First in Christian Series Given Thumbs Up

Operation Dark Angel

By Pam Funke

Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00949V7KK 

Christian Fiction

ISBN-13: 978-1462662883

 

Reviewed by Melanie for her Melanies Random Thoughts blog

 

Book Description: The world is in complete and utter chaos. ""Operation Dark Angel"" is a military operation designed to bring about world peace...or is it? General Alexander Ludlow is the man in charge of bringing about peace and serenity for not only the United States, but the entire world. But will it really bring an end to the turmoil, violence, and hatred as he was told by the voice? Who is the voice? What is its true nature? Nicolaitanes Balac is quickly gaining political power; power that no single man should ever be given. Just who is Nicolaitanes Balac really? Why is the whole world looking to this man to solve all of their problems? How did one man become in charge of the entire world? What's to become of mankind?

*e-book courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review

Operation Dark Angel starts really strong : a voice prophesied the birth of a boy through immaculate conception. The boy, Nicolaitanes Balac, is now an adult in search of world domination. He will stop at nothing to get what he wants. "Operation Dark Angel" is creating havoc all around the world. Terrorism attacks are wiping out thousands of the world's population. Nicolaitanes sits back and waits for his chance to be seen as the saviour of mankind. He may be more evil than it seems. In the meantime, good can still be found in the world. People are reuniting trying to fight Operation Dark Angel. What will become of the world? How evil is Nicolaitanes Balac? Will Operation Dark Angel be stopped before it's too late? Well, you will have to pick up the book to find out the answer to these questions and a lot more.

Operation Dark Angel is the first book in the Four Horsemen Series. Pam Funke did an incredible job writing her debut novel. It is an exciting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat and dying to find out what will happen next. It can be terrifying at times to read about the evil going on throughout the world and how parts of the world are being destroyed in a blink of an eye.

A few things kept me from giving this book a rating of five stars. First, Operation Dark Angel has a lot of characters. It was hard for me to keep up with all of them. I found the switch from one character to another quite confusing at times but I have to say I really enjoyed how some characters crossed each other's path.

The Four Horsemen series is off to an amazing start. The series promises to be a thrilling read.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Review Blogger Jonathan Wlodarski Loves Funny Memoir

Let's Pretend This Never Happened

Author: Jenny Lawson

http://thebloggess.com/
Genre: Humor/memoir
ISBN 978-0399159015
Rated 5/5

Originally reviewed by Jonathan Wlodarski for his Jonathan Likes Books blog

"I am not particularly a fan of the humor book genre. I am frequently confused by them: are they essays? Are they memoirs? I have a difficult time understanding their purpose and function. I don't know whether to laugh or try to glean a life-lesson or some deep emotion from the book. There is, of course, the chance that the humor book won't be funny, in which case it has failed at its most basic goal (my experience with David Sedaris has left me wanting).

I read Bossypants earlier this year and, though I liked it, I found myself occasionally disappointed. The material wasn't too consistent and at times veered from the completely humorous to the overly sentimental. Jenny Lawson's memoir, fortunately, never once failed to make me laugh aloud (I measure consistency as at least one laugh per chapter/essay/whatever the heck the sections of a nonfiction humor book are called).

Let's Pretend This Never Happened is an exercise in sustaining a zany, breathless deluge of comedy, and it succeeds perfectly. Which is no small feat: Lawson commands humor even in the darkest of situations (namely, a chapter devoted to her pregnancy horrors and several instances where her overpowering social anxiety disorder causes a disaster). There are true moments of genuine emotion that the reader feels alongside the author, sadness and happiness and success and failure, feelings that never cover everything in a suffocating blanket of forced importance.

It is, of course, important that these moments of non-humor appear in the book; without some heavy anchors, the book will appear over-the-top; humorous, but not memorable. There is an almost impossible-to-achieve balance between humor and seriousness in writing a book like this, but Jenny Lawson tightrope walks it like she's been doing it her whole life (which, I suspect, she has).

 

I cannot recommend this book strongly enough. It is so funny in every way that I can imagine: sarcastically, genuinely, darkly, cutely, relatably hilarious.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Amazon Reviewer Recommends American Novel

Title: Beauty Rising

Author: Mark W. Sasse
Genre: Literary Fiction/General Fiction
Publisher: Kindle Direct Publishing
ASIN: B00AIOYC1G
Purchase at : http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Rising-ebook/dp/B00AIOYC1G/ref=cm_cr-mr-img
Author's Website: http://mwsasse.wordpress.com/

 

Review by Richie Morrison: (Amazon Reviewer)

I highly recommend Mark's book Beauty Rising. It is definitely a page-turner that I had a hard time putting down and wanted more when it ended. Mark does an excellent job of creating characters that are real and endearing. He led me through a range of emotions and had me laughing at times from my own memories of Vietnam and being the `fat' foreigner. Anyone who has been to Vietnam will have to chuckle as Mark vividly describes the mannerisms of the Vietnamese people. I especially enjoyed the taxi driver Tan. In the character Tan, Mark really captures the spirit of a majority of Vietnamese people, fun, loving, and always willing to help the `foreigner.'

In addition, Mark addresses many underlying, and darker, issues many Nam vets and their families faced after returning home. Through his novel, I believe people will come away with a deeper understanding of some of the emotional and generational issues that the Vietnam War has caused in America. He also sprinkles in some interesting history that has tied Vietnam and America together long before the Vietnam War began.

Finally, I believe that Mark has written an American novel that captures the flow and feel of a traditional Vietnamese poem or book. Anyone who has read the famous Vietnamese poem `The Tale of Kieu' cannot help but see its influence in Mark's book.

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. 

Consider Young Adult Novel by Denise Kim Wy

Title: Please Stay

Author: Denise Kim Wy
Genre: YA, Paranormal, Romance
Word Count: 54, 110
Learn more at Goodreads
Purchase at
http://www.amazon.com/Please-Stay-ebook/dp/B008W8D3LU

Summary

Kymberly Gray is happy with her life. She graduated from her dream school and landed a great job in New York. She’s coming home to Northridge to celebrate her dad’s birthday, when a chance encounter with Ethan Richards turns her life upside down.

Seven years have passed, and as far as Kym is concerned, Ethan is happily dating her best friend, Michelle West. They haven’t seen each other ever since the night Ethan asked her the question that haunted her dreams as she left Northridge. Now, as fate decides to bring them together, bringing back bitter sweet memories as they visit the places that witnessed their evolution from childhood friends to awkward teens dealing with love, peer pressure and entering the real world. As the day draws to an end, the question remains, has Ethan already moved on, or is he still waiting for Kym’s real answer to his question?

Please Stay is a young adult romance novel filled the awkwardness of young love, regret and a surprise twist in the end.

 

~Learn more about Denise Kim Wy at

www.denisewy.com. She blogs at denisewy.blogspot.com. Follow her on Twitter @denisewy

 

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Dave Menefee Gives Thumbs Up to Reference for Emigrants

Title: What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A to Z

Subtitle: How to understand crazy American culture, people, government, business, language, and more

Author: Lance Johnson

Available on Amazon and on Amazon sites worldwide

Available as an e-book.

Author's Web site:  http://AmericaAtoZ.com   

 

 

 

Reviewed by Dave Menefee, originally for Book Pleasures.com and Amazon

 

Every person living in America should be required to study this book.

The divides separating ages, cultures, religions, and races could largely be eliminated and a Utopian civilization could be finally achieved if we simply understood each other, but we’re not all working off the same page. Lance Johnson has produced the ultimate guide for bringing about a universal understanding between the millions of people living, working, and loving inside the United States.

Nothing could be worse than nudging a naïve neophyte into the magnificent melting pot known as America. This book could be their salvation, but beware of the misleading title. You might think that What Foreigners Need to Know About America from A to Z contains nothing but factoids for foreigners, but you need look no further than yourself and those within your intimate circle of friends to realize that our entire population today woefully lacks a perception of etiquette, knowledge of this country’s heritage, awareness of culture, know-how about business, and comprehension of language. We need alertness to TLC: Tradition, Legacy, and Custom. This monumental book holds the missing key to collective comprehension.

The 566-page book weighs as much as a big city telephone book, and you cannot absorb the whole in one reading (I tried), but thankfully, Johnson has divided the digest into four sections:

America’s Heritage: the dreams that immigrants brought from the four winds, and the government, geography, history, law, religions, and measurements that resulted.

America’s Culture: our customs and etiquette, education, relationships, literature, films, art, sports, food and dining, dress and appearance, media, holidays and traditions, and attitudes.

America’s Business: models, unions, banking, customs and conduct, owning a business, how to get a job, and paying taxes.

America’s Language: how to talk and write correcting, slang, and tonality.

Back matter contains appendices for:

•  Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
• Colleges with Largest Percentage of International Students
• Sample Income Tax Form 1040
• Pulitzer Prize-winning books
• Academy Awards for Best Picture
• The Famous 1897 New York Sun article “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Clause”
• A list of the current 50 United States
• A comprehensive 100-question Quiz on US Government

 You might wonder what the above topics have to do with understanding Americans, but these subjects fuse together the follies, foibles, and fundamentals that formed this country. The author profusely illustrates his text with more than 650 photos, maps, charts, and illustrations. His writing style embraces excellent grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling. Each of the four main sections is also available as a separate paperback edition. Those Volumes 1-4 allow a reader to hone in on areas they may feel that they most need to study, but the huge multi-volume edition can be found in both paperback and Kindle book editions. Study remains the keyword here, because the author outlays everything everyone needs to learn about living, working, socializing, and doing business in America. A comprehensive Index makes referring back to some detail a snap. Throughout the book, the author interjects "hints" that offer his personal pointers about how to further understand a given topic, not unlike having your best friend nudge you and whisper a tip that completely clarifies your understanding.

The book should be the last course all high school students must pass before graduating, compulsory for earning a college diploma, mandatory for every management trainee, and a required refresher for all senior citizens before beginning to collect Social Security. Our nation would be vastly improved if all adults were following the same guiding principles.

What Foreigners Need to Know About America from A to Z pulls together between two covers a richly researched, all-inclusive panorama of America’s heritage, culture, business, and language. If this country ever ceases to exist, I hope this book survives as a testament to the truth that there was once a land where life’s leading lights shown at their brightest on a candelabra forged from the iron of the ages. Until that dark day, Lance Johnson has provided us with a workbook for winning that has been struck from those same elements and should be on your gift list for friends setting up in America for the first time, any student emerging from the classroom into the jungle of life, and all the rest of us who have forgotten the beauty of the forest because of the tangle of trees.

Lance Johnson has an Ivy League graduate business degree and has studied at Oxford University in England. He has traveled through 81 countries, served as manager of an international consulting firm, and appeared in many movies, stage plays, and commercials.

~Reviewer David W. Menefee is the author of

Can't Help Falling in Love

Secret Soldier Master of Disguise
Sweet Memories

Sarah Bernhardt, Her Films, Her Recordings (Foreword by Kevin Brownlow)Wally: The True Wallace Reid Story (Foreword by Robert Osborne)

The Rise and Fall of Lou-Tellegen

Richard Barthelmess: A Life in Pictures

The First Female Stars: Women of the Silent Era

The First Male Stars: Men of the Silent Era

Brothers of the Storm

"Otay!" The Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas Story (with William Thomas, Jr.)

Charlie O’Doone’s Second Chance

Margot Cranston The Voice in the Shadows

Margot Cranston The Secret of St. Laurent Lighthouse

Margot Cranston The Mystery at Loon Lake

Margot Cranston The Quest for the Jade DragonsFalling Stars 10 Who Tried to be a Movie Star

George O'Brien: A Man's Man in Hollywood
A Craving for Travel II  (with Jim Strong)

How to Write, Format, and Market a Kindlebook on a Shoestring Budget

Menefee's newly released book, Master of Disguise, is about secret soldier Isador Messing who lives up to the title of the book. Terror strikes when Hitler's SS troops arrest Messing's fiancé on the day they plan to escape Nazi occupied Berlin. Alone and stoic in the face of utter malevolence, he launches a bold, daring, and desperate plan to liberate her. Can the remarkable Mr. Messing's one-man army triumph against all odds and win in a war-torn world gone mad?This book is also available on Kindle.

 

Editor's Note: The separate sections of What Foreigners Need to Know are  also available for those who want to focus on one aspect of this reference, like accent reduction and grammar or culture.  

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Sun News Reviewer Shares Thriller with New Book Review

Title: Justice Beyond Law
Author: Barry Kelly
Website: www.factsandfictions.com ; www.facebook.com/factsandfictions
Genre: Fiction
Review: Originally appeared in The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
ISBN: 978-0983307334

 

Reviewed by Joan Leotta

Reading Corner | ‘Justice Beyond Law’ a fast-paced thriller with good writing, plot, characters

Move over Batman: Jack Brandon, former cop and Marine and millionaire does not need a utility belt or a special car. With his superb martial arts skills and two ex-CIA female sidekicks, Kathy and Anita, he battles today’s super criminals – ex-KGB agents working with al-Qaida.

Having accepted the basic premise of the hero’s massive skill set and the tremendous abilities of his sidekicks, plus a plethora of great connections, amazing family background story and money, the book captivates readers with a well-structured plot, terse writing and fast-paced action. Author Barry Kelly’s scenic descriptions in this, his first novel, are right on the mark.

I was especially pleased to see his loving detail of Pittsburgh (my hometown) and Washington, D.C., (where I lived for 35 years) and the places along Route 30 that connect the two. More exotic locales such as Katmandu receive equally detailed treatment. Does the hero find romance? Yes, but without slowing the action. Kelly uses every scene to advance the action and plot.

The trail of dead bodies left as our heroes fight for justice without the structure of CIA rules stretches across several continents in the course of the action; the totals are worthy of an opera.


~Submitted by Caroline Evans, freelance editor, stareditors@gmail.com.



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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.

Mary Fan Reviews New Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel

Title: Temple of the Sixth
Author: +Ross Harrison
Author's Website: www.ross-harrison.com
Genre: Science Fantasy
ISBN/ASIN: 978-1481164078 / B00ANSWQTM
Publisher: Self-Published (Kindle, Smashwords, Createspace)
Reviewer's Rating: 5 Stars 

 Reviewed by Mary Fan originally for her blog, Amazon, and Goodreads

"Thardriik Jhunassi Kortlyn III, better known as Theak, is an ex-military pilot seeking his fortune as a private investigator, so when he receives an anonymous note basically saying, "meet me at this space station, and you'll make vast amounts of money," he immediately jumps onto ship and zooms over. What he finds when he reaches the station is a massacre. The next thing he knows, he's pulled into an ancient conflict between godlike beings, forced to fight for the side of good when all he really wants is to get paid--and live to tell the tale. Meanwhile, in another part of the galaxy, Omar and Palitz, two City Guard secretaries, find their planet overrun by undead former citizens, surrounded by omens of the apocalypse.

Temple of the Sixth takes its conflict to a grand, end-of-the-universe scale. The stakes could not be higher. If this mysterious, ancient evil is not stopped, everything will cease to be. But why are these godlike beings so bent on destruction? What can a mere batch of mortals--not all of them heroes--do to stop them? Therein lies the epic conflict that keeps the pages turning.

Although it's classified as "science fiction" due to the nature of its universe--spaceships, aliens, robots, laser guns, and the like--Temple of the Sixth reads more like fantasy, reminiscent of some of the more world-ending story lines featured in comic books such as X-Men. Psychic powers, out-of-dimension locations, higher levels of existence, possession--all is fair game. Bit by bit, Harrison reveals the mythology behind his universe.

There's something satisfying about opening a sequel and hearing familiar voices, reentering a familiar space. Harrison's dry sense of humor illuminates the text with his unique style of storytelling. He once again shows off his strengths as a writer of thrilling action scenes and creator of immersive worlds. In Temple of the Sixth, he expands upon the concepts he set up in the first book and illustrates his universe from a different angle. It is really more of a spin-off to Shadow of the Wraith than a sequel. Travis Archer, the main character from the first book, doesn't show up until more than halfway through the book and plays a supporting role to his buddy Theak. Other characters, such as Juni, have only brief cameos (for those of you who are wondering--yes, Arkuun-Marl makes an appearance). As such, it can be read as a stand-alone novel even if one hasn't had a chance to read the first book yet.

In Temple of the Sixth, Harrison tells his story from multiple angles in a rather cinematic fashion. While Theak is the thread that ties the novel together, he doesn't drive the action--he reacts to it. Flashes to Omar and Palitz's struggles, to the small man trying to recruit agents for the side of good, and to the perspective of the godlike Sixth herself give the reader a panoramic view of the universe and its conflict. But despite all the noise surrounding him, Theak nevertheless shines through as a memorable and likable character. Confident, cavalier, and a tad ridiculous at times, he's not exactly the noble hero type and doesn't even take himself too seriously. Nevertheless, he does what's right, even if he's somewhat annoyed that he has to.

For those who read and enjoyed Shadow of the Wraith, Temple of the Sixth, while very different, is a welcome return to Harrison's world of starships and ancient conflicts, robots and fantastical powers. Harrison's writing is tighter and more understated than in his debut novel, and yet it retains its snarky sparkle. For those who haven't--and why haven't you?--the book stands on its own as a fascinating take on the age-old battle between Good and Evil. Clever, thrilling, and entertaining on all levels, Temple of the Sixth is a page-turning journey through a universe in chaos."

But the book in
Kindle & Paperback abd
Other E-Formats
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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :