Review: The King of Bones and Ashes

The King of Bones and Ashes by J.D. Horn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fascinating first book in the Witches of New Orleans paranormal fiction series by author J.D. Horn that I read through Kindle on Amazon. The King of Bones and Ash is a stand-alone book, but since it delves deep into the history of the witches and their families, it would probably be good to start at the beginning of this series. The overall story of a witches family being torn apart with the youngest daughter Alice institutionalized by her father at a young age but is sent home to attend her Grandfather funeral. There she is thrust back into a world of magic, death and family secrets. I found some passages hard to follow the train of thought, and the tempo of the book did not flow as smoothly as it could. All in all, it had some strong characters, and I hope to read the next in this series.

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Review: Dark Lava

Dark Lava by Toby Neal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lei and Michael work for the Maui Police Department, recently married and thinking of starting a family has Lei wondering if her new assignment in the Bomb Squad is a good idea. When Michaels ex-wifes dies from a stab wound all suspicion lands on Michael. In a past case, both Michael and Lei have been under threat of a criminal who is hell-bent on their demise. Toby Neal author has continued with his series of Lei Crime with this being number seven and it is just as tantalizing as the first. If you love a good crime novel, then look no further.

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Review: Bury the Past

Bury the Past by James L'Etoile
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I stayed up till five in the morning so I could finish reading this thrilling novel by James L'Etoile from Crooked Lane publishing that I received by entering a Goodreads giveaway. With Sacramento Police Detective John Penley and his partner, Detective Paula Newberry are called to a murder scene that has evidence that trails back to when Newberry was once an IA (internal affairs) officer all leads arrive at a cop who has been in prison. How can the DA really release this prisoner and how is so much evidence pointing to Newberry as the culprit? Crooked cops, millions in drugs and money and witnesses being slowly eliminated one by one having Penley and Newberry racing the clock to apprehend the real murderers. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in a good plot with lifelike crime-fighting characters who find the villains at every turn.

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Review: Grace Lost

Grace Lost by M. Lauryl Lewis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

They are coming to get you! These new zombies do not seem to be following all of the zombie conceptions that Geroge Romero made famous in his Dawn of the Dead series of movies. "Grace Lost" is the first in author M. Lauryl Lewis Grace series featuring Zoe Kate and Adam Boggs who realize that both the undead and the living can kill you that first published in 2012 by Larson Falls Publishing. Meeting up with other survivors they head into the mountains, but how safe are they? Can these zombies think and how does Zoe tune into their gruesome, ugly thoughts of murderous desperation to eat your flesh so well? I would like to try the next one in this series and see where the story takes our lost lambs next. You can find this book on Amazon Kindle as I did.

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Review: Graveyard Shift

Graveyard Shift by Angela Roquet
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hot, Hot, Hot and erupting with funny gags in author Angela Roquet first story in the Lana Harvey; Reaper Inc. series that will have you chuckling along at the comic adventure's the main heroine whose boss is none other than the head Grim, the transporter of souls to their final resting place. When Lana and her friends are up for a new promotion, they find themselves in direct battle with demons and double-dealing deities that have other plans for the souls she is gathering. I found the many characters to be entertaining in many ways each with a new, unexpected twist to their personalities that make this a unique theme on deaths Inferno.

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Review: The Christmas Card Murders: A Gripping Christmas Crime Thriller

The Christmas Card Murders: A Gripping Christmas Crime Thriller by Anthony Litton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Egads, Christmas time is supposed to be one of wonder, joy, and excitement, not in this story that finds us on the trail of a deranged murderer. Could the death of a young woman who was brutally left on the side of the road to die while out delivering her late Christmas Cards in the rural countryside of Beldon Magma be the reason for all the present day deaths? With a cast of a production company gathering for the holidays, the British police have quite a few suspects to research. Author Anthony Little's book is the first one that I have read by him, but it won't be my last. I felt the story was both well structured, with engrossing characters and some quite gruesome methods of murder made this a win-win in my book.


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Review: Still Me

Still Me by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was pleased to say that I really liked reading this book. It is a little out of my normal genre but I read some good reviews about it and said: "what the hell, go for it". In this fictional novel by Jojo Moyes, we find Louisa Clark our main character moving from England and taking a job in NYC (New York City) to be the assistant to a young woman who has recently been married to an uber-wealthy older gentleman. Louisa takes her task in stride, with many major setbacks but in the end, finds the courage and determination to make it in the Big City. To keep one's values above all that life can throw at you truly show a person of integrity. Lousia is a complex woman who finds new friends and loses some friends over secrets that Lousia must keep hidden from her employer. Loved it and have added author Jojo Moyes to my follow list. Thank you, Goodreads and publisher Pamela Dorman Books for giving me the chance to read an ARC addition to this stand-alone book in the "Me Before You Series".

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Review: Mindfulness on the Go: Simple Meditation Practices You Can Do Anywhere

Mindfulness on the Go: Simple Meditation Practices You Can Do Anywhere by Jan Chozen Bays
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book sits in my pocketbook so I can re-read over some of the new skills I have learned from using this small book packed with everyday exercises in Mindful Meditation practices that I have incorporated into my life. Just being able to make my body relax has been a big achievement. Each chapter sets you on an exercise to complete with encouraging words to enhance the learning experience. Just today I used some breathing exercises while I waited for my blood to be drawn and it made the time I spent there that much more enjoyable and isn't that what we all want, a more enjoyable life.

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Review: The Sherlock Effect

The Sherlock Effect by Raymond Kay Lyon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

In this fictional crime-fighting mystery, we find a man whose Pastor father chose to give his son the middle name of Sherlock after his favorite author Sir Conan Doyle famous London private detective. With the help of a close friend, the two open a private detective agency called Baskerville's where they furnish the interior to resemble one in which Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Watson would find to their liking, with a violin in the corner of a fully equipped room straight from an antique store. To further the marketing of the Sherlockian theme, Christopher Sherlock Webster wears clothes similar to the original Holmes would have worn. I admire the way the author Raymond Kay Lyon and his publishing co. Thistle Publishing followed the same format that put each case into its own short story again similar to the way the original canons was published. Each story was a walk back into the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Watson that both the characters start to emulate wonderfully. I highly recommend this novel to any mystery book lover plus I can see this becoming a series in the future. This story was lent to me to read through NetGalley in exchange for an "honest" opinion of my thoughts on the book. Thank you, #NetGalley, #TheSherlockEffect, #RaymondKayLyon #BookReview

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Review: The Templar Salvation

The Templar Salvation by Raymond Khoury
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay, I understand the whole concept of "The Church/Vatican" having documents that portray the religion in a bad light and that we the little people of the world with our minimal intellect must be kept from reading these ancient records and stories. But that is just what everything that is written is: a story. Benjamin Franklin said. "Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see. While the action was commendable I kept wondering why these two individuals learned nothing from their past experiences in the book "The Last Templar". As a mother, I wanted to reach out and slap Alex and say you have a daughter, stop putting your life in danger needlessly and of course, she gets nabbed by the bad guy, ugh.

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Review: The Hangman's Daughter

The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Stupendous, I so enjoyed this art illustrated ebook version of this novel that was translated from German by Lee Chadeayne and first published by AmazonCrossing in 2010. The author Oliver Potzsch genealogy played an important role in the making of this book since his family can trace their lineage to the famous Kuisls, one of Bavaria's infamous families of executioners. It was intriguing to find that people have not changed in the manner they treat each other even to this day when people are different from themselves and produce what I like to think of as moments of complete insanity of reasoning. In this tale of malice, we find the Hangman not a cold-blooded killer but one who takes great care in studying the art of healing and the injustice of those who may be wrongly accused of a crime. When faced with the torture of an innocent midwife accused of witchcraft, the Hangman along with his headstrong daughter and her besotted physician admirer must follow the clues that will lead to the true criminals in the town before they can burn the midwife. From beginning to end I was enthralled with the way the story flowed and the true to life characters that graced the pages. I found this book on Amazon prime and was able to download a free version. Thank you, I have added this writer to my Follow list and look forward to reading more of these phenomenal glimpses into the past.

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Review: Meditation: Meditation for Beginners - How to Relieve Stress, Anxiety and Depression and Return to a State of Inner Peace and Happiness

Meditation: Meditation for Beginners - How to Relieve Stress, Anxiety and Depression and Return to a State of Inner Peace and Happiness by Yesenia Chavan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My doctors suggested that I try to meditate for my health. This book has helped me do just that. I found this book to be very informative with an easy to follow guide to attain my goals.

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Review: Scribes

Scribes by James Wolanyk
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Humph, not sure why I could not really get my teeth into this book. There are some good qualities to the novel by author James Wolanyk that include the overall story of a young girl who has the gift of using magical cuts upon the skin that bring health and healing upon the person. This was the first in the Scribe series so hopefully, in the next one, the action can be ramped up a few notches. At every turn, Anna is subjected to violence and cruelty but she finds real peace when she helps the foundling children that have lost everything. Can she break away from the individuals that want to use her power to back their side of the war? I was given a chance to read this book through the Goodreads giveaways for my honest opinion in a book review. Thank you, James Wolanyk, Goodreads and publisher Rebel Base Books.

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