Exiles of Eden: The Demonic Dodecahedron by Kyle Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Judgement day has arrived, and the citizens of Del Saunt did not know it would arrive quite like this. Citizens from all walks of life will face the reckoning, no matter how much riches you have, nor how much scheming you have underway to advance your positions. Lives will clash, from the rich and powerful to the impoverished, the religious to the unbelievers. Will hope be extinguished once and for all? Is humanities path set in stone, or is there time to thwart the doom?
Grand and sweeping descriptions build this world to epic levels, and bring the characters to life in such a way you could smell the filth in the gutter and feel the rain splashing on your head as you walk the streets with them. On the flipside, the grand descriptions slow the story progression down immensely, to where the plot feels bogged down in spots. I liked the story, but I think that maybe some of the writing could have been edited for conciseness.


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The Seven Epaulettes of Leadership by Shawn Abrams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In order to be an effective leader, you have to understand the people you are leading. To this end, you must have some form of relationship with the, at least enough to understand what drives them. This book will help you understand the dynamics between leadership and relationships and helps define what a leader should be. Your organization will benefit from you using the principles of Applied Leadership contained in this book. When you begin putting the Statement Challenges into play and when you utilize the teachings from Mr. Abrams, you will see how your employee engagement will improve and you will be able to recognize the warning signs of impending failure.
This book will be essential for those stepping into roles of leaders, or those recently promoted into a leadership role. Lots of constructive criticism and mental pep-talks are contained and the writing style is easy enough to follow. For a seasoned leader, this book might feel too young and basic, although reminding oneself of the fundamentals is not a bad thing from time to time.


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The Secret Diaries of Juan Luis Vives: A Novel by Tim Darcy Ellis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Juan Vives is a renowned academic who in 1522 fled to the Netherlands after the Spanish inquisition sets their sights on him. Fleeing yet again, nowhere seems safe until Juan is offered a role of tutor for the daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Pulled into separate court intrigues headed up by both the king and the queen, Juan must also navigate religious divides as well. Juan will need all his negotiation and logic skills in order to survive all the plotting and keep himself and his family safe.
Even though the book is base don the life of the real Juan Luis Vives, much of the story is fiction, however, it is enjoyable fiction and I really enjoyed reading the story. It was easy to get caught up in the court intrigues and sometimes I was left wondering who was an agent for whom? Great depictions and worldbuilding.


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Redeye Fulda Cold by Bill Fortin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

West Germany, 1969. The Redeye weapon system is finally functionable and is deployed to the 3rd Armored Division of the US Army. Rick Fontain is freshly drafted out of high school and assigned to the 3rd Division. He has a high aptitude score, high enough to catch the eye of the CIA who in turn draft him into their maneuvers. Along with the rest of the 3rd Division, Rick must execute the CIA missions in order to thwart a USSR-led Russian invasion to the rest of Europe.
While enjoyable, I feel compelled to point out this was less of a thriller and more of a military battle story for me. As a former USAF member, there are also plenty of funny moments that would never happen in real life. The author plainly took many liberties with how the chain of command works, the rank structure and more. This is not a negative mark per se, its just something to keep in mind, that it is not a factual novel. This is clearly fictional.


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Crimson Hunter by N.D. Jones
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In a futuristic world, where Witches and Werewolves are drawn towards each other, but their respective powers make them extremely dangerous to each other; a romance is set in motion, that will test the societal norms, and a young couple will push against everything to keep their love alive.
I did not see it as a retelling of red riding hood, The only thing I could see of that story is the red suit of the crimson hunter and the wolves. nothing else. While the characters draw you in, and its easy to get invested in the story, I felt the ending was too short, i wanted more (good problem for a book). I also was a little put off by the choice of jumping around in the 3 year span the book covers. I had to constantly jump back and forth to check dates to see where in the story that chapter was.
I received a free copy from booksirens and decided to leave my honest review.

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Without: Body, Name, Country by Meg Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Author Meg Johnson takes deep and meaningful prose to a new level in Without: Body, name, Country. Full of poems and starkly honest short essays, this book will certainly make you reflect upon your own childhood, and your own preconceived notions about life. Broken down into two main areas, the poems range form short to longer pieces and range in topics from “This New Normal”, to” growing up too fast”. She even touches upon her life with Guillain-Barre syndrome and how it affects so much of what she does in the most unexpected ways.
While not normally one for poetry, the short stories the author included in this book expand upon it all and make me feel connected to the authors story in that I can see so much of my younger self in her words. I think the thoughtfulness this book will provoke within a reader will make it a favorite book as a go-to to reflect upon life.


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7 Principles of Becoming a Leader: The definitive guide for starting and building your management career by Riku Vuorenmaa
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is for those leaders who want to be the best. Being the best does not mean you step all over others around you. A leader should be able to move with his/her peers, raising those up around him/her and develop those who need help. Leading by example is a great principle to live by, but it can’t be your only one, especially not in this world.
I like that the author spent some time debunking myths that are out there regarding leaders, and what it takes to be one. The actions that are given throughout the book, reinforce certain principles, and the real-world examples, some from the authors real world experience, help bring the book together. I think that the well-written and easy to understand layout will serve the reader well and the junior leaders and managers out there will be able to gain much value from this book.


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Single, Again, and Again, and Again ...: What Do You Do When Life Doesn't Go to Plan? by Louisa Pateman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When relationship after relationship fails, are you only hitting duds? May something be wrong with you or are you looking for love in all the wrong places? Are well meaning relatives constantly nagging you on when you will get married as if you are not good enough by yourself? Well the author has been there, and, in this book, she will help you realize through her own personal journey and reflections, that your life plans don’t have to follow societal or family norms. You can find true happiness and fulfillment outside of traditional gender norms. A marriage and kids do not come with an automatic seal of happiness.
This is not a self-help book, rather this is a self-empowerment book. IT has some realistic ideas and views on society today as a whole and how it shapes us and our wants, even without our explicit knowledge. IT was well written, and I found the advice to be thoughtful, without judgement and sound.


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Gain Big And Give Back by Patrick Rush
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Author Patrick Rush writes a book about personal finances that borrows from his own experiences in the financial field. “Gain big and Give back” covers many items that may seem common sense to most, identifying your financial needs, making a plan, executing your plan and even allowing for unforeseen consequences along the way. Mr. Rush even covers such topics as how healthcare later in life can impact your financial plan as well as how to talk to y our family about money (it isn’t so straight forward for many people). One topic I really liked that was touched on was the charitable giving in retirement. I’ve never heard of Donor Advised Funds and how they can help maximize your giving. I found this a very well written book, some information is well known, other information was a pleasant surprise, so still well worth the read.

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Amora by Grant J. Hallstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The wife of a wealthy patrician is condemned to die in the arena along with her slave. She committed no crime other being a devoted mother, a Christian, and falling into the easy trap of focusing on the negative in her marriage. Her husband, a powerful senator has long indulged his wife, even going against the societal norms and once their daughter was raped and killed, their relationship never recovered. When Leo finds out that his wife Amora is involved with a group of Christians, he does not save her when they are swept up in the emperor’s crackdown on all Christians.
I found the book to be an enjoyable one. Leos descent into despair, and his later salvation was very well written and the sorrowful twists within the story do have a greater purpose as is found out later in the book. I liked the writing, and the storytelling, was interesting. I liked Amora and could identify with her greatly.


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The Survival of the Richest: An Analysis of the Relationship between the Sciences of Biology, Economics, Finance, and Survivalism by Anthony M. Criniti IV
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After having read the first book by this author, I felt compelled to read this one, Survival of the Richest. The book talks about the interconnectivity between the sciences of both Finances and Economics. The author draws comparisons between biology and the survival of the fittest and the natural selections of wealth along with the roles of humans in our own survival. He also draws on the point that in order for us as a species to survive, we should begin to make better choices that will redistribute the wealth around the world.
Honestly, I felt that much of the book went over my head. I felt that some points I either missed or didn’t quite understand when they were brought back up later in the book. I wanted to like this book more, however, maybe it was simply too technical for me, or the presentation was too dry. Certainly not a book for the layman to read.


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Where the Wind Blows by Pamela Hall-Hamilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ben Walters inherits a boat load of money and relishes in his newfound wealth, which he has never had before. Others around him don’t want this poor man bringing down their prestige, so he is fingered as the fall man for a corrupt syndicate. Ben eventually reinvents himself as George Morley and begins the journey to unearth whomever set him up and ruined his life. Using his wits and building connections for the future, George comes across a young girl being molested and he saves her from the unwanted attentions. His actions have long-term consequences and their paths cross much later in life again. Bridget now has a family of her own, but her employer has ties to George that even she is not aware of and George is now even closer to finding out the identity of his accuser.
This book is extremely well written, especially so for a new author. The writing style is engrossing and even though the story flow is slow at times, the plot is still interesting enough that you never become bored with the story. Very well done.


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Paradise Rising: A Teen Superhero Fantasy by P.G. Shriver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In San Antonio Texas, 13-year-old Cheater is perplexed when she finds out she is wanted for murder. She is an orphan and her only friend, if you can call it that is a little dog that follows her around. She is plagued by weird dreams and a uncontrollable power that seems to do what it wants, whether it is to help or hurt people. One day, she crosses paths with 15-year-old Jaz who himself is usually on the wrong side of the law. Cheater ends up saving a life and Jaz feels compelled to join her in her search for the answers behind her power.
This is the first in a trilogy about these two teenagers and their unusual powers that threaten to overwhelm them if they cannot get them under control. I found the story to be entertaining and even though the main protagonists were both teenagers, they were handling “real world” problems and such it made it more interesting for me to read. I think the story is well worth the read, and I certainly am open to reading the next book in the series.


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Eleven Furlongs by Tyler Mathis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The 1951 Anglo-American Turf Handicap was the most expensive Horse race ever run at the Monmouth Park. It will also be the most fixed game in the history of racing as well. Peter happens to be a jockey in this race, and he is striving to get his career back on the right track. His horse, Beaumaris, will not be allowed to win. He, along with others are being paid to los so that the mob boss can cash in huge. However, the Mob are not the only ones with their hands in the pot and trying to fix the race. This causes for some twisted plot lines that are surprising, yet sometimes a bit hard to follow.
You don’t have to be a fan of horse racing to enjoy this book, there is plenty of crime and mystery as a strong undercurrent in this books and the author uses the whole mystery of whose race fixing will turn out to be the winner, to spin this story and make you wonder if it was based on a true story. Good storyline and plot, I liked it.


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The Scent of Distant Worlds by W.D. County
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

For Bio-Scientist Cassie Clearwater, a dream came true when she was tasked with joining the team that headed out to explore planet Obsidian. Plenty of favorable factors made this planet seem capable of sustaining life, and the exploratory away team needed to either prove or disprove that hypothesis. Faced with a fascinating new planet, Cassie discovers a unusual species of plant that seems to be the only living thing on the planet. A trove of Diamonds is discovered directly underneath the thickest concentration of plants and so a new mission begins.
I really liked the imagination in this book. The author really gave us a what if scenario where the humans meet a sentient life form, albeit one that does not communicate as we do. How do we proceed? Do we disregard their sentience? These questions and more are posed and then answered and I really enjoyed the story surrounding them.


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The Last Rose of Summer by Mary Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mary Austin is a Pre-Med student researching new drugs that could be revolutionary for cancer patient treatment. Over the time it takes for her research to go to publication, her work is sabotaged, she is shunned from negotiation talks and she is harassed in multiple ways in efforts to get her discredited and disbarred. Mary is not a quitter though, and she gets a second chance to continue her work at Whitehead College under the patronage of Dr. Taylor who sees the worth of her work for his own secret medical diagnosis. When Mary’s work is again sabotaged, she must make the difficult choice of whether she wants to continue her work or leave the practice of medicine forever.
This was such a heartwarming story. Mary has such tenacity and even in the face of numerous attacks and vicious confrontations, she holds true to her principals and her work. With the full forces of the Big Pharma industry, it is hard to stand tall and keep going. This is inspired by a true story, which you will have no qualms believing that it is true.


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Igniting Sales EQ: Driving Sales Confidence During Uncertainty by Lance Tyson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book tackles the changes in marketing and sales that have been enacted since Covid 19 came into play and changed the world as we knew it. You cannot escape it, and the ways that it has impacted businesses will be felt for years to come. As you adapt your businesses to this new way of operating, the ways we market and sell our products to our consumers needs to change as well. This is where this book comes in. The author, a well-respected teacher and business Leader, has seen these changes and constructed this guide that will help you navigate this new world of doing business.
An expertly written book, that thoughtfully examines all the recent changes in our lives, and how some things never change. As humans, we still allow emotions to affect our sales decisions, even when we say it has not, Covid has not changed that. I liked how the author compared pre and post Covid practices and has shown how you can still build a successful sales team even in this difficult environment.


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Grave New World by Demitria Lunetta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Paige Harper is just trying to make a living, upholding the cleaning company she and her Dad built. Rebranding it to cater to the supernatural after they came out was a stroke of genius, but Paige doesn't like the Supernaturals, no matter how sexy her neighbor or her ex-husband is.
I loved this book and am only slightly disappointed that the others in the series aren't out yet. Snarly commentary and sassy writing leave you laughing at Paige's comebacks to all the Alpha males in her life. Plopping a murder mystery into the whole shenanigans was a stroke of genius.
I received a book from BookSirens and decided to leave and honest review

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The Leader Launchpad: Five Steps to Fuel Your Business and Lift Your Profits by Howard M. Shore
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Growth Expert Howard Shore gives us the Leader Launchpad, a five-step guide to help leaders become more in tune with their professional goals and destiny. This will help you jumpstart your business profits and growth. In this book, the five-step guide will help you identify mindsets, increase employee engagement, develop better strategies, help align your teams to impact your result and build a culture of accountability. I really liked the identification of the three top reasons your “bucket” is leaky. Broken into 22 chapters, the information given is nuanced and certainly not for the entry level leader.
This book will be most beneficial to Leaders who have been in the business for a few years and know the meaning of certain key words and lingo. References are provided; however, I think that a solid groundwork will serve you best before you dive into this book. Other than that, I think it is sensible and poses interesting ideas for Leaders.


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Own Your Future: One Woman’s Story of Immigration and Financial Freedom by Echo Huang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Most people get intimidated when they hear the term “wealth management”. However, the author of this book wants to show you that it is something for everyone, not just those who are rich. Striking the best balance between simple and complicated information, Mrs. Huang structured the book to cover multiple areas: how to simplify your financial planning and create your investment portfolio. How to determine different strategies and whether you can combine them to better suit your needs. One section that many books do not cover, is how to manage your portfolio, if you are an Immigrant and have a different structure, or view on how money should be managed.
I liked that the author reached back on her experiences, both personal and professional to showcase the information. She had an easy to read writing style, and I really liked that part about immigrants as I am one myself and some of the American ways of managing money make no sense to me. This is an interesting book with a wide target audience.


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The List Writer's Lust Episode 1 by Violette Salinger
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

In this book, Gwen is in a loving relationship with Gavin. When he proposes, Gwen quickly freaks out as she is only able to think of all the sex she will miss out on in a monogamous marriage (even though, she has wonderful sex with Gavin). Exasperated by her, Gavin tells her that they are taking a 8 month break. If at the end of that period, they still want to be together, they will go ahead with a wedding. But he doesn't guarantee it.
I was hoping for a relatable book. Gwen seemed too selfish for me to like. Sure, there were plenty of jokes, although some were very cheap ones. I also didn't like the best friends name Clitina (a supposed version of Christina). It seemed, this choice was only made so Gwen could repeatedly make fun of her nickname Clit.
I received a copy from Booksirens, and decided to leave a honest review.

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Veilfall by Adron Smitley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Master Banzu Greenlief is a Swordslinger and the last Soothsayer. We are thrown into a familiar scene: Banzu is facing his Elder Jericho in training. A great opening as it cements the idea of Banzu the Master Swordslinger. He is whisked into a dangerous world by the beautiful stranger Melora and sets himself up along the forces fighting against evil forces hell bent on beginning a thousand year war. On top of this fight, Banzu has to struggle to contain his own secret powers, the bloodlust can bring him unimaginable powers, but no one is safe if he loses himself to it.
Very long sentences and poor punctuation plagued the book. Also, some editing for more conciseness would go a long way. However, the Author did a fantastic job on the world and character building and I thoroughly enjoyed the story once I looked past the issues. A diamond in the rough, to be sure.


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Random Tangents: Embracing Adventures in Life by Greg Hawk
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Greg Hawk’s Business ventures have been as varied as the countries he has operated in. From Vietnam to Australia and more, Greg seeks out new endeavors to keep him interested and entertained, only to be bored fairly quickly (mainly once it is up and running and profitable). During his life he has carried many titles, soldier, husband, divorcee, partner, CEO, and even treasure hunter. All in his quest of seeking the next thrill. Even against his detractors, Greg will follow the advice from an old Romanian Lady in New Zealand. This book is a memoir, dressed in adventure and freedom. This story will exalt the triumph of spirit and define the meaning of a life well lived.
I liked the story; it was very interesting to see how the Author chose to live his life. I do not think we all have such opportunities, but it is nice to see the “what ifs” played out through someone else’s shoes.


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