Collateral Damage (Iris Reid Mystery #4)

Collateral Damage by Susan Cory
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A cleverly written mystery...

The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in Collateral Damage by Susan Cory. The author weaves a first-class murder mystery with intriguing twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a compelling and fast-paced whodunit in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a mystery that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last. Highly recommended.


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Clement: Boy Knight of Normandy

Clement: Boy Knight of Normandy by Craig R. Hipkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A well-crafted medieval adventure...

Clement: Boy Knight of Normandy by Craig Hipkins is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted teen and young adult medieval fiction that will captivate the reader’s attention from the start. Skillfully constructed, this medieval adventure 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 great read and comes highly recommended. A well-deserved five stars from me.

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And Both Shall Row

And Both Shall Row by P. David Hornik
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A beautifully written story...

And Both Shall Row by David Hornik is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this touching and beautifully written romance of ‘life, love, time, change, and the irresistible power of an unforgettable, formative experience in the past.’ It’s a book will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘Kenny and Colleen meet on a mountain lake as teenagers. They awaken intense energies in each other—both positive and negative—until the mix explodes, leaving both of them in a sorry state. But they find that what’s between them—whatever it is—stays with them as the years progress, and that the memory of those days at the lake doesn’t fade but keeps making demands on their understanding. This is a story, spanning 25 years and two continents, of life, love, time, change, and the irresistible power of an unforgettable, formative experience in the past.’

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 romantic drama with perfect pacing.

This was a fascinating and 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. There are plenty of attention-grabbing moments in this page-turner that will take the reader on a mesmerizing journey.

Highly recommended and a well-deserved five stars from me. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

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Hiding the Truth: A Marriage of Convenience – Part 3

Hiding the Truth: A Marriage of Convenience – Part 3 by Jemima Brigges
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another great addition to this wonderful series...

Hiding the Truth: A Marriage of Convenience – Part 3 (Linmore Series Book 7) by Jemima Brigges is a wonderfully written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are expertly woven in this historical family saga that will guarantee the attention of the reader. Skillfully constructed and set against the backdrop of Shropshire during the Post-Napoleonic Regency era (1817-1818), this book will have you turning the pages from beginning to end. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction.

Definitely worth reading the other books in the series first, but the author writes in such a way that any of the books could be a standalone. This was a fascinating and 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. There are plenty of emotional and compelling moments in this page-turner that will take the reader on a truly mesmerizing journey. Highly recommended.

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The Intelligence Factor

The Intelligence Factor by Mike Logsdon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Intelligence Factor by Mike Logsdon is a well-written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The author weaves a well-crafted and fast-paced action thriller set after the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

The story flowed from scene to scene with ease, and the author shows exceptional ability when it comes to storytelling. There were plenty of intriguing and compelling 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 a first-class action thriller with perfect pacing.

With conflict that’s genuinely gray and protagonists taking questionable actions with a black-and-white conflict dressed up to be gray, the protagonists can be questionably right, and the storyteller just presents the story as though it has a nuanced conflict with moral dilemmas.

If you are looking for something different in the dystopian genre, this would be an interesting read. Highly recommended and a well-deserved fives stars for the authors sheer flight of the imagination!

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Hero Dogs: True Stories of Amazing Animal Heroes

Hero Dogs: True Stories of Amazing Animal Heroes by Eric Z
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great read for kids...

There's a reason why the dog has been declared man's best friend. Loyal and strong, the dog has been there to protect, serve and rescue man for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations such as the Romans, the Huns, and even the European royals used dogs during battle as guardians and fighters, but they were also friends and companions to their owners. We should never forget the sacrifices that these dogs made for us in the name of freedom, as they fought alongside soldiers as well.

Hero Dogs: True Stories of Amazing Animal Heroes by Eric Z invites us to meet the hero war dogs who helped shape history itself. ‘From the most recent Conan the Delta-Forces Combat Dog, all the way back to the civil war with Sallie Ann Jarrett an American Bull Terrier. From Navy SEALs to Marine Raiders, dogs play an extraordinary role in combat.’

Author Eric Z motivates his young readers by instilling a sense of leadership, self-esteem and self-respect. He delivers again with his new book, and the adventure continues about Hero Dogs: True Stories of Amazing Animal Heroes. With crystal clear images and meticulous research, this is an excellent book for the younger reader, but it can also be enjoyed by people of any age. It’s jam-packed with interesting information.

As usual, the author offers more than just the standard Kindle edition as this is an interactive book that comes with links to amazing videos and even a quiz. The book is also filled with stunning photographs. It’s a fun study that will motivate your kids and help them to read also. This is well worth taking a look at. Highly recommended.

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Hockey Wars 6: Middle School

Hockey Wars 6: Middle School by Sam Lawrence
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Dakota Hurricanes and Lightning are back!

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.

Hockey Wars 6: Middle School is Book 6 of 6 in the Hockey Wars series. Authors Sam Lawrence and Ben Jackson deliver again with this early reader chapter book that both boys and girls will enjoy.

The book description gives a sneak preview: ‘The Dakota Hurricanes and Lightning are back, and together they’re all getting ready for the big drama club production as well as their first year of middle school! …Starting middle school is never easy, but when you have such a great bunch of friends, it can take the pressure out of the first day of school. The girls and boys of the Hurricanes and Lightning not only have to compete against seniors for ice time, but they’ll also need to audition for the big drama club production…There are many changes ahead and some new friends, but with the help and support of their best friends, these kids should be up for the challenge! Oh, and don’t forget plenty of on the ice action.’

If you want to find out what happens, you’ll just have to turn the pages for yourself! I’ve been following these authors for some time now and their work just gets better and better. My grandkids love it, and so do I!

Authors Sam Lawrence and Ben Jackson write in a wonderful, simple 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 to share with them. Special mention also to Danko Herrera for the wonderful illustrations.

It seems to me that this book was created with a lot of love and joy and it’s clear that the authors really enjoy 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! I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

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