Greetings from Gehenna

Greetings from Gehenna by Etzel Edelweiss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A thoroughly enjoyable and engaging fantasy...

This wonderful piece of dark fantasy that is “Greetings from Gehenna,” by Etzel Edelweiss, encourages its readers to think in ways that go beyond the confines of what is considered to be standard literature. Edelweiss has written a novel that will capture readers by inducing contemplation, using prose of the highest caliber, and immersing them in the world of the story. This was a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging fantasy. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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Thinking Like a Fox: The Complete Guide to a Life of Adventure and Practical Wisdom

Thinking Like a Fox: The Complete Guide to a Life of Adventure and Practical Wisdom by Zvi Lanir
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Life-changing, thought-provoking, and intelligent!

Zvi Lanir, Ph.D., is the founding president of the Praxis Institute. For more than three decades, the Praxis Institute has specialized in a variety of aspects of coping with disruptive change in personal, social, economic, and strategic domains. He is the author of several books on the subject. He has been conducting multidisciplinary research for the past 15 years with the goal of illuminating the knowledge gaps that exist between the conventional understanding of aging and the new possibilities for living differently in our later years. Dr. Lanir attended and graduated from the Command and Staff College of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He received his doctorate in philosophy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and has taught as a visiting scholar at Columbia University in New York.

To clarify how we control our thoughts and actions, the author of "Thinking Like a Fox" compares and contrasts the Hedgehog and the Fox. He uses examples from his research, engrossing tales, and profound yet beneficial philosophies to illustrate the value of being a fox in this age of disruption and constant change. He does this by expressing complex ideas in simple, direct language. The book also describes adventure as having the courage to take chances in life without worrying about being rejected or failing. This book contains a lot of thought-provoking material, but it is written in a friendly and engaging style.

Anyone seeking an uplifting, inspiring, and life-altering experience would do well to read this book. The insights you receive from this book are both uniquely yours and potentially transformative. Very highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

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The Peculiar Adventure in a Mysterious House

The Peculiar Adventure in a Mysterious House by Lea Ben Shlomo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An enchanting adventure about sisterly love...

In Lea Ben Shlomo’s “The Peculiar Adventure in a Mysterious House” we discover that in order to explore the mysterious abandoned house, Sharon and her younger sister Ella have to sneak up the hill. The lines between what is possible and what is impossible begin to blur the further they venture into the house. Strange rooms, a cuckoo clock that can talk, giant toys, and a handsome prince who invites Sharon to his dreamland kingdom await them inside. The rooms are magnificent and invite play, but each one conceals a trap. Will the allure of witchcraft be too great for even their sisterly love to overcome?

The book has a magical quality that permeates the entire work and endows it with an irresistible charm. The narratives that the author develops for her stories walk a fine line between fact and fiction insomuch that what was previously inconceivable is now tangible, potent, and within reach. She creates fantastical dreamscapes for her characters, filled with exciting adventures, by examining the ways in which the natural and human worlds influence each other and establishing interactions between the two. I’ve no doubt the younger reader will enjoy reading “The Peculiar Adventure in a Mysterious House.”

Translated from Hebrew by Noël Canin with wonderful illustrations by IIja Bereznickas this book comes highly recommended and gets a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

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Desperate Action (The Traveler Series Book 1)

Desperate Action by Frank Decaire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-crafted action-packed sci-fi adventure...

Frank DeCaire’s “Desperate Action” is book 1 in the sci-fi Traveler Series. It's a well-written, richly detailed story with superbly drawn settings and characters. The author skilfully constructs an action-packed sci-fi adventure that immediately had me engaged from the opening chapter.

In summarizing the synopsis, we discover that Commander John Winters has fought the war since the aliens arrived 22 years ago. Earth has been devastated by extra-terrestrial spacecraft entering through a gateway near the asteroid belt. Steel Castle class destroyers have kept them at bay for years, but resources are waning. Fighting-age males are scarce. High-tech computer chips are scarce. The navy has only a few ships left, and only two can destroy the alien spheres at their entry site. The Falling Star is the last ship left after the enemy destroys the Ruby Demon at the portal. ‘Commander Winters is recalled and given orders that only a crew with a death wish would perform.’ Worse, he must follow his orders without telling his crew. Desperate move. If they fail, no ships can stop the alien spheres from striking Earth. If successful, they can cut off the portal-generating alien station and stop the spheres from getting through…

“Desperate Action” ticks all the boxes for making a great action-packed sci-fi adventure series. Great writing makes the experience worthwhile and sets it apart by offering depth and substance. I'm a huge admirer of science fiction, so this was a fantastic read for me. This would be a terrific find for sci-fi aficionados searching for a fascinating, three-dimensional, and stimulating read. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me.

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The Graduate Level of Business Ownership: The Secrets to Business Success and Personal Happiness

The Graduate Level of Business Ownership: The Secrets to Business Success and Personal Happiness by Terence Shepherd
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lessons in business success and personal growth...

Drawing from their years of experience, authors Shefer and Shepherd offer practical advice and steps that are necessary for owners of businesses to take in order to achieve ‘The Graduate Level of Business Ownership.’ The book is written in a way that inspires business owners to take a different perspective on strategizing and planning. Anyone looking to have an inspiring, and individually empowering experience should read this book, in my opinion. The pearls of wisdom you take away from reading this book could potentially change the way you do business and live your life. Highly recommended.


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The Second Sun

The Second Sun by Mike VanHoose
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An exceptionally well-written dark fantasy...

In Mike VanHoose’s “The Second Sun” we discover nineteen-year-old Laxis Dymon who appears to be isolated from the rest of the world, leading a solitary existence. She also possesses amazing supernatural abilities, the extent, and source of which are unknown. She merely wants to get paid her commission and be on her way after being tasked with capturing an ancient and nasty witch. Along the journey, she is confronted with the thought that an innocent woman would be killed. Her only alibi is a strange half-starved ten-year-old girl, the identity of whom will unlock the keys to everything Laxis has been searching for her entire life…

“The Second Sun” is a superb narrative in how it gives the main character an opportunity to confront herself and realize she is both imperfect but trying. The pathos created is expected but captures the tone of the book well. Highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy and it gets a well-deserved five stars from me.

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One More Sunset

One More Sunset: A Novel by Idan Sheffer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A nostalgic and touching tale of first love...

There is no shortage of literature that explores the treacherous process of growing up, but few recent efforts encapsulate the layered fears that accompany the coming-of-age experience with as much depth as Idan Sheffer’s “One More Sunset.” One of its strengths is how it both highlights and irreverently squashes all of our conversational timidity and awkwardness when it comes to weighty subjects. We get conversations rich with back-and-forths and uncomfortable honesty.

In summarizing the synopsis, we discover Billy Armstrong, where the only things that he has going for him are punk music, gang violence, and a reputation for terrorizing the streets of downtown New York. After he was caught vandalizing the chemistry lab at his school, he was given 50 hours of community service at the nearby hospital. There, he makes the pleasant and upbeat acquaintance of Jenny, who has been a long-term patient in the cancer ward of the hospital. Despite the fact that Billy and Jenny come from entirely different backgrounds, he can't help but be drawn to Jenny because of her positive and considerate manner. During in-depth, extended chats about art, music, and life, Billy begins to see the world through Jenny's eyes and get a completely new perspective. And, as Billy's two worlds start colliding with one another, he will need to decide which one he wants to live in…

This is a story that has a lot to say about the importance of genuine friendship, anti-Semitism, and religion, and it does not shy away from confronting a challenging issue in its own unique way. This work is an honest coming-of-age story that avoids the facile reflexes that are characteristic of the genre, as well as the sanctimony and staginess of overdone addiction melodramas.

"One More Sunset" is moving without being overly dramatic, and overflows with natural charm; as a result, it possesses a special allure that will undoubtedly endure. Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

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