I Will Find You by John M. Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A powerful and gripping story...

I WILL Find You by John M. Taylor is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted historical fiction based on true events that will captivate the reader’s attention from the start. Skillfully constructed, this well researched story will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. There’s plenty of imagery in the writing style that makes you feel you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘…a tale of mystery and intrigue which starts in wartime Fenland near Ely and then moves halfway across the globe to Australia. John Taylor's story is colorful, poignant and moving as it charts the journey of young Robbie Spalding and his path from a Dr. Barnardos Home in Cambridge to a new life on the other side of the world. Robbie becomes Nick Thorne and this account of his arrival into adulthood is more than a little tragic and filled with unexpected twists and turns…’

This was a captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of intriguing moments that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much.

There’s no doubt that I WILL Find You by John M. Taylor is an exceptionally well written book. However, it must be said that this story is not for the faint-hearted. The author’s script at times is razor-sharp and will cut deep into the emotions of its reader. The book does deal with some very serious issues, including illegal child migration and abuse.

This for me was a phenomenal read. It was one of those books that stayed with me for several days after I finished reading. The vivid descriptions of the settings, situations, and the people were stunning and realistic. The author’s use of genuine dialogue further added to the overall atmosphere of authenticity.

It’s one of those stories that come along occasionally that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.

I’ll be looking forward to reading more from John M. Taylor in the future. I would highly recommend this book and would add that it has a distinctly cinematic feel to it.

A well-deserved five stars from me.


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Tantamount by CR Hruska
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A wonderfully written story by a very talented author...

Tantamount by CR Hruska is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn settings and characters. The author weaves a well-crafted Historical Fantasy that will captivate the reader’s attention from the start. Skillfully constructed, this medieval fantasy will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. There’s plenty of imagery in the writing style that makes you feel you are right there in the story, and that’s something I really look for in a good book.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Tantamount is a historical fantasy set in Britain during the sixth century. The story follows one man’s journey through the struggles and effects of violence…

Tolan Fising is a farmer living a peaceful life with his wife, son, and daughter. He has spent his life trying to avoid violence, which took his father’s life when Tolan was a young boy. Tolan has done everything he can to protect his land and farm, while keeping his family safe. This all changes when a conflict between kings forces him to make a decision that will alter his family’s future.’

Now, if that’s not enough to get your curiosity juices flowing, I don’t know what will. But if you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! However, I will say it was well worth the read. It’s my first time reading this author and I was very impressed.

This was a captivating read that had me engrossed from the beginning. The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of intriguing moments that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much.

It’s one of those stories that come along occasionally that makes you want to read it non-stop until you get to the end. I’m giving nothing further away here. And this, I hope, will only add to the mystery and enjoyment for the reader.

I’m a big fan of historical fiction, so this for me was a phenomenal read. It’s one of those books that stayed with me for several days after I finished reading. The vivid descriptions of the settings, situations, and the people were stunning and realistic. The author’s use of genuine dialogue further added to the overall atmosphere of authenticity.

I’ll be looking forward to reading more from CR Hruska in the future. I would recommend this book and would add that it has a distinctly cinematic feel to it. Highly recommended reading and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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My Journey around Mont Blanc by Dan Karmi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Numerical age is meaningless after reading this book!

Books are not just words, paper, and nice-looking covers. They are powerful representations of ideas and philosophies that are just waiting to be heard. Some books are revolutionary, some are reserved; while some are just waiting for the right reader to absorb their words and connect on a more personal level. Books offer expertise, perspective, encouragement and inspiration; they can change your life if you let them! So, pull up a chair, pick up MY JOURNEY AROUND MONT BLANC, and allow yourself to live through the eyes of its author, Dan Karmi.

This is a candid story about the author’s unexpected adventures, as well as his observations into the complexities of human nature and his unexpected discovery of the splendor and significance of our natural world. What should have been a simple, down-to-earth guide about one man’s trip to Mont Blanc, turns into a personal journal testing his endurance and overcoming his fears.

There’s a lot that could be said about a man approaching his 70th birthday who takes up the challenge of hiking Mont Blanc in the Alps…but there’s just far more to be learned by reading his book instead! A wonderfully unexpected read accompanied by beautiful photographs of the Alps. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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The Mission Series: Books 1-3 Boxset collection by Charlie Wolfe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Highly recommended...

Author Charlie Wolfe presents the action-packed The Mission series. This is a fast-paced collection that’s full of conspiracies and thriller actions featuring the Mossad special agent David Avivi. It will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author creates characters that are drawn with great credibility and conviction. These are fast-paced novels that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last. Having read this collection, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. Fans of Terrorism, Political and Techno thrillers will love this series. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.


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The Last Resort by Emily Gallo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Home is where you make it...

Despite people’s attempts to make things black and white, there rarely are such moments. There are grays, nuances and intricacies. Those make up the proverbial spice of life. It’s often said that it’s important to “appreciate the little things.” In a fast-paced world with many things to do and simply not enough time to do them, it becomes all too easy to forget about the little things. The Last Resort illustrates ‘the forgotten ones, those barely scraping by in a society obsessed with wealth and celebrity. But these same people, relegated to the margins, not only survive, they thrive, thanks to their compassion and generosity of spirit.’

The Last Resort had every element a good story should have. A solid plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book. From the opening chapter, setting the tone for the entire work, to the end at which you ponder your own sense of direction, The Last Resort flows like a sparkling river. It’s a great read that’s filled with dramatic and well-described moments that will stay with you for a long time.

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class fictional drama with perfect pacing.

I’ll be looking forward to reading more from Emily Gallo in the future. A great read and a novel that suggests great things for this author’s future as a writer. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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THERE WAS A SILENCE The Novelettes of T E Mark

THERE WAS A SILENCE - The Novelettes of T. E. Mark - Vol IV by T.E. Mark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fans of Sci-Fi will love this!

Forty-some years ago my uncle gave me a science fiction anthology. It was a thick red hardback that I read from cover to cover. It inspired a lifelong love of the genre. The stories in that book made me think outside the box. They filled me with awe for the imagination it took to write them. That book still remains in my collection today. The title is OMNIBUS OF SCIENCE FICTION, edited by Groff Conklin, a well-known and prolific editor of the genre. It was published in 1952, the Golden Age of Science Fiction. It's a substantial volume, 562 pages, with 43 stories divided into sections relating to a common theme. Some stories are fun, some are thought-provoking, and some are adventurous. I love them all.

Author T. E. Mark weaves another first-class collection of sci-fi stories with intriguing twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader from the first page to the last. The author paints a series of engaging and thought-provoking stories from a chilling Orwellian tale to alternate futures in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and integrity.

THERE WAS A SILENCE: The Novelettes of T. E. Mark - Vol IV will grab readers and hurl them far beyond the boundaries of our limited world. Step into other times and places with this collection of 4 short stories: THE 3rd DEGREE OF CONSCIOUSNESS, THERE WAS A SILENCE, BORDERS and PLAIN AND SIMPLE.

The book synopsis gives a sneak preview: ‘A University of Chicago Neuroscientist, plagued since childhood with visions of a post-apocalyptic Earth, explores the 3rd degree of consciousness to confirm her belief that our world ended in a nuclear holocaust nearly 100 years earlier. THE 3rd DEGREE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Peyton Webb is unknowingly creating alternate futures with his newest novel. And the survivors of one of those futures are desperately trying to conquer time travel in an effort to send someone back to 2019 to stop him from finishing it. THERE WAS A SILENCE

Capitoline-E is the world’s largest, most illustrious city-state. For those in the restricted sectors, it’s a vast open-air prison and an Orwellian nightmare. When Jin Cress’ family is targeted by the ruling elite, he must choose between his comfortable existence and a battle for the right to control his own mind. BORDERS

In this sensitive, often amusing tale of a failed screenwriter faced with execution over a drug debt, we are invited into Michael Lemont’s world of dreams, inadequacies and his struggle to remain a 17-year-old party guy. Along the way to understanding the supernatural forces which intervened in his murder, Michael will uncover the difference between what is fun and what is important. PLAIN AND SIMPLE.’

I enjoyed the stories, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of a particular story in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a well written short story collection with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of the Sci-Fi genre will want it.

This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me immersed from the beginning. The stories flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing journey.

There is something very magical about reading fantasy fiction. It speaks to the very thread of my imagination, jolting it to life and transporting it on an exhilarating journey. This book did exactly that. Fans of the Sci-Fi genre will not be disappointed. I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

Finally, it’s well worth checking out the other books in this series: THE FAR SIGHTED and DREAMS INC. Great writing and great storytelling. Fans of Sci-Fi will love these also!

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