27 Apple Trees

27 Apple Trees: A Memoir by Jason Callan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very inspirational story...

27 Apple Trees details the life of Jason Callan. From his upbringing in an alcoholic/poverty-stricken family to his extraordinary achievements in adult hood. It’s a powerful and inspirational story about a man’s triumph over poverty and adversary. It was a brilliant read that will leave you feeling like a better person for having read it.

The book description gives only a sneak preview: ‘27 Apple Trees is the story of a boy raised by a single mom who comes of age in suburban-Detroit in the 1970s and '80s before joining the military, traveling the world and then separating to go to college in the 1990s, before ultimately landing a job at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California in 2002.’

People write memoirs to fixate, analyze, share, or rethink past events. This book refers to important and significant moments in the authors life. I would highly recommend this very open, honest and frank autobiography. A well-deserved five stars from me.

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Dare to Live Greatly: The Courage to Live a Powerful Christian Life

Dare to Live Greatly: The Courage to Live a Powerful Christian Life by Larry C Fowler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A powerful story that will inspire and encourage many readers...

Profound thoughts are explained here in the simplest of terms. That’s all I can say about this book. It is difficult to write a more objective review because the impact the author will have on you will make you see life and its problems in a wise and practical way. The book should NOT be read – it should be absorbed and reflected upon.

The overall tone was simply imparting knowledge, personal experience and wisdom in a gentle and generous way from a Christian perspective. His words will help to better equip you to interpret and handle life in a whole new way, which in turn will bring peace, love and joy into your life. If you are looking for inspiration and encouragement in the face of serious issues, this would come highly recommended from me.

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UFOs: The Ultimate Abduction by Raymond E. Fowler

UFOs: The Ultimate Abduction by Raymond E. Fowler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Ultimate Abduction…

The existence of extra-terrestrial life is a subject of real scientific enquiry. Telescopes scan the cosmos for evidence, and radio listening devices search the galaxy for interstellar communications. Well known probability equations like the Drake Equation suggest the existence of extra-terrestrial life is possible and may be even probable.

UFOs: The Ultimate Abduction by Raymond E. Fowler addresses an issue within Ufology, as to whether UFOS are physical or psychic in nature. Ufology is the pseudo-scientific study of reports, visual records, physical evidence, and other phenomena related to unidentified flying objects. UFOs have been subject to various investigations over the years by governments, independent groups, and scientists. However, ufology, as a field, is rejected by modern academia and is considered a pseudoscience.

Having said that, the book is well-written and researched. The case studies makes for interesting reading and will appeal to those who have an interest in UFO Abductions, Out-of-the-body experiences, Near Death Experiences etc.

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The Necessity of Finance by Dr. Anthony M. Criniti IV

The Necessity of Finance: An Overview of the Science of Management of Wealth for an Individual, a Group, or an Organization by Anthony M. Criniti IV
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Offering a broad overview of wealth management...

The Necessity of Finance by Dr. Anthony M. Criniti IV is about managing your personal finances and wealth situation, thus every one of us needs to be aware of it and be able to manage it well to prevent unnecessary outflow or leakages. In our lifetime, the many actions or decisions that we take are bound to have an impact on our wealth. Our income sources, the properties or vehicles we purchase, the education expenses we spend for our children are just a very few examples.

Wealth management can be referred to as an advanced discipline relating to advice in terms of investment which incorporates specialist monetary services and financial planning. The main objectives are providing families dealing with services in retail banking, legal resources, investment management, and taxation advice goals to sustain and grow long-term wealth. Monetary planning can help individuals who are accumulating wealth or have already done so.

If you are looking to gain a better understanding of finance and wealth-management, this book would come highly recommended.

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Memory is Our Home: Loss and Remembering: Three Generations in Poland and Russia 1917-1960s

Memory is Our Home: Loss and Remembering: Three Generations in Poland and Russia 1917-1960s by Suzanna Eibuszyc
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A powerful historical memoir...

Memory is Our Home by Suzanna Eibuszyc is a stunning literary achievement. It’s a book that re-creates an overlooked part of history of the thousands of Polish Jews who survived the Holocaust by escaping to the Soviet Union. The book's epic sweep and grasp of detail are exemplary, while some scenes could make even a stone weep. The book reconstructs that horrific period of time in human history not as something abstract, but as felt knowledge thanks to the author’s mother, Roma Talesiewicz Eibuszyc.

To paraphrase the author, she bases her book on her mother Roma Talasiewicz-Eibuszyc’s diary, her writings about Warsaw, Poland during the years following World War I and the six long years of World War II, and how she was able to survive in Soviet Russia and Uzbekistan. Interwoven with her journals are stories she told to her throughout her life, as well as her own recollections as her family made a new life in the shadows of the Holocaust in Communist Poland after the war and into the late 1960s. By retelling this story, she sheds light on how the Holocaust trauma is transmitted to the next generation, the price her family paid when they said good-bye to the old world, and the challenges they faced in America.

This was a fascinating and captivating read that had me engaged from the beginning. The author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling and there are plenty of emotional highs and lows in this page turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing and emotional journey. The author weaves a well-crafted and all-encompassing human dramatization that serves as a memorial to all those who suffered, died and survived during this tragic period of human history.

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

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CITADEL OF MIRRORS

Citadel of Mirrors : A Supernatural Science Fiction Thriller by Stephen Perkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-crafted techno-suspense thriller...

CITADEL OF MIRRORS by bestselling author Stephen Perkins is a superbly written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this supernatural science fiction thriller that will guarantee the attention of the reader from beginning to end.

The book description gives only a sneak but tantalizing preview: ‘Sophia Goldwater will become America's first woman president. There's only one problem: Sophia isn't exactly human... But neither is the man maneuvering to get her into the White House. Jamal Hamilton - a brilliant young inventor - triumphs in bringing the dead back to life. And a powerful cabal of men will do anything to acquire the technology… Can a maker destroy his beloved creation to save America and the world from an abominable conspiracy?.’

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 well-written techno-suspense thriller with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of sci-fi will want it.

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

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The Az'kari War by Tom Craydon

The Az'kari War by Tom Craydon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An epic tale of dark fantasy...

The Az'kari War by Tom Craydon is a well-written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author spins an intriguing and compelling fantasy that will easily captivate the reader from the first page to the last. For me it was one of those ‘special’ books. You know one of those books that you read and really begin to care about the characters and what happens to them during the course of the story.

I liked 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 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 dark fantasy with perfect pacing.

If you are looking for a well-written and exceptional fantasy book with amazing characters and a gripping plot then The Az'kari War will not leave you disappointed. It’s a dark fantasy that maintains a taut, compelling hold from start to finish. Recommended to all fans of dark fantasy and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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