Thursday, March 14, 2019

Book Review and Contest - Casting Stones by Jay Beck

Jay Beck has continued writing about the fascinating adventures of political consultant, Mark Young, in his next book, “Casting Stones.” Set in Greece during the 1985 elections, the historical novel pits the United States against the Soviet Union in a battle over Greece’s future political economic soul.
The novel is set in the turbulent times of airline hijackings, terror bombing and assassinations. The Soviet KGB, Greek secret police and terrorists all conspire against Mark Young as he tries to win a national election while simultaneously rescuing the most valuable ancient sculpture ever created.
Mark is torn between the turmoil in Greece and a critical situation threatening to end his relationship with his girlfriend, Vicki back in Washington, D.C. All of these diverse threads come together in an unexpected and thrilling conclusion.
Buy on Amazon
Wow – this was an amazing book!!! Jay Beck does an amazing job of writing and can keep the reader totally engrossed in the story!!! This is a historical novel – so as well as being a good story, you might just learn a little history while you are at it!!! The story is set in Greece during the 1985 elections. The story is written in the perspective of Mark Young – who is a political consultant. The story tells a lot of the battle between the United States and the Soviet Union – in regards to the Greek election. I don’t write spoilers – BUT, I will warn you that once you get into this story, that you will have a hard time putting the book down until you reach the ending. (I would be awake all hours of the night reading!!)
By writing fiction, I’ve try to expand on my history and the events I have observed. I still have a long way to go in tapping into all of that rich material, particularly since politics and entertainment so often go hand in hand, as I hope I have demonstrated in my work. These will be exciting areas for me to investigate and discuss while I continue to write about them. As I mentioned earlier, the third book in the trilogy concerns the interactions between the campaigns and the time of history of Ross Perot, Bill Clinton, and George Bush, a vast political world for me to plumb. I have stories to tell.
Enter to win a paperback

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Book Review and Contest Nikki Loves Her Hair by Nailah Jones

Nikki is a young girl who loves everything about her natural hair. She loves all of the hairstyles she can do and matching with mommy and friends!
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Sue's Review -
Nikki Loves Her Hair is an awesome story!! Starting out, Nikki wants to look like her Mom and her friends. Then she finally realizes that she should just look like herself and be happy with her hair. While reading this book, I had a lot of thoughts about how my great niece loves her hair. How she never wants it cut or styled -- just want to wear it long and straight. I really think this is a wonderful book for young girls to read and learn that being themselves is a good thing!!!
Nailah Jones is a natural haired girl from Snellville, Georgia. After years of getting relaxers, she realized her natural hair better fit her identity and later decided to go back to her natural roots. She has now had locs for two
years and counting. Nailah thinks that it is important to let other natural girls in her community know how beautiful their natural hair is, so they never have to wonder!

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Review and Contest - Break Up! With your rental by COURTNEY POULOS

Break Up! With your rental by COURTNEY POULOS

Break Up! With Your Rental is the go-to primer for the professional woman who flirts with buying real estate, but doesn’t know where to start. Whether your taste is in investment, flipping, or buying to occupy, Break Up! With Your Rental will break down what to consider, how to plan your financing, and how to get over searching for THE ONE when there are so many fish in the sea! Read inspiring stories of women who started from scratch and built their wealth through creative real estate buying and selling, and imagine that is time for YOU to consider your next move! Break UP!
“COURTNEY POULOS, expert real estate broker, skillfully shows how linking the buying of real estate to dating can liberate you from culturally entrenched beliefs. Not only will you overcome all of these mental blocks by the end of this masterful book, but you will also learn a set of practical and applicable tools for your own journey into the world of real estate, whether you are interested in buying a place to live, rent out, or renovate and sell for a profit. You will also read the stories of numerous women, from a variety of different backgrounds, who have used real estate to improve their lives. This book, which I highly recommend, essentially shows how you can own a home all by yourself, build equity, and leverage it to create financial independence.” -J.J. Hebert, #1 Amazon Bestselling Author
Buy on Amazon / Audible
Book Review - 
OMG - this book was not what I was expecting but was filled with valuable information. Being a widow and deciding to sell my large home and purchase a garden home, this book seemed to make a lot of sense to me. Even though I wasn't breaking up with a rental -- it was inspiring and gives you a ton of practical information!!! I don't know that I would be investing in any other real estate at my age, but for someone who is younger than myself, it would be a good inspiration for moving forward and handling investments. Book is so full of useful information for investing in property.

BOOK HIGHLIGHTS

Break Up! With Your Rental: The Professional Woman’s Guide to Building Wealth Through Real Estate features real life examples of women who have taken control of their financial future.

 
The author 
Courtney J.E. Poulos is the broker/owner of ACME Real Estate, a design-savvy boutique brokerage focusing on brand marketing and real estate sales. She is a member of Forbes Real Estate Council, a repeat panelist at Inman Connect and Awesome Females in Real Estate, and is a panelist and emcee for the California Association of Realtors WomanUp!® Initiative. She recently was the host of FYI Network’s “My City’s Just Not That Into Me,” where she played real estate matchmaker with buyers and sellers nationwide. She has been selling real estate since 2005.
Courtney’s stated mission is to help women achieve financial independence through real estate investment. Her latest book, Break Up! With Your Rental: The Professional Woman’s Guide to Building Wealth through Real Estate, will be available nationwide in November 2018.
As co-founder of the Northeast Los Angeles Business Culture, Courtney brought together over 50 small business owners in a transforming neighborhood to create community and cross-promotional opportunities, applying social media marketing and outreach.
Courtney hails from the East Coast, graduated from University of Maryland at College Park’s esteemed Phillip Merrill College of Journalism with a degree in Journalism/Public Relations, and spent 9 years working in arts and entertainment public relations prior to entering real estate.
In her free time, she enjoys being a mama, maintains the brokerage website for design and real estate, www.acme-re.com, military-style workouts, singing karaoke at dive bars, and enjoying a nice glass of Malbec under twinkle lights.
Follow on Website Facebook / Instagram

Monday, March 4, 2019

Review and Contest - Heart of Gold by Stephen Ellis Natelson MD

Heart of Gold by Stephen Ellis Natelson MD

Heart of Gold by Stephen Ellis Natelson MD
This is the tale of an android who works for the NSA told in nine episodes. I have attempted to enhance the reader’s experience by presenting music, poetry, and interesting factual information in context.
Had I the technology, I would provide a button for the reader to push to hear the actual music, with the ability to turn it off or on at will. Instead, there are links to the web, where the music can be enjoyed for free.
Perhaps the whole project would work as a TV series or a film.
This is the first book that I have seen by Stephen Ellis Natelson MD. BUT, even though that was the case, it was still a great read!!! The story is about an android who works for the NSA. The way that the scenes are described make you feel like you are there witnessing it all. I also enjoyed the way that the music lyrics were inserted into the story - to where you could almost envision listening to the music while you are reading the story. I don't write spoilers - so you will just have to read it for yourself to see what happens!!! Once you get into this story, you will find it hard to stop reading until you reach the ending.

Monday, February 25, 2019

Blood Borne Series Book Review and Contest

REIGN DROPS (BLOODBORNE SERIES BOOK 1)

A simple Mayan girl. A powerful spirit. A bloodthirsty monster. All leading to a desperate quest.
When the Mayan calendar ended some people scoffed while others joked and a few waited for the end of the world. After living half her life apart from her native people, Dalia no longer believes in the supernatural and monstrous things that the final cycle predicted.
But unbelief is not protection.
Going home draws her into a fight against mythical creatures, limitless power and a battle for humanity’s survival. Can Dalia balance an outsider’s knowledge and tribal wisdom to give the world a fighting chance? Or will she choose to stay blind and let the world collapse around her?
Reign Drops is the first book in The Bloodborne Series, a saga of urban fantasy novels. If you like tenacious heroines, Mayan legends, and new twists on magical beasts, then you’ll love Chris Patt’s spellbinding series.

BUY 

WOW – this is the first book that I have read by Chris Patt – and I can honestly say that it won’t be the last!!! This author is definitely an awesome writer!! I love how the author starts off with explaining the details of the Mayan prophesy. Covering the details of the ancient prophecy about a coming war that is predicted to annihilate her people. Then when the story jumps to the modern day of when the prophecy comes to life. 

Dalia is the main character in regards to how the story is told. She was born in the jungle but was taken to a distant city and raised by nuns in a monastery for most of her life. When the prophecy is threatening to come true, Delia is suddenly called upon to return to the jungle and her family. 


When spiritual encounters start to make her realize that Dalia is the one chooses to save her people. I don’t write spoilers – so I will just say that you really need to read the book and find out what Delia does and how it all takes place!!! 


 I really loved this book and am looking forward to the next book of the series!!!

SUMMER SINKS (BLOODBORNE SERIES BOOK 2)

An adept student with a powerful mentor. A diabolical witch huntress . Two friends working to avert a tragic twist of fate.
Dalia and her dragon’s quest for the histories of magic and humanity, and a long lost dragon tribe, lead them to Texas. While building her magical reserves, and satiating the dragon’s need for knowledge, they stumble across a powerful hex.
A curse that could cost her everything she loves.
Battling an unknown enemy, Dalia wonders if she can find the answers before time runs out. Finding enemies close and new allies in unexpected places it comes down to a battle of magics. Will the more powerful witch retain the upper hand, building on her generations of training? Or will Dalai’s faith in others be the end of her?

BUY 



TEMPLE ORIGINS SHOW US HOW THE FATE SISTERS CAN TURN A PROMISE INTO CURSE. A CURSE THAT WILL LEAD TO THE BLOODBORNE LEGACY. FOLLOW ALONG AS WE TRACE THE PATH OF THE AMULET. DEATH SHOWS US THE WAY, AS ONLY HE CAN.


Chris Patt lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, three cats, two dogs and DJ the turtle. She writes as often as she can, but perhaps not as often as she should. According to the husband it is possible she reads too much.

Enter to win a $40 Amazon GC. Open to anyone that can receive an Amazon Gift Card.Click the book tour to enter to win.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Book Review and Contest - The Enigma Gamers – A CATS Tale (The Enigma Series Book 7) Audio Book and ebook

The Enigma Gamers – A CATS Tale (The Enigma Series Book 7) Audio Book and ebook

The Enigma Gamers – A CATS Tale (The Enigma Series Book 7)

Has today’s technology advanced to the point that the line between the real and cyber worlds has vanished? If so, will this unchecked digital landscape provide new social predators with opportunities to unleash terror and pain on unsuspecting victims, while avoiding detection from anywhere in the world? How does anyone find the culprits holding international cities, big businesses, air traffic, and even emergency systems hostage to terrifying digital ransom demands.
Julie and Juan’s cyber assassin technology services team are immersed in these outrageous cyber-crime events occurring at multiple locations around the world. The CATS team is the next generation of hunters in the find and fix contest of cyber warfare, unlike any seen to date. How will they prove that the of 21st century video game playing has evolved beyond the that simple after-school distraction for children? With Supercomputers, the adage ‘bigger toys for bigger boys’ takes on a whole new definition. These Gamers may be after far more than just points.
George, Ty, Ernesto, Mercedes, EZ, and even Juan—travel to and investigate their respective assignments where they find they are undermined by organization’s leadership unwilling to listen to reason, playing the part of victim. Tampering with automated processes, driven by today’s explosion of technology use, is only the beginning of the competitive nature of these players. Cyber bad guys always think they can’t be caught or stopped.
Award-winning authors, Breakfield and Burkey, take their fans into this grittier story of The Enigma Series to explore virtual hacking within our technology dependent world. Book 7 of the series, The Enigma Gamers, A CATS Tale, is focused on misguided technology using Julie and Juan’s talented and tenacious team of professionals committed to finding and punishing evil achievers in every corner of the real and virtual worlds.
You may find yourself trying to rewrite the ending to match how you see the world, or how it should be.

Kindle / Paperback Audio

 Sue's Book Review -
This is my first exposure to the Enigma Series book. I love the authors and I loved the story. I was a little confused at first, but within the first couple of chapters I was able to figure out what was happening. I really think that this book would have made for sense if I had read the whole series before starting this book – BUT, it still makes sense without doing that.

There are cyber bad guys who try to win a game using manipulation, stealth, and bullying. Then you have Juan and Julie’s cyber assassin technology services team who are trying to figure out who is causing the worldwide havoc. I don’t write spoilers – so, all I can say is you really need to read the book and discover what is happening and the consequences for yourself.

Once you start reading this, you will find it hard to stop until you reach the end. An amazing story!!! I was asked to read and give this book an honest review - and so glad that I did get to read it!!!
Award-winning authors, Breakfield and Burkey, take their fans into this grittier story of The Enigma series to explore virtual hacking within our technology dependent world. In book 7 of the series, *The Enigma Gamers*,
The CATS Team, led by Julie and Juan, is committed to avenging and administering justice to evil doers in every corner of the real and virtual worlds.


Enter to win 3 $20 Amazon GCs. Fill out the form below to enter.

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The Enigma Gamers
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Sunday, February 3, 2019

Book Review and Contest - Rise of Prophecy by Abdur R Mohammed

Rise of Prophecy by Abdur R Mohammed

Gods. War. Judgement Day. Novelist Abdur R Mohammed blends ancient myth, religious belief systems, and his deep imagination to create a fantastic new world on the pages of his fiction debut, Rise of Prophecy.
The Age of Virgo ends with an ancient Anuk prophecy looming over the world: peace ushers in prosperity; war brings annihilation. Prince Timon of Atlantis seeks the power of the Anuk star-people to conquer the world, but is challenged by the mysterious Liviana, who attempts to prevent the prophecy from unfolding. She is on a collision course with Alexius, a disgraced noble who inherits a secret from the gods. War is coming. Mortals and gods are in an epic power game in which strength, smarts, and allegiances are tested.

Buy on Amazon

Book Review by Sue -

This is the first book that I have read by Abdur R Mohammed. I'm impressed with the way that he is able to blend ancient myth, religious belief systems and a lot of imagination to create a fantastic new world.
When the Age of Virgo ends, then an ancient prophecy is looming over the world. The prophecy advises that peace ushers in prosperity and war brings annihilation. Such is the promise of the Anuk who came from the stars -- but the question is which will it be? Prince Timon of Atlantis seeks the power of the Anuk to conquer the world, but he is being challenged by the mysterious Liviana, who attempts to prevent the prophecy from unfolding. 

I don't write spoilers - so I will start by saying that you have to read the book to find out what happens. I found that once I starting reading that I got so engrossed that it was hard to stop reading until I finished the book!!!
Looking forward to reading the next book in the series!!!


About the Author Abdur R Mohammed is from New York City and currently lives in Virginia Beach, VA. He spent 13 years with the U.S. Navy, serving in F/A-18 fighter squadrons, and travelling the globe where his deep-seated curiosity about mythology and philosophy was further stimulated. Mohammed has degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology. He is working on Vol. 2 of The Anuk Chronicles while polishing up the screenplay for Vol. 1.
Enter to win one of three signed paperbacks from the author. Open to US residents
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Rise of Prophecy: The Anuk Chronicles: Vol. 1
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