunt him. His newly awakened powers prove hard to control, and Neil learns to wield them while on the run, a deadly combination. Where the first two books started slow, this one takes off pretty quickly and takes you on a fast-paced journey across the land with a warrior who seems to be doomed from the start. Will he be noble and selfless enough to make the ultimate sacrifice?
Great character development and growth along with amazing worldbuilding make this a series (and conclusion) that you will not want to miss!


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The Persuasive Marketer by Ioannis Antypas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Branding and Marketing are integral and essential to any business that wants to succeed in todays world. The Persuasive Marketer is a detailed guide to the world of marketing. Any manager should know the foundations upon which branding, and marketing are built. In this book you will get a breakdown of what constitutes traditional marketing, versus the more dynamic marketing and branding used today. Built upon decades of experience in an ever-changing environment, the Author gives you the knowledge to build a successful marketing campaign for both your product and your company that can be tailored to the different market segments (buyers) you want to target.
As I recently had a marketing class in college, much of the information herein was familiar to me. I did like the easy top understand format and the examples given by the author. I think that his advice is good and I will consider using it for my small business.


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In Memory of Man: Dawn of AI by Robert Kiesling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cody Berringer is a Criminal Defense Attorney who makes a living representing the most sinister criminals that come into the justice system. He has made a name for himself for his ruthless and intelligence defenses in the courtroom. He has fame, money, power, but under all that he is plagued by recurring nightmares and they culminate when one day, the figure from his nightmares walks right into his office. Dropping a dire warning about ancient dark alien forces intent on destroying mankind, the figure disappears again. Now on the run for his life, Cody is drawn into a dark web of evolution and governmental conspiracies while trying to find out the truth. He only wants his old life back, but will he be able to take it?
An interesting plot, mystery, thriller, and some crime all combined brought Cody and his mysterious nemesis to life. The long winded and multitude of run-on sentences ruined some of the story for me. I thought it was ok, but not a book I will reread.


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Eastbound from Flagstaff: A Novel by Annette Valentine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set in the 1920’s, when America looked vastly different than it does now, this book opens with a traditional family on a farm. They love each other, and love God. When tragedy hist the family, the oldest son Simon Hagan, starts to doubt God. He decides to leave the family farm when his father remarries and seeks his luck elsewhere. Throughout his life’s ups and downs, he never forgets that bitterness against God that was instilled in him as a young boy. Towards the end of his life, he finally has some eye-opening experiences, that cause him to rethink his relationship with God.
This is an interesting story of family, love, god, perseverance, and the courage to open your mind to something you had written off for decades. Even though its set in the 1920’s I think it was easy to identify with Simon, and the despair he felt at various times in his life. Certainly a book that will remind you of the importance of family.


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Incite Insight by Robert New
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Detective Brad Thomas is given a case of mysterious deaths right after he is promoted. What all the victims have in common: melted brains on otherwise unmarked bodies. A strange tattoo gives Brad and his partner Detective Sally Summers clues to a secret organization. Following the clues, a new program that guarantees to raise your intelligence if you complete it, catches the Detectives eyes and Brad attempts to complete the program in a bid to follow the clues. Brad learns of the secret organization, and their plans for the World Order, but see nothing wrong in it. Has he been undercover too long? Will Summers be able to snap him out of it, or will he help change the world?
A crime thriller with an interesting premise, the book takes us on a twisty ride down insidious computer programs, secret organizations, and murders everywhere. I found it was an okay read, I liked Sally more than I actually liked Brad, the main character. I also found some things a bit implausible, but nothing truly out of this world.


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He Owns My Heart by Evie Drae
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Landon Jenks is a retired shortstop, lost and searching for a connection. Any connection is fine for him at this point, but he was not reckoning with meeting Toby Carmichael. Toby is not used to feeling more than slight indifference at best and at worst revulsion for his clients, but Landon immediately strips all Toby’s barriers and he is helpless to the spark of desire in him. The two come from such opposite ends of society and are much to different. Will they ever truly be able to overcome their differences and be happy?
This was so much more than a simple M/M< romance. He owns my heart had some dark turns here, and the emotional whiplash some characters go through was brutal. However, all of this only served to bring the two main characters together and in such a way there was no room for doubt in the end. I truly enjoyed reading this book much more ha I thought I would.


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SandPeople: An Across Time Mystery by Cheryl Kerr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Gulf of Mexico along the Texas Coast is in a way its own little Universe. As I live in Texas, I supposed I am a little biased on the beauty you can find here. In this book, Lea, a 12-year-old-girl finds the beauty as well. Struggling to deal with her parent’s divorce, she is sent to her Aunt’s house in Texas, where her parents hope she can enjoy her summer and Lea hopes she can just forget for a few moments. Lea’s Aunt is a force to be reckoned with, she does not want Lea to mope and pushes her out of the house to enjoy the area. Lea does find new friends to spend time with, but along with that comes a mystery, a ghost, and an urban legend about “sandpeople”.
A great YA book, this will resonate to us children of divorce, and I felt connected to Lea in many ways. Great story telling, handling of the emotional turbulence the divorce brings and Lea’s growth as a character through the book.


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Crossroads Through Time: A Different Choice, An Altered Life by Sheryl M. Frazer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When Genevieve collapses at her own birthday party, she finds herself in an alternate reality. One where she seems to be reliving pivotal moments and choices throughout her life. Throughout these moments, she is able to feel and find out what would have happened had she chose differently than she actually did. Both good and bad outcomes assault Genevieve, leaving her reeling and struggling to understand why this is happening, and ultimately, how she can stop it and return to her normal life. But when she returns, will her life ever be the same?
How can one small action alter your life in monumental ways? If you choose to simply walk down the other side of the street one day, can that seemingly simple choice truly affect your life? These questions and more are explored in this novel in a unique and remarkable way. I found the story to be intriguing, the sci fi vibe was well done and the mystery kept the pages flying through my Kindle.


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Creating a Fulfilling Life Through Spiritual Growth: Featuring the author’s proprietary method for creating a fulfilling life: neuro∙ADAPT∙ive Programming by Lennox Cornwall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Some of the obstacles to creating a fulfilling life for ourselves, are the external influences that interfere with what you want and how you see yourself. These external influences can affect us as deep as our subconscious. By introducing his innovative neuro.ADAPT.ive Programming method, the author wants to help you identify what is preventing you from living your best life, how to change your way of thinking and prevent future deterrents. The twelve chapters in this book, break down precisely what neuro.ADAPT.ive Programming is, how it can help you, how best to implement it into your life, and then what you can achieve with your life once your eyes have been opened to the Laws of Polarity, you will not want to look back.
While some of what the author wrote about seemed a bit far-fetched, other things were quite reasonable. I found the book to still be a quite interesting theory on the laws of attraction, karma, and spiritual truths.


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Peak Performance!! : WELL-BEING – Living in a Beautiful State by Alan Sullivan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is number 6 in a series about health, well being and stress-free living. This particular book will help you identify your core purpose, your values, your strengths as well as your weakness and how to work with them to turn them into strengths. Learning how to feel good about yourself, how to make good decisions (not ones simply based on a reactionary way of thinking), as well as how to sleep better are only a few of the topics covered in this book. You could get this information in other books, but it is all here in one easy to understand book, waiting for you to discover it.
Having read previous books in the Peak Performance series, I was eager to read this one as well. The author, Alan Sullivan did not disappoint. His well-written advice and examples help bring out what he truly is saying in this book, the ability to live stress-free is there for everyone of us. We just need to reach out and grab it.


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Providence in the Fall of a Sparrow: A Journey of Poems by Robert Judge Woerheide
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Providence in the Fall of a Sparrow is one man’s journey through life. Specifically, 7 years of his life are showcased in a series of poems he penned through his ups and downs. His reflections on his life, and the world around him show a deep understanding of how people interact and perceive each other and how we deal (or do not) deal with our emotions. Main events in the authors life, such as his job as a teacher, his divorce, true love, life as a Stay at home Father, and even his time spent at University are important parts of his poems and we can see the true depth of the emotions he felt through those times.
Books with Poems are hard sometimes to talk about, as poems are so personal. Each person reads the poem and gets a slightly different meaning, or emotion out of it. However, I think that the poems in this book are very well done. The authors background as an English teacher shines through with perfect syntax and cadence, while still keeping a raw openness in his words.


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The Last Day of Paradise by Kiki Denis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sunday is a 15-year-old girl from Greece, and she lives a wonderful life. That is until she discovers that her Baba, her father is quite possibly not her real father. As she processes this world-shattering revelation, she begins to reminisce about her life, from her earliest memories to the present and reevaluates everything that she knows in a new light. Accompanied by a riot of characters such as Olga the feminist, Kyra the lesbian, Yiayia the wicked grandmother, Bo her best friend and more, Sunday takes a wild trip down memory lane and must face the questions of whether it truly matters that Baba might not be who she believe him to be, and whether she will allow this knowledge to cloud her life.
A clash of multigenerational cultures come together for this fun filled book about self-reflection, and a coming of age story. I liked it, it was quirky and relatable and Sunday, while a typical teenager, made some interesting discoveries through her journey.


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Songs of the Deliverer IV: Resurrection of Freedom by Elvo Bucci
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fourth book in a series, Songs of the Deliverer picks up where the third book left off. A battle is being fought for our freedom. The King over the American colonies decrees that anything to do with Christianity is outlawed and forbidden by law and that anyone caught promoting it will be imprisoned. The grade school children that become our main characters in this book start out the book with a grim discovery. From this pivotal moment their path is set, and the ensuing revolution sweeps them up. Full of Faith in Christ, the children and their eventual saviors make a bargain for their lives, putting theif beliefs and faith in Christ to the test.
This book is best read in order as many aspects will make more sense if the early books are read. Full of inspiration and a Christian message, this book will inspire you to keep up the good fight and to keep your faith in Christ the Savior. This is certainly a good book for those of the Christian faith, young and old alike.


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Kayla Koala and Her Mama by Ha-Le Thai
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Beautiful artwork accompanies flowing rhymes that are sure to delight your young child. Kayla Koala and her mother live in their trees until one day a fire threatens to destroy the forest and all the animals flee. Through an arduous journey from the outback to the streets of civilization, Kayla and her mother journey for shelter and safety. They are taken to a rescue shelter where they can finally heal until they are released into the wild once again.
While the subject matter might seem scary for younger children, it is handled with care and finesse, not making light of a serious problem in Australia (although forest fires are a problem all over the world). My kids liked the story, they liked to learn about the routines in a rescue shelter and what happens to the animals when there is a fire. The pictures helped keep the attention of my younger boys as well. Good book!


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The Bull Option by Sameer Garach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book starts us off in a courthouse and then quickly moves on to the main character, Khannada Khan, a homeless Indian man in his mid-thirties. Little did he know, his world was about to be upended when he rescued that Wall Street Hedgie. The down-on-his-luck former Investment banker is approached by Rob Prosperi who wants to repay him for saving his life. That offer comes with a catch though. He must pull of a grand con in a short time and his former girlfriend is working for the guy he needs to rip off.
An exciting Wall Street Thriller, this book is well written, builds a great set of characters whose relationships and interactions are not superficial. There is a depth here you might not think comes with a Wall Street book, but I think Khannada Khan will surprise you. Well Done!


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Moments: This to the Next - Poetry - Now and Eternity by Gary W. Burns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The prevailing theme of the many poems in this book is wellness, your well-being and harmony. They invite the reader to set aside your stress and accept the harmony within and without through meditation and contemplation of the poem’s meanings. Broken into four sections: A point called time, Moments to hours, Clocks and Faces, and Time- And you and me, we get a variety of beautifully written poems that range from a few sentences, to a few pages.
The briefness of the poems was what I liked best about this book. I find if I have something short to repeat and ruminate upon, I do better in my meditations, so these poems are a welcome addition to my meditation techniques. I think that most people can make use of this book, quiet reflection is good for the soul and the gentle tone of this book will certainly help with that.


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ONLY OUR DESTINY by A.G. Russo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A fictional village in southern Italy is the main setting for this book about family, courage, perseverance, love, and redemption. Throughout the tumultuous years after world war I, the world is hardly safe, filled with strife and illnesses that can ruin a family’s livelihood. Raffaela Coriello is the mother of ten children and struggles with providing a future for her family. Her husband is not much help and they go their separate ways. In America, Raffaela’s Uncle strives for his own slice of the American dream but World War II and Italy’s decision to support Hitler has major ramifications for Italians around the world. Prejudices and hatred make his life harder. The backdrop of this book, the time after World War I and then World War II, make this an interesting but hazardous time to be alive. Food lines, Guerilla Warfare, vicious citizens, and soldiers alike contribute to a vicious world.
I liked the story, Raffaela was a stoic and strong character. I liked that we saw her break down periodically, she is a mother of 10 and even with the support of her oldest children, it was still extremely hard. Her perseverance and grit is inspirational.


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