Book Review: Missing Era: The Emergence by A. O. Khalil

Missing Era: The Emergence 

by A. O. Khalil 

Kindle Edition
File Size: 3360 KB
Print Length: 259 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: A. O. Khalil (May 19, 2015)
Publication Date: May 19, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★   

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, A. O. Khalil. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

My thoughts:

While the apocalyptic plot is engaging, some things just bother me. First, the characters. There are just too many of them and it's difficult to go on reading when all I do is trying to remember who's who. Kept on flipping back the pages to check who they are and their connection to the main character, Jay. Then there's the unusual reaction of the characters to the invasion of the unknown creatures coming from the sinkholes. They tend to over analyze things, plan with a step-by-step procedure on what to do in every situation. I mean for me, in real life, everything would be spontaneous. I wouldn't have time to plan in front of those trying to kill me. So with this, I soon lost interest in reading further (DNF).

There are others who enjoyed reading the story, click here for positive reviews.

About the book:

They were just sinkholes, harmless sinkholes that were spreading like wildfire across the country. Then the disappearances started. A few people here and there then the entire army, gone in one night. Jay and Jule quickly find themselves thrown in the middle of a dangerous situation that only gets worse when something else comes that takes everyone by bloody surprise. 

As they make ready to leave to gather with the rest of the family, something comes out of the sinkholes and begins attacking and killing everyone in sight. Before they know it they are in the middle of a war with an unknown enemy and an unknown agenda. 

Will Jay and Jule survive their encounter or will they find themselves twenty-six feet under at the bottom of a sinkhole? 

About the author:

A. O. Khalil was born in the late summer of 1985 in Yemen. By the age of 16 he attended St Andrew's College Cambridge in England. After completing his studies he left Cambridge for Bath University, where he earned his degree in Sociology.

In 2010 he moved with his wife to Slovakia and decided to set up their own business. It was then he started writing whenever he had free time. By May 2015 his first book, Missing Era: The Emergence, is published for Amazon Kindle.

When not writing or working he enjoys fine dining, cooking and going to the movies with his wife, daughter, family and friends.

You can always find him on: www.missingera.com

Book Review: The Call of the Wild Werewolf by Jack London / Carl Waters

The Call of the Wild Werewolf: 

Classic Werewolves (Merlin's Hoods)

by Jack London / Carl Waters

Series: Merlin's Hoods
Paperback: 180 pages
Publisher: Bright Sons Media LLC (April 30, 2015)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 732 KB
Print Length: 181 pages
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Bright Sons Media (May 16, 2015)
Publication Date: May 16, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★  

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Carl Waters. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

My thoughts:

I have not read The Call of the Wild by Jack London so I cannot comment on this being a mash up of that book. 

The Call of the Wild Werewolf is different from the werewolf books I've read in the past, this didn't have the usual paranormal stuff/feel, it's like a serious werewolf book. Surprisingly, I liked Carl Water's idea here, how a werewolf is made/turned, how they feel being trapped in an animal body, etc. Buck's story is relatable, I can feel his sorrow as a man and as a werewolf. Although some parts dragged on, I still enjoyed reading his journey to conquering his fears and achieving his dreams. 

About the book:

Deciding to leave his easy life in Santa Clara Valley, Buck Miller, the son of a wealthy judge and raisin farmer, pursues gold riches in the Klondike. Before he reaches his destination, Buck is kidnapped by vampires, turned into a werewolf, and forced to work as the vampire's sled dog.

Now, in an unfamiliar place and in an unfamiliar body, Buck must learn to survive more than just the brutal weather. With attacks from vicious werewolves and abuse from his masters, will Buck be able to regain his humanity or will he spend the rest of his days living as a wolf?

WARNING!!!

This a mashup story. It combines Jack London's classic, The Call of the Wild, with the werewolf mythology in my Merlin's Hoods world.

It is in the same vein as Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith's mashup novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Instead of adding zombies, I've added werewolves and vampires.

Mashup stories are a creative novelty. The idea is to create a new story by adding as few words to the original story as possible. So, most of the words in this story are Jack London's.


I love werewolves and the protagonist, Buck Miller, is a powerful werewolf in my Merlin's Hood world. This is his origin story.

About the author:

Carl Waters, born and raised in Miami, Florida, grew up reading comic books and dreamed of being a new kind of superhero. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Miami and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he now lives with his wife and daughter.

Waters never forgot his childhood dreams, which over the years transformed into a desire to create new heroes, particularly African-American male heroes, through writing. His debut offering is Burning Uncle Tom's Cabin, the first book in a four-part series that reimagines Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic novel, featuring strong characters who break out of the old stereotypes.

Book Review: The Promise by Beth Wiseman

The Promise 

by Beth Wiseman

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 7, 2014)

Kindle Edition
File Size: 1385 KB
Print Length: 294 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1401685951
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 7, 2014)
Sold by: HarperCollins Christian Publishing

Audible Audio Edition
Listening Length: 8 hours and 26 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Oasis Audio
Audible.com Release Date: September 30, 2014

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from Booklookbloggers.com. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★


My thoughts:

The book tells the story of Mallory Hammond's promise to a dying cousin. Since she couldn't donate her kidney to Kelsey as she was too young for an operation, she vowed to do it and save someone else's life when she's older.

Right after college, Mallory spent all her time literally looking at every opportunity where she can save life. She even worked in a medical clinic so she can help people while waiting to fulfill her promise.  One day, an opportunity came knocking on her door. A dying girl from Pakistan needs to travel to the US so she can have a chance for a better treatment. Although she knew traveling to a war-torn Pakistan would be a dangerous mission, she packed her bag and went to fetch the Pakistani girl.

Thought The Promise is the best Christian book I have read from Thomas Nelson. It talks about how people with different faith and background, still could get along, could feel love to one another as long as they respect each other's belief. Mallory, the main character is a non-believer while her boyfriend is a devout Catholic, her boss and his fiancée are both Muslim. The Promise is tagged as a Christian book, which is usually a slow read. I was pleasantly surprised that the story is intense, lots of action and suspense. Overall, this is an extremely good read, can't wait to read more from this author!

About the book:

Mallory's search for happiness leads her to a faraway place. There she finds heartache, betrayal--and danger. Can the only man she's ever loved rescue her before it's too late? Mallory Hammond is determined not to let her boyfriend, parents, or anyone else get in the way of her #1 goal--to save a life. She had that chance when she was a teenager, and the opportunity slipped away, leaving a void she's desperate to fill. 

Then a new friend she met online offers her the chance she's dreamed of. But she'll have to leave behind everyone she loves to take it. Tate Webber has loved Mallory for years. He understands that Mallory's free spirit has to fly, and when he gives her the space she needs, he hopes that when she lands, the two of them will be in the same place and can marry at last. In a bold move--and with lots of resistance from Tate and those closest to her--Mallory decides to travel across the world to fulfill her dream. Tate begs her not to go, but Mallory embarks on the dangerous journey to Pakistan anyway, only to discover how swiftly and easily promises can be broken. Her new friend isn't who he says he is. And Mallory can only pray she'll make it out alive. 

Inspired by actual events, this riveting story will take you on a wild journey and have you asking yourself: How far would I go for love?

About the author:

Beth Wiseman is the best-selling author of the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series. Having sold over 1.3 million books, her novels have held spots on the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishers Association) Bestseller List and the CBA (Christian Book Association) Bestseller List. She was the recipient of the prestigious Carol Award in 2011 and 2013. She is a three-time winner of the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and an INSPY Award winner. In 2013 she took home the coveted Holt Medallion. Her first book in the Land of Canaan series--Seek Me With All Your Heart--was selected as the 2011 Women of Faith Book of the Year. Beth is contracted with HarperCollins Christian Publishing into the year 2018, and she has published twelve novels and nine novellas to date.

As a former newspaper reporter, Beth was honored by her peers with eleven journalism awards, including first place news writing for The Texas Press Association. She has been a humor columnist for The 1960 Sun in Houston and published articles in various publications. However, writing novels is where her heart is. She left her job as a journalist in 2008 to write novels full time. 

Beth has a deep affection for the Amish and their simpler way of life, and while she plans to continue writing Amish love stories, she is also branching out into other areas. Her first non-Amish, contemporary--Need You Now--released in April 2012 and landed on the CBA Bestseller List. She enjoyed writing the story based in a town near where she lives, and she chose another small Texas town for her next non-Amish contemporary--The House that Love Built--which is based in Smithville, the same quaint town where movies such as Hope Floats and Tree of Life were filmed. 

In a daring new novel, Beth jumps way outside the box. The Promise will take readers far away from Amish Country and small Texas towns to a dangerous place on the other side of the world. Inspired by actual events, Beth believes this is the book she's been working toward for a long time. 

Beth and her husband are empty nesters enjoying the country life in Texas with three dogs, two cats, and two potbellied pigs. When she's not writing, she loves to travel, paint, and enjoy time with friends and family. You can find Beth at Fans of Beth Wiseman on Facebook where she interacts with readers or visit bethwiseman.com to learn more about Beth and her books.

Book Review: Fairydust by Simon R. Taylor

Fairydust 

Author: Simon R. Taylor
Paperback: 640 pages
Publisher: Bluebox Publishing (November 4, 2013)
Amazon Link

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Simon Taylor. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★    

My thoughts:


Yay! Another great elven book!

The elves are slowly dying because of a crisis on water and food. Maria and Daniel set out to a quest in finding solution to this - the White Fairy! 

Liked the characters and the twists and turns. While I enjoyed the story, there are some parts I got confused due to the number of characters, can't remember who's who. The romance is enough to keep you interested and there's a bit humor too. The first time I 'met' the narrator, I thought I was reading a draft of the story (this book is an ARC) and it was a mistake that those were included in the book but oh boy, it was actually part of the story. Weird but in a good way.

Overall, it was a good story... recommended for those into elven book.

About the book:

As the elves face extinction due to a natural crisis, their belligerent king is bent on self-preservation. It falls to reluctant hero Daniel to go in search of the White Fairy – his last hope for answers and his people’s last chance for a future.

An unforgettable cast of fairy tale creatures come together in this ground-breaking epic fantasy. With never-before-seen storytelling techniques, Fairydust is packed full of ingenious, inventive layouts and concepts which reflect the twists in the rich, fast-moving plot.

Fresh from his acclaimed thriller debut End from the Beginning, Taylor once again blends heart-stopping action, gut-wrenching passion and side-splitting humour – this time held together with a sprinkling of fairy dust. Join him for a journey the like of which the world has never seen before.

About the author:

Simon lives with Anna-Marie and their daughter Megan in Renfrewshire.

Book Review: My Wolf's Bane by Veronica Blade

My Wolf's Bane: Shapes of Autumn

Author: Veronica Blade
Paperback: 386 pages
Publisher: Crush Publishing (February 7, 2013)
Amazon Link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 552 KB
Print Length: 388 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 098534346X
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Crush Publishing, Inc. (January 27, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from Crush Publishing. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts: 

My Wolf's Bane is the first book in the Shapes of Autumn series.

When I received the request to review the book, I wasn't that interested. Oh well, because there's this note from the publisher :  

it's romance FIRST and everything else is secondary. . . .

After Twilight, I can no longer appreciate the same storyline. If it's Bella and Edward in disguise, I'd certainly stop reading. The first 2-3 chapters it is definitely Twilight-y. There were a couple of Edward's and Bella's cheesy lines and OMG, even Autumn's truck reminds me of Bella's so it was like I was just giving it a chance and ready to stop anytime. It was rather a complete surprise to actually find myself glued to the pages of the book probably past the first quarter of the story. It was when the wolf myth was introduced, I completely forgot the whole I-Hate-Twilight issue. I got so SOOO fascinated with it and I started loving Autumn and Zack by then.  

Hmm - actually it wasn't really 'romance FIRST'. The thing is, Autumn just had to deal with her psycho ex-boyfriend and in order to save Autumn, Zack had to pose as her new boyfriend. But really, I was more interested in the wolf-ish stuff, discovering the mystery of Autumn's identity and Zack's past. As for Zack's character, I thought he was intellectual for someone his age.  He can analyze complicated and deadly situations while maintaining  his coolness. I like men like that.

I actually couldn't get over Autumn and Zack so I'm re-reading the book. Oh I just found out that the author wrote some extras about My Wolf's Bane - in Zack's POV! Sweeet! I know, like that of Midnight Sun, but this time, I don't care! SCENE EXTRAS - LONE WOLF. Right now, it feels like I finally found a new book series to follow since Vampire Academy ended in 2010. Yep - excited much! I can't wait to read book #2! 

 About the book:

Different species. Mortal enemies. It'll never work, but they'll die trying. 

Autumn Rossi thought she was a normal teenager. Suddenly, she can outrun every critter in the forest, making her wonder if she’s even human. 

When the new guy at school, Zack de Luca, witnesses a questionable scene, he unfairly pins her as stuck-up. He acts like he hates her, yet he keeps bailing her out of trouble. Not only is Zack both insufferable and irresistible, he seems to sniff her anytime he gets close. 

As passion flares between them, Autumn isn’t sure which is more dangerous: her psycho ex-boyfriend, or falling for Zack — who’s risking his life just by being near her. 

About the author:

Veronica Blade lives in Southern California with her husband and children. By day she runs the family business, but each night she slips away to spin her tales. She writes stories about young adults to relive her own childhood and to live vicariously through her characters. Except her heroes and heroines lead far more interesting lives — and they are always way hotter.

Follow her:

http://veronicablade.com/

Book Review: Untimed by Andy Gavin

Untimed

Author: Andy Gavin
Hardcover: 342 pages
Publisher: Mascherato (January 1, 2013)
Amazon Link

Kindle Edition
File Size: 1927 KB
Print Length: 344 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1937945049
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Mascherato Publishing; v3.20b/lv1.5 edition (December 18, 2012)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Amazon Link

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from Daring Books Design & Marketing. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

My thoughts:

Charlie's wondering why people seem to always forget his name, even his mother. It's like people don't "see" him. So if he went away, no one would really notice his absence. When he started his time travel, that's when he realized that time travelers are all forgettable.

I really enjoyed this book and I love the pictures! In every chapter or so, there would be a picture to guide the readers of Charlie's travel. I love how the author wrote the story incorporating history in Charlie's time travel. It is interesting to read the setting of the story and the characters, I can clearly picture them in my mind. This is my first time travel book and maybe I could read this to my children too! Such a nice book and I look forward to reading more from the author, Andy Gavin.

About the book:

Charlie’s the kind of boy that no one notices. Hell, even his own mother can’t remember his name. And girls? The invisible man gets more dates.

As if that weren’t enough, when a mysterious clockwork man tries to kill him in modern day Philadelphia, and they tumble through a hole into 1725 London, Charlie realizes even the laws of time don’t take him seriously.

Still, this isn’t all bad. In fact, there’s this girl, another time traveler, who not only remembers his name, but might even like him! Unfortunately, Yvaine carries more than her share of baggage: like a baby boy and at least two ex-boyfriends! One’s famous, the other’s murderous, and Charlie doesn’t know who is the bigger problem.

When one kills the other — and the other is nineteen year-old Ben Franklin — things get really crazy. Can their relationship survive? Can the future? Charlie and Yvaine are time travelers, they can fix this — theoretically — but the rules are complicated and the stakes are history as we know it.

And there's one more wrinkle: he can only travel into the past, and she can only travel into the future!

About the author:

Andy Gavin is an unstoppable storyteller who studied for his Ph.D. at M.I.T. and founded video game developer Naughty Dog, Inc. at the age of fifteen, serving as co-president for two decades. There he created, produced, and directed over a dozen video games, including the award winning and best selling Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter franchises, selling over 40 million units worldwide. He sleeps little, reads novels and histories, watches media obsessively, travels, and of course, writes.

Find him at: andy-gavin-author.com

Book Review: Nolichuck by Jackson Keene

Nolichuck

Author: Jackson Keene
Paperback: 283 pages
Publisher: Treble Heart Books; 1 edition (September 21, 2011)
Amazon Link


Kindle Edition
File Size: 376 KB
Print Length: 220 pages
Publisher: Treble Heart Books; 1 edition (September 19, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
Amazon Link

Note: I received a review copy of this book free from Jackson Keene. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★

My thoughts:

I've only managed to read past the first quarter of the book. The review was due last week but I felt I had to try reading it again, still neither the story nor the characters held my attention. Just to be clear, I didn't have any problem with the author's writing style, the story just didn't work for me. To read positive reviews of the book, click here.

About the book:

TJ’s just an ordinary fourteen year old kid with extraordinary problems at home and school: A broken up family from his parents’ bitter divorce, evil bullies almost every afternoon, failing grades, boring classes, snobby girls, mean teachers, cut from basketball tryouts, few friends. Life is rough for TJ Cockrell.

And then that mysterious little green book had to go and throw him into the past. And not just any past, but into the untamed forbidding forests of 1802 eastern Tennessee along with the savage Indians, wild beasts, bloodthirsty robbers, backwoods ruffians, and log cabin living! Yup, it’s definitely not 2011 Knoxville anymore.

And he thought his present life was bad news! But TJ’s adventures are only beginning. Along the way, he fights off killer beasts and bandits and braves, gains a world of confidence in himself, finds his first real love, and meets a fantastic frontier family who really has it together. When he returns to the present, he’s a brand new person––ready to defeat deadly robbers in his own home, beat the bullies at school, win the girl, gain friends, and make great grades. He even gets his family back together again. Sort of. In the end, the little green book is really cool. And TJ can’t wait to go on another action-packed adventure into the perilous past! 

About the author:

Jackson Keene is the pen name of Jack Olen King. Mr. Keene is a former advertising man and senior marketing executive with a love of writing and history. In his free time, among other things, he volunteer coaches youth basketball and is a coach-player on his own men s team. He lives in Plano, Texas, where he enjoys creating stories about less celebrated yet equally exciting periods of the past and present. Nolichuck is his debut novel.

Book Review: Milo Banks and the Tower of Light (Realm of Astros #1) by Richard Denoncourt

Milo Banks and the Tower of Light (Realm of Astros #1)

Author: Richard Denoncourt
Paperback: 466 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent
Publishing Platform (May 16, 2012)
Amazon Link



Note: I received a review copy of this book free from Richard Denoncourt. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.


Ratings: ★ ★ 


My thoughts:

I had high hopes when I started reading this book. Milo Bank's story is engaging the first quarter of the book. It was a quick read, loved his family, mom, pop, and his twin sister Emma. I love to read history, very much. But I was too distracted with the casts of the story. It has too many characters which is hard for me to tell who's who. I know I said before as long as they are connected, it doesn't matter. I guess I was wrong. This is the book I had to take note of the characters (Milo's family, friends, gods and goddesses, demi gods) and what they are (Sargonauts, Acolytes, Savants, Ferals, Pertilents, etc.). But even doing this, I still had to flip back the pages to remember them. Honestly, I can't put them all together in my head. 


Having said the above, what bothers me might not bother other readers at all so you may check out this LINK to read a positive review for the book.

About the book:


Sporting an ensemble cast of young teens who discover they are descended from ancient gods, Milo Banks and the Tower of Light is the first in a brand-new series of fantasy novels inspired by Greek mythology, from author Richard Denoncourt.

Meet Milo and Emma Banks...

In our world, a young boy and his twin sister must learn to use superpowers inherited from their demigod parents, one of whom dies to save them. The other is kidnapped by a powerful Necromancer who needs the twins' lifestreams to raise an army of undead.

In Astros, a parallel realm created by ancient gods...

Humanity has been recreated in the image of gods that mysteriously disappeared thousands of years earlier. Five races exist on Astros, shaped from the clay of Man by these mythical beings:

SARGONAUTS are super strong, bulletproof, able to lift a school bus with their bare hands.

ACOLYTES have wings and can fly and heal any living thing.

SAVANTS are masters of elemental forces, what some might call magicians.

FERALS can transform into any warm-blooded animal after drinking that animal's blood.

Evil has a new name...

Kovax Leonaryx and his cousin Corgos, ruler of two of the largest nations on Astros, have enslaved an entire race.

Using magical towers that drain Feral men, women, and children of their lifestreams, these two men will someday have the power of gods. Their evil will extend into our world...

Unless Milo, Emma, and their friends can stop them before it's too late.


About the author:

Richard Denoncourt studied English literature and philosophy at Colgate University and received an MFA in creative writing from The New School. He has lived in New York City, Spain and Colombia and has published short stories in a half dozen literary journals and magazines. He is also the author of TRAINLAND, a dark, horror-thriller about a father who goes to Hell to save his family, and the short story collection PELTHAM PARK.

Book Review: The Do-Over by Andrew Hessel

The Do-Over


Author: Andrew Hessel
Paperback: 266 pages
Publisher: Old Dog Publishing LLC (April 21, 2012)
Amazon Link




Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, Andrew Hessel. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.




Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

I find the first quarter of the book slow. I could not easily get into it because too much information is revealed about Kiki's family and Little Mo's tragic life. That's my problem with reading a book not in first person pov. I easily get bored seeing long paragraphs. 

The story picked up when Kiki is preparing to travel into the past, and I very much enjoyed reading facts about the 80's. I'm sure Mr. Hessel had fun writing this. It was really fun to read things about it, simple life, not much complication unlike today with computers and internet. 

This is a good book to read. Though it would have been better if the author wrote more about Teddie Biggs and Little Mo's life before and after Kiki's time travel.  There is a little romance, I'm a bit touched by it - more like Somewhere In Time. Now I want to watch that movie again! 

About the book:

Home is not merely a place, but also a time.
Love calls neither master.


Kimberly Ann “Kiki” Kinsler is a twenty-one year-old college student excited to be returning home to Portland, Oregon for summer break and eager to see her family. 
Instead of the happy homecoming that she anticipates, Kiki’s world is upended by an unimaginable tragedy. Her parents and younger sister are dead, victims of Little Mo Biggs, a tragically accidental monster, himself a victim of profound parental neglect and abuse.
Kiki is also attacked and hospitalized but survives.
In the hospital, when all appears lost, she is given an opportunity to wipe away the nightmare, to un-do it, and correct the senseless tragedy. 


A second chance, a wonderful, improbable, and miraculous gift, that doesn’t come easily.
To reclaim her future, Kiki must first correct the injustices of Little Mo’s past, which only can be corrected at the root. 
In doing so, she learns that home is more than a place, it is also a time, and must confront the parallel challenges of life and love, past and present, in a love story with a foot in each world, 2012 and 1981.


The Do-Over is a novel of hope, love and second chances.
We all dream of a second chance.
The question is how far would you go for yours?

About the author:

It’s never too late to heed the call.
How I arrived at this conclusion is in itself a story.
After college I spent nearly three decades in the corporate world, working for big media on the publishing side.  All powerful, successful companies, headquartered in places like  New York, Burbank, and points in between.   My thing was marketing, advertising, sales management and general management.  In fairness, there were some very good years.


We had fun and did good work we were proud of.


But nothing lasts forever, and in the end, after one too many sales, mergers, and acquisitions, I walked away … having had about all the corporate fun I could stand, you might say.


Few thought the newspaper business, struggling and under siege, would ever recover.  Many branded it a dying industry and called it a dinosaur.


Still others said it was already dead.


There was no shortage of opinions, but three things were painfully clear and inarguably true:


Newspapers would never again have the near exclusive relationship they’d too often taken for granted with their readers.  At least not on the scale they’d enjoyed for so long.


Read more here
Author's Website

Movie Review: Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
IMDb


Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Writers: Seth Grahame-Smith (screenplay), Seth Grahame-Smith (novel)
Stars: Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell and Dominic Cooper

Synopsis:

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, discovers vampires are planning to take over the United States. He makes it his mission to eliminate them.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

My thoughts:

The first one I watched since moving back to the city! I was not aware of this until I saw the poster in one of the city trains. I was a bit hesitant because of the title. Abraham Lincoln, vampire hunter? Silly, right? My husband and I were thinking of watching Spiderman but somehow changed our minds when we saw that most people are choosing this movie over Spidey. 

The movie is based on a novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. Oh boy, I was really impressed with this. We left the theater at 12 midnight fully satisfied with the movie. I loved how the writer/author wove the story, incorporating vampirism in the Civil war. Imagine, the American Civil war with vampires? As for the characters - heroes, villains, vampires, you'll love them all! The stunts and special effects, both were nicely done. 

Overall, this is something different, trust me. The idea it presented is interesting, a fresh vampire movie for us all, vampire, vampire-hunter lovers. If you are also into history like me, this is a must watch movie for you.

Book Review: The Gods Among Us by D.C. Belton

The Gods Among Us
The Divine Masquerade Series 


Author: D.C. Belton
Paperback: 282 pages
Publisher: Flying Lion Press (August 8, 2011)
Amazon Link


Note: I received a review copy of this book free from the author, D.C. Belton. The review posted below is based on my personal thoughts while reading the book.

Ratings: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 


My Thoughts:


The Gods Among Us is the first book to the Divine Masquerade Series. The book tells the story of Pallas, a young slave girl. She hates the gods, especially Aegeia (Water Goddess) because she believes her mother died in the sea. One day, while strolling along the seashore where her mother died, she found a weird boat full of amazing gadgets, a talking cat and some dolphins that can understand her! The boat soon lands on the other side of the shore she's from and the people from Capro Bay thinks she's a child from Atlantis, a goddess that they should praise and protect. Pallas soon catches the attention of one of the gods - Mulciber, the Volcano god and now he wants to slay her. 


The first quarter of the book was a slow read. I also couldn't keep track of the names of all the gods and goddesses plus the human characters mentioned in the story. The pace picked up after Pallas was introduced. I liked Pallas - she's not a typical slave girl who whines at everything. She lost her mother at an early age and because of this, she became a brave and smart girl. I loved her relationship with her dear father. I loved Othello, the talking cat, my favorite character in the story. Othello's lines were funny, I tremendously enjoyed the story because of this character. I was also intrigued by why Aegeia and the other gods took notice of Pallas when she is just a slave girl. I was thinking maybe Pallas' parents did something bad to the gods or maybe her mother is a goddess too. I loved the book and can't wait to read the second book "Whom the Gods destroyed". A must read book for lovers of Greek mythology.  

About the book:

Could you forgive the goddess who drowned your mother, if forgiving her made you immortal? Pallas is a friendless teen from a backwater village on a forgotten shore. Born a slave like everyone around her, people hate her clothes, her parents…especially her strange name. Pallas doesn’t believe in the gods except to blame them for drowning her mother. But she’s forced to shelve her moody cynicism when she accidentally rescues an obnoxious cat. Suddenly a pawn in a celestial war, Pallas must do the unthinkable – champion the very goddess she hates. Masquerading as a mythic princess, she convinces everyone she’s a child of Atlantis. Jealousy hounds her at every turn as she battles vengeful fanatics, a boorish prince, and a stunningly beautiful princess. Yet nothing can save her from certain doom, when the Volcano god reaches out to slay her. For how can a mortal fight a god? D. C. Belton creates an emotional world as elegant as it is deadly: where mortals fall prey to passionate gods and a slave proves stronger than craven nobility. Visit Pallas at dcbelton.com!

About the author:

D. C. Belton was born in the Philippines to a submarine officer. He's lived in four different countries and visited more than fifty.


Dave earned a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Oklahoma. He flew as a Naval Aviator and then an Air Force pilot, fighting in the Lebanese Civil War, the Liberian Civil War, the Persian Gulf War, Operation Provide Comfort, and the Bosnian conflict.


When a friend's son died in a texting-while-driving accident, Dave campaigned for a law to prevent further tragedies. Appealing to state legislators for months, Dave came up with the novel idea of enlisting high school students to directly lobby state senators. Due to their efforts, as well as an aggressive television campaign, "Caleb's Law" was passed in Georgia in a just one year.


Dave's been married to his college sweetheart for over 23 years. He lives in Buckhead, Georgia on Lake Oconee with his ravishing wife and three beautiful children. He's currently an International pilot with Delta Air Lines and a Public Affairs officer in the United States Air Force Reserves. He's a banjo player, a thespian, and an elected politician (Morgan County Board of Education).