+One by Brian Baleno Review

+ One

By Brian Baleno

Jake is a workaholic investment banker who tries to juggle the work he loves and the woman he loves. Each one is important but as time progresses one of them must come first or he will lose something he cherishes. But what do you do when you love your career and the sense of pride it gives you means more to you than anyone can imagine?

This is not your happily ever after kind of book it is a look into the mind of a man who has hard choices to make where love is concerned. Though this is a well written novel and the story is interesting the woman he is in love with, Kara, drove me crazy. She whined constantly of how much he worked, but this is a personal issue I have considering my husband works twelve plus hours a day and is on call twenty four seven and leaves anywhere from a month to fifteen months at a time I kept wanting to tell Kara to suck it up if you truly love someone you make it work no matter what. In the end the book did turn around for me with an emotional scene and once the main character made his own pivotal breakthrough I did enjoy the book but the first half of the book drove me so crazy it ruined it for me.

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Elizabeth Clansham by Catherine E. Chapman Review

Elizabeth Clansham

By Catherine E. Chapman

Elizabeth Clansham has recently moved to a small town in the Scottish Highlands in order to pursue her writing, all the while she teaches English part time. Across from her small home lives Andrew a former pop star who drifts listlessly through life until Laetitia and her daughter Lauren arrive on his doorstep, Laetitia is fleeing Glasgow when a menacing man shows up to her flat and threatens to hurt her daughter if she does not repay her debt. Then there is Angus, the gamekeeper and father figure who has taken in his niece when her mother has abandoned her. Between the four romance begins to bloom and each of their lives is changed by the others.

This book reminded me a lot of Debbie Macomber’s style of writing using real life scenarios as the focus instead of fantastical situations. If you enjoy a laid back approach to the romance genre and something more realistic than vampires or a serial killer who focuses on the main character for any number of reason you will enjoy this book. Each character goes through their own growth period and finds out who they truly are or want to be. Catherine E. Chapman managed to encompass four individuals but also Elizabeth’s students into the story each one having their own romantic trysts; it was very intricate and well written I only wish there had been more conclusions to some of the individual stories, but the author does a splendid job bringing each one to life.

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Quest One: The Golden Scarab by S.W. Lothian Review

Quest One:

The Golden Scarab

By S.W. Lothian

Twelve year old JJ Sterling has been enlisted by Horus to retrieve the Golden Scarab for him so he may be able to defeat his evil brother Seth. Thrust back in time to Ancient Egypt JJ must travel through a dangerous tomb and dodge Seth’s minions at every turn. Will JJ be able to complete his mission and return back to modern day London in one piece?

This was a great “Early Young Adult” novel. The author did a wonderful job in brining Egyptian mythology to life and weaving it into a story that is fascinating and full of action and adventure. Even if you don’t know much about the Egyptian Gods S.W. Lothian does a fantastic job in explaining them without losing the readers interest. As soon as JJ and his best friend travel back to Ancient Egypt this book turns into nonstop action keeping you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. The book is only about two hundred pages long, which is perfect for young readers or those who are just beginning.

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Splitting Adam by John R. Ford Review

Splitting Adam

By John R. Ford

Adam Tyler is restless he was called to be a pastor but for some reason he never feels fulfilled on his thirtieth birthday he is visited by an angel sent from his mother. When the angel asks him what he wants Adam pulls an “It’s a Wonderful Life” moment and wishes he had never been born but what he doesn’t realize is that even if he had never been born his mother and father would have still procreated only with other people causing there to be two half selves of Adam. This not just Adam’s story but theirs as well and the only way Adam can get home is to change his own perspective of his life.

This was an interesting novel of the power of faith and realizing you are just a drop in a pond but the ripples your life creates are what truly matter. John R. Ford did a wonderful job bringing Adam and his two half selves to life, each one unique and no quite as distant as they may seem at first to each other. Though Victor is a businessman and Chase is a con-artist they all share something at the core of their being that is irreplaceable, goodness and kindness. It’s a heartwarming story that I recommend for anyone to read full of love and cherishing what you have, which is a good lesson for anyone.

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Time Trick by Tom C. Underhill Review

Time Trick

By Tom C. Underhill

Jim can’t believe what has happened to him in the moment of spending time with a prostitute he is transported back into the past and one slip has altered his entire future. Jim returns to the present through his climax until he does something he must desperately try to take back with another visit, hopefully undoing the damage that was done.

I do enjoy Tom Underhill’s writing and his thought provoking endings but this short story is not for me. I know a lot of people use adultery to stimulate their audiences and raise their anger and this story certainly manages to do that with me. However, this story certainly manages to take the phrase “be careful what you wish for” to a whole new level.  

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House by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti Review

House

By Ted Dekker ad Frank Peretti

Mr. White has issued a challenge the people inside of a seemingly innocuous inn after stranding the four there, if they do not kill one among them then he will kill them all so goes this story making the people inside face their own demons.  Set in backwoods Alabama the strangers face in breeds who are trying to sacrifice them to Mr. White and being trapped in a maze underneath a haunted house. Can they keep true themselves, or will the survival instinct kick in and force them to do the unthinkable?

This book was definitely different I enjoyed the mix of supernatural with psychological unfortunately the book itself was too predictable. From the very beginning I knew what was going on and who Mr. White was I was hoping I would be surprised so I kept reading when it turned out that every new “twist” was exactly as I predicted I was thoroughly disappointed. It was a fun read and the suspense was palpable but do not get your hopes up.

As always if you have any requests or recommendations email me at:

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