On the Backs of Waves by Chiara Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A gripping crime thriller filled with nail-biting suspense...

ON THE BACKS OF WAVES by Chiara Kelly is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves an exceptional crime thriller filled with nail-biting suspense. Intriguing twists and turns ensures that this book will captivate the reader from the first page to the last. From beginning to end, the author holds the reader’s interest. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction.

The story 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.

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 crime thriller with perfect pacing.

The contrast between tone and content is a characteristic talent of only a few authors. Kelly pays as much attention to her sentences as she does to her plots, shifting or consolidating meaning with the use of a single word. Her writing is impeccably honed, full of juxtapositions and qualifications that help to create an uneasy atmosphere that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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Did You Know?: love-light by Lisa White
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Creating positivity and mindfulness in children...

More often than not children relate themselves with the characters of a good story. In such circumstances, reading fiction can help them to get inspiration from the characters. These stories often portray real life implications through anecdotes, and as such makes it easier for them to understand the complex aspects of life. Moreover, reading these stories at regular intervals can actually help them to develop a positive outlook towards life, which eventually proves beneficial for good character development. This, however, is not a typical character driven children’s book. Instead, it reads more like a gentle how-to guide for children that exudes peace and calm.

Did You Know?: love-light by Lisa White will help to create strong, independent, happy children while developing essential life skills. This is a clever rhyming picture book that introduces young children to mindfulness and meditation. There are exercises and at the end of the book to further reinforce the message. It’s a delightful and charming book for the younger reader. I read it with my grand-kids, and they loved not only the message portrayed, but also the amazing illustrations by Stephanie Rosas. I thought the text and illustrations worked very well together.

Author Lisa White writes in a wonderfully simple, rhyming, and imaginative style that will guarantee the attention of young minds. If you ever wanted to bond even more with your children or grandchildren, this would be a lovely story (and gentle exercise) to share with them.

It seems to me that this book was created with a lot of love and joy and it’s clear that the author really enjoys creating such wonderful stories. Thank you for sharing with us the gift that you have obviously worked so hard to refine. We’ll be looking forward to seeing what’s coming next. A well-deserved five stars from us!

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Embers: Of A Shrinking Life by Robert Belenky
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A delightful, thought-provoking, and candid memoir...

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 Embers: Of A Shrinking Life, and allow yourself to live through the eyes of its author, Robert Belenky.

A memoir is usually written when the writer feels he or she has grown wiser through the experiences and ordeals of life. Honesty, of course, is a key factor for writing a successful memoir. Embers: Of A Shrinking Life is a candid and honest look into the authors life as he shares a wealth of experiences with the highs and lows and the funny moments in between. A literary genre that entails writing about previous events in your life, such as certain life lessons, fascinating stories, miraculous recoveries or rescues, or any other intriguing personal experiences, this book will have a wide appeal.

People write memoirs to fixate, analyze, share, or rethink past events. This book shares important and significant moments in the authors life. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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EMPIRE PALADIN: Realm of the Dead by M.S. Valdez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-crafted dark historical fantasy...

EMPIRE PALADIN: Realm of the Dead by M. S. Valdez 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 from the start. Skillfully constructed, this dark 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 look for in a good book.

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.

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. Highly recommended reading and looking forward to the rest of this series.

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Bonsai: A Comprehensive Guide to Growing, Pruning, Wiring and Caring for Your Bonsai Trees by Daiki Sato
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Master the art of growing bonsai...

Leading to beautiful and healthy bonsai trees, this book is a comprehensive guide to growing, pruning, wiring, and caring for your bonsai trees. It covers the basic care requirements to help look after and maintain healthy bonsai trees. How and when to water your bonsai. How and when to feed your bonsai. Where to locate your bonsai and much more. The book is professionally written with beautiful illustrations. Highly recommended for the beginner.


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Diary of a Roblox Noob: Ultimate Box Set by Robloxia Kid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun and engaging stories...

More often than not children relate themselves with the characters of a good story. In such circumstances, reading fiction can help them to get inspiration from the characters. These stories often portray real life implications through anecdotes, and as such makes it easier for them to understand the complex aspects of life. Moreover, reading these stories at regular intervals can actually help them to develop a positive outlook towards life, which eventually proves beneficial for good character development.

This ‘box set’ is a single book with a collection of stories included. This would make a great book for kids who are fans of gaming, especially Roblox and Minecraft. It’s a fun and engaging book, and an excellent way of introducing an easy read for the younger reader. I would highly recommend this fun and engaging book. A well-deserved five stars from me.

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Onward: The Art of Leadership by Mark Joseph Huckabee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book has the power to produce a profound shift in your life...

I really enjoyed reading this book. Onward: The Art of Leadership, is a very well written Leadership and Life Improvement book. This book is intelligent, wise and packed to the rafters with practical common-sense advice. It becomes obvious as you read through this page turner that the author is imparting his wisdom and understanding as to what happiness, success and leadership really means. It’s an excellent guide for putting things into perspective.

No matter what your situation is today, this book will put you on the right path to better things. I’ve been around the block a few times myself and even I found this read to be very insightful. This by far is one of the best Leadership and Self-Improvement books I’ve read in a long time. The author must be commended for his time and effort for producing such an insightful book. Also, the writing style is friendly which makes for an enjoyable read.

Onward: The Art of Leadership is a wonderful read that will leave you feeling like a better person for having read it. It’s an impressive work by author Mark Joseph Huckabee and I’ll certainly be looking forward to reading more from him in the future. I would highly recommend this perceptive and intuitive read. A well-deserved five stars from me.

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