Book Review - A Rat's Tale: Pemba is Innocent!

About the Book
As she grew and grew, the other rats and town grew more and more worried as Pemba began eating their homes, their fences, and everything in their gardens! She was not so little anymore but had become a giant rat, rumored to be of royal bloodline, and therefore she was sent away! Meanwhile, in a land far away, young Prince Alden, another giant rat, set out on his journey to find his magical moment. Will Pemba find her place in the world? Will Prince Alden realize his magical moment? Come journey with author Heidi Jackson through a colorful land of adventure and discovery in A Rats Tale, Pemba is Innocent!




My Take on the Book

This was a story of love and second chances in many aspects. The book itself was one that shows readers that you don't have to look or rely on what others say to reach your potential. The book is short and you can leave wanting more and guess what, you can get it, as there is a second book in this series as well - A Rat's Tale II. I shared this book with my eldest daughter and she really enjoyed it. She thought it was a lot like some of the other fairy takes that she enjoys (just with Rats and other animals placed in the human roles). The book is full of great messages and makes you think about your own pre-conceptions. Well written and engaging, this is a great story for the whole family!



All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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Book Review - A Rat’s Tale II: Escape from Rattovia

About the Book
 Heidi Jackson’s A Rat’s Tale II: Escape from Rattovia, the sequel to A Rat’s Tale: Pemba is Innocent,  continues the story of Pemba as she becomes Princess Pemba of Rattovia and must help defend herself, her family, and her kingdom from the attack of the Shady Greys, who seek to take control of Ratley Castle, Greater Rattovia, and the treasure of Greater Rattovia.
 

It offers an important message for children in the forging of unlikely friendships and alliances, teaching them not to judge someone by their appearance or differences, as these people may turn out to be their greatest friend and ally.  In A Rat’s Tale II, some of the rats’ greatest allies come from unlikely sources, including Elfian, who is a silver dragon, Lord Cleary, who is a ghost, and Roban, a rat who appears to be one of the Shady Greys by living in their midst, but defects and warns them of the dastardly plans for attack.

When an unexpected visitor named Roban arrives, he informs them that he has traveled very far to get to Rattovia to inform them of bad news; “There are some very bad rats out there.  They call themselves the Shady Grey race of Haldor.”  Roban informs them of the plan hatched by  the Shady Greys to overtake Rattovia and the dangers of their quest to conquer Rattovia and its treasure; “if they can lay their dirty paws on it, they may just be able to reign over the entire rat world.”

After this unlikely encounter, another ally steps forward to offer his help, a silver dragon named Elfian, whose first eggs were stolen by the Shady Greys.  His appearance is daunting, but overcoming preconceived notions the rats have about the dangers of dragons, he becomes their greatest aid.  With the help of Elfian, the fastest and most powerful of the silver dragons, they gather all of The Giant Rats, who are hiding in caves to escape the Shady Greys, “most of them very afraid.”  The giant “Mountain Rats” “happily left  their temporary mountain homes so they could go back to their real home, where they belonged.  They simply could not wait to reclaim their homes in the kingdom of Greater Rattovia.”

The most curious of all alliances is forged when King Alden is visited by a ghostly apparition, who informs him of his desire to help his cause; “A long time ago your father showed me a great kindness when I was in distress, and I want very much to repay this kindness by offering whatever help I can give you within my ghostly limit… We, the ghosts will help you all to win this battle.”  King Alden is shaken by the encounter, uncertain as to whether he should trust the vision; however, Queen Pemba expresses her pleasure that “so many past and present rats  would be there to help them,” not judging their allies, but showing gratitude towards them.

Although children are often taught about the ills of judging by appearances and holding prejudices, this is particularly important in a time when bullying is rampant and fear of differences is bred and fed by the news media.  While children in the past were often warned not to judge color and disabilities, today religion has come to the forefront as a source of prejudice among all Americans.  

While children are taught by the media to be distrustful of Muslims, it is important to realize that, like Roban, not all of a certain group believe in and support a cause.  A Rat’s Tale II teaches children at any early age that friendship and allies can come from many sources and many forms, and we must judge each person as an individual.

My Take on the Book 
This story is a new classic. You will be drawn into a new world that in many cases reminds me of The Secret of Nimh. The book though was fun and allowed my imagination to soar. I shared the book with my daughter and she just loved it. She actually was very excited to read this after reading the first book in the series. The characters in this book were fun and you really get a little bit of everything within the book itself, from a love story to action, mystery and intrigue, you get it all! 

This is a great, short book, that all families will enjoy

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

   

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Book Review - The Immortal Lost

About the Book

In H.R. Phillips’ The Immortal Lost, Alessar Belmonte, a warrior, is entrusted with the protection of the main character, Dylan Black. In an evil show of force, the Favored are back. Their mission: to destroy the human race and to control the Lost Ones. Follow Dylan and her rare powers as she collects images from people’s thoughts. Her special powers leave the enemy completely defenseless.

Alessar Belmonte must work with Gelmir in reaching the Immortal ancestors. Together they will teach them how to use their powers for noble purposes. Alessar warns, “If the darkness and its followers ever found an Immortal before Gelmir and I were to sequester them, they could be lost to us and bonded with evil.”

Alessar faces a fascinating dilemma, for it seems that he belongs to the family of Guardians that must protect the bible of the Prime Immortals. The dilemma is that he knows he must also protect Dylan Black and keep her hidden from Abaddon, who is the leader of the dark forces. Golda must never find out that Alessar is guarding Dylan.  

From the very first moment that Alessar sets eyes on Dylan, he knows that his heart has been captured. Alessar describes how “it was taking every effort I had not to go over and wrap my arms around her and kiss the silly little pout from her dreaming lips.” Alessar finds it hard to focus on his mission to protect Dylan—especially when he discovers that she has feelings for him, too. He must resist—for the fate of so many lies with him. 

Can Alessar stand strong when his heart aches to be with Dylan? Will the sparks between Alessar and Dylan blow their cover? Will the dark Immortals become suspicious?  

Read The Immortal Lost to find out if good ultimately wins over evil. Follow Alessar as he works to reach the Immortal ancestors—he will not stop as long as he must protect Dylan—and all that is precious to him.

My Take on the Book

I love science fiction and this book definitely falls into this genre. The book itself is jam-packed with action and was a very quick and engaging read. The characters were well developed, though Allesar's character was probably my favorite within the book. Though a fairly short book(232 pages) the book does pull you in and makes you want to know more. The book itself is a part of a new series, so if you read this, be ready to get hooked and ready to read more in the future!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

 

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Book Review - Murder and Mayhem at Old Bunbury

About the Book
Murder and Mayhem at Old Bunbury, Clive Endive Ogive IV's eagerly awaited follow-up to his extremely successful and hugely influential Private Clubs in America and around the World, is another VERY clever and perceptive look into the special world of private clubs. In Murder and Mayhem at Old Bunbury, President Clive and waitress-extraordinaire Esther team up to solve a gruesome murder at one of the world's truly great private clubs: the Old Bunbury Golf Links & Reading Club. Along the way Clive and Esther reacquaint you with many wacky old friends and introduce you to some even zanier new ones.

Private clubs are inextricably woven into the very fabric of America's history, traditions and culture-and for that matter, those histories, traditions and cultures of ALL free societies around the world-and members, employees and guests alike (well, maybe not guests) will enjoy the author's penetrating insights, off-beat humor, blatant irreverence and sarcastic wit. EVERYONE with a sense of humor (club member or not) will laugh his socks off at this latest Clive tale.

Clive Endive Ogive IV belongs to at least eighteen very exclusive private clubs-certainly all the ones that matter. The fact that he has a Roman numeral four after his name and is exclusive heir to a trust fund whose annual interest is sufficient to pay all his annual club dues in perpetuity-and also somehow manages to write all this money off on his taxes as "legitimate business deductions"-is more than enough to qualify him to author multiple groundbreaking and awe-inspiring books about the wonderful world of private clubs. For more information-and to order additional copies for your friends, enemies, fellow club members and fellow club employees-please visit Clive's website at www.CliveEndiveOgiveIV.com.


My Take on the Book
This book provides readers with a fun look at private clubs and at the same time gives you the opportunity to engage with fun characters that stick with you from start to finish and beyond. Throughout the book you are given the chance to laugh many times and even say to yourself, did they just say that. Seeing that I have never been a member of a private club, from the outside looking in, you think that everything is glitter and lace, and though there is some of that in this book, I loved how the author pokes fun at this establishment and on top of this he throws in a murder just to make it more interesting.

The book will keep you guessing (and don't ask me who did it, as I will not tell!). There were so many great characters that could have done it, as the author provides almost everyone a motive, the object is sigting through the clues to see who actually murdered Alfie Johnson.

This was a great, but short book. If you like humor and mystery, this book was a quick read that was entertaining through and through!


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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Book Review - A Bullet For Two

About the Book

Many images come to mind when confronted with the Wild, Wild West. In most cases, it’s anything from saloons and gold rush towns to the western-style duels with showdowns full of spectacular gunfire.  Though the fight is glorified, the end result is often the same: death.  In Robert Strzalko’s A Bullet For Two, the complex landscape of the Wild, Wild West, following the Civil War, is full of lawlessness and chaos.

A Bullet For Two is the perfect book for American History and western buffs.  In fact, the audience will encounter scenes ranging from public hangings and bounty hunters to vengeance-laden goose chases and colossal shootouts shifting from the mountains to the desert under starry, moonlit skies.  
Whether you’re reading about a bar fight spawning from a fit of drunken rage, or a public hanging, Robert Strazalko puts you right into the scene with his powerful descriptions and action sequences. Conjure the image of a public hanging that turns into a celebration, even a family day.  The narrator states that for many civilians “it was the most exciting thing they would ever witness.”
In the spirit of a good western drama, the author presents Jeb, the male protagonist, and half-breed, fourteen-year-old Sara, as characters with which to sympathize—even though the good guys in this story are labeled the “outlaws.”  With a hefty reward for their heads, dead or alive, they are on the run, as for much of the book, they are one stop ahead of their pursuers.  As with any classic western novel, however, there comes a time when both sides pull their pistols out of their holsters and declare, “It’s showtime.”
In a western, the good guy doesn’t always win.  The man that doesn’t take the bullet is the winner.  Can Jeb and Sara maneuver and escape to Mexico, where freedom awaits, or will their pursuers catch them?  What starts out as an honest rescue effort, with Jeb shooting three rapists—the town sheriff and mayor—quickly evolves into a widespread search-and-kill mission.  
The bullet speaks and the bullet silences in America’s Wild, Wild West.  Whose name will be on the bullets that fly freely in A Bullet for Two? This relenting adventure is a must-read for all American history and Western buffs!


My Take on the BookI had not read anything from this author before, and hearding about this novel I was intrigued to read and find out more. In researching the author a bit more I came to find that in the past he wrote much poetry. This book, takes poetry to the next level and he turns his words into a novel that he should be proud of.


In this book the author does a superb job at developing the plot and characters and as a reader you are able to easily see early in the story that this will be a tale of good versus evil. The author deftly allows the reader to see and identify the innate evil that can exist in every human and the innate good that is also there, it all comes down to human nature and what the person does with his/her nature that separates them from others.


The book also does a great job at tying in history of the civil war and west into the novel. Though the book is quite short, the context and plot within is thick and laden with great dialogue and intrigue.




So let this book take you back in time, to read and reflect and find ways in which you can identify your true human nature along with the characters!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

 

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Book Review - Cosmic Conspiracy

About the Book

Patricia McLaine’s Cosmic Conspiracy explores the common humanity that we all share as members of the Universe or Multiverse, which intricately connects us all. It is a result of the intense emotion generated within the “Mass Mind” that psychics, “regardless of the level of awareness or education” are far more in tune with—picking up negative patterns then positive ones—in predicting future world events.

When asked by journalist Hal Jacques to make world predictions for The Star in January of 1977, McLaine made startlingly acute predictions: (1) The wife of King Hussein of Jordan was going to die in a plane crash; (2) Two jumbo jets were going to collide at an airport with disastrous results and tremendous loss of life.”  Jacques did not work for The Star and McLaine was not paid for her predictions; however, they stand as a testament to the acute power of McLaine to make world predictions, which she continues to do on her website to this day, all startlingly accurate and in tune with the universe.  While these predictions were never published, they highlight the efficacy of “purposeful intention combined with focused attention” and the ability to tap into the Mass Mind to which every member of the human race is connected.

McLaine illuminates that the Mass Mind is the collective thought process of humanity, of which all of us are a part: “We are all part of one organic whole, regardless of color, race, gender, economic standard, educational attainment, political preference, or religious persuasion.”  She offers an important lesson in explaining the Multiverse and Mass Mind: “Everyone on this planet is a member of the human race, emotionally connected to the vital soul of the planet.”

Although her chapter revealing the predictions that she has made through tuning into the Multiverse is certainly compelling and a true testimony to her talent, the underlying message it offers is of paramount importance. McLaine’s assertion that we are all members of the human race and are emotionally connected to the vital soul of the planet, offers readers an evocative message.  Cosmic Conspiracy provides us with both the uniquely riveting story of Patricia McLaine’s life and deep and powerful lessons and messages about the universe and humanity.

My Take on the Book

In this book you are taken into the mind and experiences of a well known psychic. What was interesting within this book was that the author was able to hobnob as well as work with many of the important people in the movie business back in her day. Each day and experience shared drew me deeper into the lives of these people and made me want to be a fly on the wall in many of her experiences. From being a bouncer for calls to being on television shows about her readings, this book had it all.

The book was engaging and was a very easy read. I really enjoyed the light tone and it was like I was sitting in the room with the author as I read through her experiences. You truly get to live the experiences that she had through the rich description and narrative that she shares. This was a book that will open your eyes and your mind to the possibilities that exist. The book will make you think, but also laugh in many places. Overall though this was a great book and one that I would recommend!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
 
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Book Review - Topgun Days

About the Book

Bio (The author) was one of 451 young men to become a Navy Flight Officer in 1980 and the only one that year to become a much-feared-and-respected Topgun instructor; an honor awarded only to the “best of the best.”  So when Hollywood green-lighted an obscure script for a movie about the elite Naval Fighter Weapons School (aka Topgun), they knocked on Bio’s door, and the rest is history. Top Gun the movie quickly became an out-of-nowhere, runaway blockbuster that earned $353 million worldwide, catapulted Tom Cruise into superstardom, and made American fighter pilots a cultural icon.

In his memoir TopGun Days, Bio not only takes the reader into the cockpit during the breathtaking aerial moves that made the movie great, he gives an inside view of people that make Topgun the best fighter training school in the world.  Bio recalls the experience of being (what he terms) a “regular guy” who was thrown into the whirlwind of Hollywood, from gala premiers and celebrity sightings, to world renown and screaming teens.  More than just a movie homage, Bio’s story offers:

• A Story of Perseverance -- how he overcame airsickness during dynamic maneuvering in flight training.
•  First Person Faceoffs in the air at 700 MPH!

• A Cold War Perspective - aerial missions to neutralize Soviet bomber threats.
• Life-or-death adventure -- how he survived a split-second ejection from a crashing F-14. 
• Tidbits - How Topgun students receive their call-signs -- “Bio” is short for bionic, which rhymes with Baranek, Dave’s last name. 
• The first takes of Top Gun—which had to be redone because they were inaccurate or improbable—to wrapping day. 
• Bio’s first time being spotted by giggling teenage girls during the making of the movie.
• Dozens of full-color photos of Bio’s planes, flights in action, Tom Cruise on set, and Hollywood parties, including a picture of Tom Cruise kissing Bio’s wife! 
• A glossary of flight terms and important Topgun information.
  

Written in a style that can only be rendered by a dangerous pilot and a top expert in the field, TopGun Days is not just a fast, fun read, but an experience.  Strap yourself into a Navy fighter jet and feel the rush caused by roaring afterburners, supersonic shockwaves, intense G-Forces, and Hollywood glamour. From beginning to end, TopGun Days is quite a ride!!! 

The launch of TopGun Days in ebook format coincides with a special discount through the next several weeks; you can consider it a Top Gun 25^th Anniversary special (It’s 4.99, down from 24.95—yup, that’s a real discount :)  So check out the ebook as well! links to your review when you post? Thanks:

• Kindle:  Topgun Days: Dogfighting, Cheating Death, and Hollywood Glory as One of America's Best Fighter Jocks
• Nook:  http://search.barnesandnoble.com/TOPGUN-Days/DAVE-BARANEK/e/2940000921937

About the Author:

Dave "Bio" Baranek enjoyed a successful and satisfying twenty-year career in the United States Navy, starting with assignments to F-14 Tomcat squadrons and later assignment to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Baranek retired from the Navy in 1999 and now works as a defense contractor in the Washington, D.C., area. He lives in Burke, Virginia. Learn more about Baranek at www.topgunbio.com.

My Take on the Book

I am not a pilot, nor will I be, but in this book the author takes you on a ride you will never forget! In reading this book you simply are taken behind the veiled curtain and into the inner sanctum of Top Gun. As a fan of the original movie, it was very cool to read accounts of the school, and the movie all in one. 

The book was written in such a way that anyone can understand, without technical jargon. Instead the author has written a true-to-life account of Miramar and what it took to be a part of the elite Top Gun program, as well as what it took to be a part of the making of the hit Hollywood movie. 

There were so many moments that were heart stopping in the book, but one that stands out was the moment by moment accounting of the author's ejection from an F-14 into the Indian Ocean. Never before have I read something that was so blunt, honest and true.   

This was a great read and one that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in flying or anyone interested in an action packed tale - it will keep you on the edge of your seat!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

   

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