#bookreaders – Page 9 – Rosepoint Publishing

The Final Frame by Harmony Reed – #BookReview – #PsychologicalLiteraryFiction

Book Blurb:

He sacrificed his family for ambition — but now they’re all he has left.

Cameron Parrish became Hollywood’s #1 action director by refusing to use AI-assist technology. Every film is a box office success, but neither fame nor fortune makes up for the fact that Cameron’s dying to make real cinema — an Oscar-worthy movie that will show the world he’s an auteur, not the clever hack that the critics make him out to be.

But mere hours after being greenlit for the film he knows he was born to shoot, director Cameron Parrish is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. There’s no treatment, and if he’s lucky, he might make it another year, but more likely, he’s got a few months left.

As word gets out about his illness, Cameron realizes he has no true friends. No real family either: his obsession with finding perfection behind the camera lens has long since alienated his ex-wife and his adult son.

Desperate to make his final days matter, he signs up for an experimental program that promises to help him discover the meaning of his life — and his death.

Accompanied by an artificial intelligence named Sofia, Cameron embarks on a bucket list journey — from the Maldives and Bhutan to Toledo and Morocco — designed to round out his unbalanced life and help him make peace with his impending death.

But what if it’s too late for Cameron to see the world through a new lens?

Eat, Pray, Love meets The Bucket List in this vibrant but poignant story exploring the possibility of second chances and the unexpected beauty of an imperfect life.

His Review:

Cameron Parrish is the premier director of films in Hollywood. Beyond the best in his own mind, he looked down his nose at anyone attempting to emulate him. After all, he had two Oscar-winning films to his credit. Everyone wanted to meet him and be involved in his next project.

But all of the fame in the world cannot overcome life’s cruel journey. Cameron is diagnosed with a very rampant stage 3 cancer which has no known cure. Yes, there are cures in the works but only signing up for experimental drugs may give him an opportunity for continued living. His doctor warns that the drug may cause side effects that will make his life worse than the disease itself. Cameron decides to forego the drug.

His final journey takes him to the far east where he makes the most out of every day he has left. His situation offers no future for any female unlucky enough to fall under his spell. The book is engaging and one cannot help but be sympathetic towards this total narcissist. Read and enjoy! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Psychological Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publisher: Sterling & Stone
ASIN: B0BWPDYX4Y
Print Length: 297 pages
Publication Date: March 22, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Harmony Reed writes revelatory stories about what it means to live, how we can become more fully human, and how we can shed the lies we’ve been living by and embrace our truth. Her fiction melds the large-scale with the deeply-personal, yielding insight into the human psyche and the world we all must move through. If you enjoy authors like Michael Chabon and Jodi Picoult, movies like Big Fish and Little Miss Sunshine, or shows like Orange is the New Black and This is Us, you’ll love Harmony Reed.

Have a good Weekend!

Hard Country by Reavis Z Wortham – #BookReview – #crimethriller

Book Blurb:

There is no peace in the hard country

Tucker Snow is as tough as they come, hardened by decades working as an undercover narcotics agent for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Through special dispensation from the governor, he and his brother Harley cut a wide swath through the criminal element of Northeast Texas. But tragedy comes calling after taking a dream job as a special ranger with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, when Tucker’s wife and toddler are killed in a horrific traffic accident caused by a drug addled felon. Close to breaking, Tucker sets his badge aside to move his surviving teenage daughter outside of Ganther Bluff, a quiet town with enough room for them to mourn their unexpected loss.

But peace doesn’t last long for a man like Tucker Snow. Instead of settling into small-town life to heal from such an unimaginable loss, a fresh kind of hell hits them with full force.

Crimes and secrets strangle this rural community, and when a new form of meth with the street name of gravel gets too close to home, it’s enough for Tucker to put his badge back on and call Harley for help. The town will ultimately be better off with him as a resident lawman, but this unforgiving landscape will threaten everything Tucker holds dear.

His Review:

Illegal drugs have hit every population in the world. Texas is no different and the law enforcement personnel in that state are charged with helping curb the epidemic. Riches can be made in drug dealing, however, and their primary goal is becoming rich. Human life means nothing to them.

Tucker and Harley Snow are agents swept up in trying to protect the public from these criminals. A new product enters the market with terrible social consequences, but dealers and distributors will kill to maintain their territory and income.

Tucker bought a beautiful spread in the panhandle and is settling in for a well-earned retirement. Since his wife and son were killed in a tragic car accident, he is left with his daughter Chloe on the ranch. His neighbor lives in a ratty mobile home and seems to have a very profitable business. He is not about to allow this lawman to come into his territory and destroy his enterprise.

This book is very well written and harkens back to some of the old Zane Grey’s westerns. The action is fast moving and at times very descriptive. The battle to control the effects on the American public of easily accessible drugs is similar to the wild west of a century earlier. Read and enjoy for there is never a dull moment. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Murder, Police Procedurals, Crime Thrillers, Westerns
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
ASIN: B0BK2KDJYS
Print Length: (paperback) 400 pages
Publication Date: August 1, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: As a boy, award-winning writer, Reavis Z. Wortham hunted and fished the river bottoms near Chicota, Texas, the inspiration for the fictional setting for The Rock Hole and The Red River Mystery Series. He was born in Paris, Texas, but lived in Dallas. “We grew up in the city and went to school there, but every Friday evening my parents put us in the car and made the 120-mile drive to Chicota, where we truly lived at my grandparents’ place in the country until Sunday evening, when we came back to the city. Our real home was that little scratch farm in Lamar County.”

Author Reavis Z. Wortham’s first novel, The Rock Hole, is described by Kirkus Reviews as “an unpretentious gem written to the hilt and harrowing in its unpredictability.” Kirkus also listed it as one of the “Top 12 Mysteries of 2011.”

[truncated]

Reavis also penned Doreen’s 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café. More than 2,500 newspaper and magazine articles bear the byline of this award-winning Texas writer. The Rock Hole was a finalist in the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award presented by the Independent Book Publishers Association, is a member of Mystery Writers of America, the Writers’ League of Texas, International Association of Crime Writers (North American Branch), and International Thriller Writers.

He lives with his wife, Shana, in northeast Texas.

Enjoy Your Sunday

Mainely Wicked by Matt Cost – #BookReview – Witch & Wizard Mysteries

A Goff Langdon Mainely Mystery Book

Book Blurb:

Langdon is hired to find a man who answered a classified ad and then disappeared into thin air. And then a second person vanishes. What starts as a couple of simple missing-person cases quickly spirals into a diabolical world of witches, wiccans, and wendigos.

“You ever hear of the Church of Satan?” Jewell asked. There was silence around the fire. The flames danced and flickered, casting shadows in the dark May night. Langdon took the bottle from Richam and poured himself another…

Bart, the dour but poetic cop, is back, even if demoted to a blue uniform. The dapper lawyer, Jimmy 4 by Four, is up to his regular philandering ways. Richam is hiding a secret from Jewell, and Chabal makes a new friend… And then goes missing.

What is going to happen during the Super Flower Blood Moon and who is the Wendigo? This time, Langdon might be too late to solve these mysteries before the blood flows…

His Review:

Langdon’s sidekick, Annie, is missing and he is intent on finding her. His investigation turns up a devil worship group call Wendigo. The group gathers young women for his sustenance.

Langdon is intent upon getting Annie back but is thwarted by the Devil’s followers.

Chabal accompanies Langdon on this quest. Investigating the “Wendigo Grotto of Satan” is pretty freaky. Can this intrepid duo find Annie in time?

This story is well out of my comfort zone and I found it distressing. Apparently a nod to the 600,000 who go missing every year, there were scenes and descriptions of practice that I found difficult to read. Devil worship is simply not my thing.

An unusual departure from the books I’ve read by this author before, this will be a one-off for me. You may enjoy it if you are a fan of the genre or familiar with the legend of the Wendigo. C E Williams 3.5 stars – CE Williams

I previously read Velma Gone Awry, a historical mystery, which was engaging and entertaining and I greatly enjoyed.

Many thanks to the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Three point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Witch & Wizard Mysteries, Private Investigator Mysteries
Publisher: Encircle Publications
ASIN: B0C4D86219
Print Length: 301 pages
Publication Date: August 9, 2023
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Matt Cost was a history major at Trinity College. He owned a mystery bookstore, a video store, and a gym, before serving a ten-year sentence as a junior high school teacher. In 2014 he was released and began writing. And that’s what he does. He writes histories and mysteries.

Cost has published four books in the Mainely Mystery series, with the fifth, “Mainely Wicked”, due out in August of 2023. He has also published four books in the Clay Wolfe Trap series, with the fifth, “Pirate Trap”, due out in December of 2023.

For historical novels, Cost has published “At Every Hazard” and its sequel, “Love in a Time of Hate”, as well as “I am Cuba”. In April of 2023, Cost will combine his love of histories and mysteries into a historical PI mystery set in 1923 Brooklyn, “Velma Gone Awry”.

Cost now lives in Brunswick, Maine, with his wife, Harper. There are four grown children: Brittany, Pearson, Miranda, and Ryan. A chocolate Lab and a basset hound round out the mix. He now spends his days at the computer, writing.

Have a Great Sunday

North of Nowhere: A Thriller by Allison Brennan – #BookReview – #crimethrillers

Book Blurb:

New York Times bestseller Allison Brennan’s latest standalone is an unputdownable race to the dramatic finish.

After five years in hiding from their murderous father, the day Kristen and Ryan McIntyre have been dreading has arrived: Boyd McIntyre, head of a Los Angeles crime family, has at last tracked his kids to a small Montana town and is minutes away from kidnapping them. They barely escape in a small plane, but gunfire hits the fuel line. The pilot, a man who has been raising them as his own, manages to crash land in the middle of the Montana wilderness. The siblings hike deep into the woods, searching desperately for safety—unaware of the severity of the approaching storm.

Boyd’s sister Ruby left Los Angeles for the Army years ago, cutting off contact in order to help keep her niece and nephew safe and free from the horrors of the McIntyre clan. So when she gets an emergency call that the plane has gone down with the kids inside, she drops everything to try save them.

As the storm builds, Ruby isn’t the only person looking for them. Boyd has hired an expert tracker to find and bring them home. And rancher Nick Lorenzo, who knows these mountains better than anyone and doesn’t understand why the kids are running, is on their trail too.

But there is a greater threat to Kristen and Ryan out there. More volatile than the incoming blizzard, more dangerous than the family they ran from or the natural predators they could encounter. Who finds them first could determine if they live or die. . .

His Review:

How dare Tony take Kristen and Ryan in his plane and attempt to get to Ennis, Montana! Their father, Boyd Mc Intyre, is not someone to be trifled with. Tony is trying to protect the children from their father and particularly their grandmother, who is a woman with no discernable sympathy or soul.

As Tony is taxiing the plane for takeoff a sharpshooter hits him but he is determined to rescue the two children. Then a second shot goes through the aircraft and lodges in Tony’s chest. Gravely wounded he crash lands the plane in Lost Lake. Wounded and unable to help the sixteen and ten-year-olds, they become his rescuers.

Boyd sets out to recover his two kids. The description of the difficulties and terrain is a breathtaking visual of the lovely Montana mountains. Kristen, the oldest, tries her best to save Tony!

This story explores the corruption and lawlessness of the very wealthy and their families. Boyd has no compunction about removing anyone who gets in his way. There is always a lot going on—numerous characters.

The conclusion to the story illuminates the thinking of absurdly rich people with no morals. I was both exasperated and aghast at the cruelty exhibited by this ludicrously rich family. 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Disaster Fiction, Military Thrillers, Crime Thrillers
Publisher: Minotaur Books
ASIN: B0B9KX9185
Publication Date: August 8, 2023
Print Length: 368 pages
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award winning author of three dozen thrillers and numerous short stories. She was nominated for Best Paperback Original Thriller by International Thriller Writers, had multiple nominations and two Daphne du Maurier Awards, and is a five-time RITA finalist for Best Romantic Suspense. Allison believes life is too short to be bored, so she had five kids and spends all her non-writing time as a sports spectator, chauffeur, and short-order cook for her munchkins. She has a dog, two cats, and three chickens. Allison and her family live in northern California.

Have a Great Sunday

Snapshot by Don Keith and George Wallace – #BookReview – #SeaStories

Rosepoint Publishing: Five Stars

(The Hunter Killer Series Book 8)

Book Blurb:

When an international crisis erupts in eastern Russia, the US Navy must race to avoid a nuclear apocalypse.

The Sea of Okhotsk north of the Japanese Home Islands is a cold and unforgiving place. Its icy, dark waters can change from a glass-smooth calm into a raging maelstrom in a heartbeat. The shores surrounding the sea, home to Siberian tigers and prowling wolf packs, are equally forbidding. Far from Mother Russia, beyond Siberia, it is a mostly forgotten land—even though it is the home of the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet.

It is here that the Children of the Gulags, descendants of Stalin’s infamous prison camps and long-time inhabitants of this harsh land, have slowly maneuvered into position. Their leaders are convinced they can now carve out and lay claim to a homeland of their own. But they must fan the flames of international tension among the Chinese, North Koreans, the Russians, NATO, and the Americans. Pitting them all against each other as the Children attempt to wrest away their new nation from Russia.

Thrust into a simmering conflict that threatens to spill over into nuclear Armageddon, head of US Naval Intelligence Admiral Jon Ward is faced with the impossible task of keeping the peace between nations. Forced into a game of intrigue and sinister political maneuvering, he must utilize the stealthy US submarines, SEALs, and other US assets to extinguish a conflict at the edge of the world—all while trying to give hope to an historically oppressed people in their own dreams of freedom.

Admiral Ward is about to face the toughest mission of his career..and one wrong move could ignite a nuclear war.

His Review:

The “Silent Service” utilizes vessels which ply the sea in secret. Clandestine voyages are essential for the security and safety of every country. Russia has a very sophisticated submarine service. Their equipment and ships are comparable to the United States in many respects. This novel touches upon these services.

The Sea of Okhotsk is considered by Russia to be within their sovereign territory. The United States maintains the 12 mile limit and considers any water beyond the 12 mile limit of any country to be international waters. Russia considers their limit to be 150 miles from their shores. The above-mentioned sea is totally surrounded by Russian lands and is therefore considered part of Mother Russia. Our submarines go into these waters often to monitor our potential enemy.

Henrietta Foster is the Commander of the submarine Gato which routinely enters this sea to protect U.S. interests and to monitor Russian shipping. Russia is not happy about this event. Gato wants to identify some of the more modern anti-submarine warfare systems aboard the Russian submarines. Acoustical equipment can identify most ships around the world by the sounds of the machinery and equipment on the craft.

The Seventh Fleet sends in a task force to test the responses of the Russians. The potential for catastrophic responses by both sides is always a factor. These writers illuminate the problem very well and the novel presents the ever-present danger. I found this book intriguing and exciting as the situation unfolded. I recommend it to anyone interested in world affairs and naval tactics. 5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Book Details:

Genre: Sea Stories, War & Military Action Fiction, War Fiction
Publisher: Severn River Publishing
ASIN: B0B1F79QP1
Print Length: 345 pages
Publication Date: May 16, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Authors: [Don Keith] For a complete bio and a list of Don’s books, visit http://www.donkeith.com. Join Don’s mailing list for bonus content and HUNTER KILLER SERIES book updates: https://bit.ly/3otCajd Click FOLLOW for instant notification of new releases. Or visit http://www.wallace-keith.com

Award-winning and best-selling author Don Keith has lived in the South all his life and is a graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Broadcast and Film. As a broadcast journalist, he won awards from the Associated Press and United Press International for news writing and reporting and was also the first winner of Troy University’s Hector Award for innovation in broadcast journalism. As an on-the-air broadcaster, Don was twice named Billboard Magazine “Radio Personality of the Year.” His first novel, THE FOREVER SEASON, received the Alabama Library Association’s “Fiction of the Year” award. He has since published more than thirty-five books, fiction and non-fiction, including several nationally best-selling thrillers. One of them, FIRING POINT, was the basis for the hit motion picture HUNTER KILLER, starring Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman.

His writing has also appeared in such publications as The Washington Post, CQ Magazine, The American Legion Magazine, The K9YA Telegraph, and The Irish Times. He has also appeared on scores of TV shows from Fox Nation to Blaze TV to CSPAN’s “Book TV.” He is also a partner in a film production company, Fig Tree Media Group, and was writer and producer of the documentary COLORS OF CHARACTER, based on his biography, DREAM ON. He also has written several scripts and has other projects in various stages of pre-production for movies and television.

Don frequently conducts seminars and writing workshops around the country and is an in-demand public speaker.

Among other topics, Don has written extensively about World War II history. He sponsors the UNTOLD MILLIONS Project, an effort to encourage the capture and publication of eyewitness accounts of major historical events such as the Great Depression, World War II and other wars, the space program, the Civil Rights struggle, and more. The project web site is http://www.untoldmillions.net.

Don lives in Indian Springs Village, Alabama, with his wife, Charlene. Contact him at don@donkeith.com. Don’s web site is www.donkeith.com.

George Wallace [Goodreads] Born and raised in Eastern Ohio, Commander Wallace received his commission in the US Navy and a degree in engineering from The Ohio State University. After the obligatory and memorable interview with Admiral Rickover, he was accepted into the nuclear power and submarine communities. He served on two of Admiral Rickover’s famous “Forty One for Freedom”, the USS John Adams SSBN 620 and the USS Woodrow Wilson SSBN 624, during which time he made nine one-hundred-day deterrent patrols through the height of the Cold War.

Commander Wallace served as Executive Officer on the Sturgeon class nuclear attack submarine Spadefish. Spadefish and all her sisters were decommissioned during the downsizing that occurred in the 1990′s. The passing of that great ship served as the inspiration for “Final Bearing.”

Commander Wallace then commanded the Los Angeles class nuclear attack submarine USS Houston SSN 713 from February 1990 to August 1992. During this tour of duty he worked extensively with the SEAL community developing SEAL/submarine tactics. Under his command, the Houston was awarded the CIA Meritorious Unit Citation.

Commander George Wallace retired to the civilian business world in 1995, after twenty-two years of service on nuclear submarines.

Commander Wallace lives with his wife, Penny, in Alexandria, Virginia.

Happy Mother's Day

You Can Trust Me by Wendy Heard – #BookReview – #psychologicalthrillers

Book Blurb:

Summer and Leo would do anything for each other. Inspired by the way each has had to carve her place in a hostile and unforgiving world, and united by the call of the open road, they travel around sunny California in Summer’s tricked-out Land Cruiser. It’s not a glamorous life, but it gives them the freedom they crave from the painful pasts they’ve left behind. But even free spirits have bills to pay. Luckily, Summer is a skilled pickpocket, a small-time thief, and a con artist—and Leo, determined to pay her own way, has learned a trick or two.

Eager for a big score, Leo catches in her crosshairs Michael Forrester, a self-made billionaire and philanthropist. When her charm wins him over, Leo is rewarded with an invitation to his private island off the California coastline for a night of fabulous excess. She eagerly anticipates returning with photos that can be sold to the paparazzi, jewelry that can be liquidated, and endless stories to share with Summer.

Instead, Leo disappears.

On her own for the first time in years, Summer decides to infiltrate Michael’s island and find out what really happened. But when she arrives, no one has seen Leo—she’s not on the island as far as they know. Plus, there was only one way on the island—and no way off—for the coming days. Trapped in a scheme she helped initiate, could Summer have met her match?

His Review:

What entertainment can a billionaire not afford? Michael is very handsome and his blue eyes bewitch young women. Leo is immediately smitten and follows him to his island retreat. Summer, her best friend, wonders what happened to this free spirit and discovers that Leo may have gone to the recluses’ island.

Leo is honored and thrilled that Michael would choose her to go to his island retreat and offer to paint her portrait. His wall is filled with smiling, lovely young ladies. Summer, however, is not convinced that this is a good idea. Her best friend is now incommunicado and she goes to the island to find her friend.

Javier is fiercely loyal to Michael and will protect him with his life. All of the ladies who visit Michael on the island are approved by Javier as there is a danger and potential loss of livelihood if Michael’s secrets are revealed. Summer coming to the island without a real invitation is clearly troubling!

Wendy Heard has developed a fluid and frightening tale of intrigue and suspense off the California coast. The primary lesson of this tale is: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Enjoy the narrative and its’ myriad twists. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Women’s Psychological Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Psychological Thrillers
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN-10: ‎ 0593599314
ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0593599310
ASIN: B0BF8PYCMX
Print Length: 304 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Wendy Heard is the author of acclaimed suspense and thrillers for adults and teens, including THE KILL CLUB, SHE’S TOO PRETTY TO BURN, and DEAD END GIRLS. Wendy has spent most of her life in Los Angeles, California, which is on fire more than she would honestly prefer, and can often be found haunting local hiking trails and bookstores. She loves all things vintage and has a collection of thrillers and adventure books from the 80s. You can access free short stories and an interactive fiction game through her newsletter at www.wendyheard.com.

Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @wendydheard

Enjoy your day

Reaping the Whirlwind by Rosey Dow – #BookReview – #ChristianHistoricalFiction

Book Blurb:

No one suspects foul play when an old recluse dies behind locked doors.

The doctor claims the old woman’s heart gave out, and Deputy Sheriff Trent Tyson doesn’t give the case another thought until the medical examiner finds poison.

This death is just one in a series of unusual deaths happening in Tyson’s quiet town, which takes the deputy sheriff on the hunt for answers while the rest of the town is caught up in local hysteria, starstruck by visiting celebrities William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. Within a week, Deputy Sheriff Trent Tyson is on the tenuous trail of a serial killer who snuffs out the unwanted, the disabled—the most helpless and lovable—without reason and with no mercy.

Reaping the Whirlwind is a historical mystery set during the real events of the Scopes evolution trial in 1925 Dayton, Tennessee. The mystery weaves through trial events in an accurate portrayal of this pivotal case that forever changed the U.S. education system.

His Review:

Dayton has always been a small town devoid of any fame, but the city wants to be famous so they decide to set up one of their teachers to take the fall. He is arrested for teaching The Theory of Evolution as opposed to Creation as the source of human kind. This radical teaching will not stand in this small Tennessee enclave of Christianity.

The case attracts two of the most famous jurists of the early 20^th century; Charles Darwin and William Jennings Bryant. Newspapers from all over the country begin to sensationalize the trial and the notoriety. The local deputy constable/detective, Tyson, is assigned the case.

Because Bryant and Darwin are coming to town every possible domicile is let. The small town becomes notorious. Meanwhile, some young people are mysteriously dying of poisoning. Between keeping order at the courthouse and trying to solve the cases of murder Tyson has his hands full. Being a single parent, his first obligation must be to his disabled daughter, Lori.

The author weaves a very intricate fabric of suspense into the story. Everyone involved is extremely careful with the town’s young people and yet they keep dying! Guarding the courthouse and maintaining order in this small town becomes a very challenging task. Can Tyson solve the murders and foil the culprit? This is a fun and intricate story and plot line. Enjoy! 4 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to Lana McAra and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Religious Historical Fiction, Historical Mysteries
Publisher: Morgan James Fiction
ASIN: B0BT141GD6
Print Length: 378 pages
Publication Date: June 13, 2023
Source: Author and Publisher

Title Link(s):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Rosey Dow is the pen name of Lana McAra, an award-winning, international best-selling author and ghostwriter of more than 40 titles with a million books sold, including three cookbooks. An author via traditional publishing with Barbour Publishing and WinePress Publishing for 25 years, she has been editing and ghostwriting for more than 20 years, working for WinePress Publishing as well as Author One Stop and individual clients.

She won the national Christy Award for Reaping the Whirlwind in 2001, and her historical cozy mystery series, Colorado, sold more than 250,000 copies. Her titles have appeared around the world in bookstores and libraries in regular print, large print editions and audiobooks. She also has several journals and other titles under the name This Girl Loves Paper.

Originally from Delaware, she lived on the tiny Caribbean island of Grenada for 14 years and now resides in North Florida.

Enjoy Your Sunday!

The Remarkable Wisdoms and Bizarre Tales of Tennison Hawk by Michael Reisig – #BookReview – #satirefiction

Book Blurb:

A BIZARRE AMALGAM OF TRUTH AND HUMOR …
What you are about to read is not a novel, but more of a collection of insight – social, slightly political, humorous, and most of all, honest. It’s also inclined to make you open your eyes and nod your head with a sage grin, as genuine perception strikes you between the eyes. And by the way, it’s funny as hell in a number of places.
I mean choke on your own spit funny…
My good friend, the late Mr. Tennison Hawk, possessed a bizarre sense of humor and a powerful social and political insight, all of which were extraordinarily refreshing. Those who have never gambled, never sought the reckless truth, or never laughed until snot ran out of their noses, probably won’t get him. But if you lean toward honesty at any price, and you tend to appreciate an occasional ribald, gutsy story, you’re definitely going to like this.
Basically this book will make you laugh your ass off while digging out nuggets of truth that you either didn’t know or refused to admit. It’s not politically correct in very many places, but it’s honest. Now, I’ve been told that this short but relatively enjoyable collection goes well with a couple of cold beers or a glass or two of wine. So… go get that bottle of wine, or that six-pack, settle into your favorite chair, and set off on an adventure of knowledge and humor. If you open your mind while you open your eyes you might just stumble into some of the hiding places of real honesty, and insight.
And after you’ve absorbed these bits of wisdom, many people will think you’re smarter than you actually are…

[NOTE: From the equally remarkable author, Michael Reisig, comes this emotive tribute to his buddy–always a hero to those around him and then the young girl being harassed in Chicago one recent night. He was on his way back from a meeting with his editor (which ran late) when he confronted the two thugs harassing her and in the course of the struggle became their victim. A sharp departure from Reisig’s successful The Road to Key West adventure series, this is the most controversial book by Reisig to date. I loaned my copy to the CE who offers his thoughts below mine.]

My Review:

It is sometimes difficult to separate the tenets of Tennison from the pearlescent pearls of Reisig as they blend beautifully in this compendium of social, political, and philosophical nuggets.

Rather than friends, these two might have been joined at the hip as they shoot satirical and powerful, often humorous, philosophical insights into the current state of just about everything including “Automated Assistance” (doncha just love it). There is brutal, naked honesty here. The crushing dread felt deep in your soul at the situation of our country is coupled with laid-back often obvious suggestions for easy solutions.

I loved the tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians shared that says, “When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount.”

It’s a short and easy read punctuated with comic relief and spoonfuls of wisdom. As “Mark Twain said: Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of congress; but I repeat myself.” 5 stars – V Williams

His Review:

This compendium of the short tales of Tennison Hawk illuminates the frustration and disenfranchising of America! A majority of Americans are now being characterized as the root of all things evil in this country.

Some areas appear to have contradictions within their own neighborhoods, often preying on each other! It has always seemed endemic in every society to blame others for the misfortunes of some. Whether the social and educational opportunities exist or not—many are not considered offered at all.

Whether lack of desire or incentive, it appears that many times illicit activities offer a much quicker and more lucrative reward than hard work and diligence.

I appreciate that the work of Tennison Hawk made available through the efforts of Michael Reisig, expounded on the disparity in biting and often humorous terms. Hopefully, this book will help to illuminate in folk and satirical easy-to-swallow doses many of the problems that have a strangle hold on our society. 4.5 stars – CE Williams

We bought a copy of this book shortly after release that in no way influenced this review. These are our honest thoughts. Recommended.

Book Details:

Genre: American Humorous Fiction, Satire Fiction, Short Stories Anthologies
Publisher: Clear Creek Press
ASIN: B0BY5P96T5
Print Length: 159 pages
Publication Date: March 10, 2023
Source: Purchase

Title Link:

The Remarkable Wisdoms and Bizarre Tales of Tennison Hawk [Amazon]

The Author: Michael Reisig has been writing professionally for 20 years. He is a former Caribbean adventurer turned newspaper editor, award-winning columnist, and best-selling novelist.

After high school and college in Florida, he relocated to the Florida Keys. He established a commercial diving business, got his pilot’s license, and traveled extensively throughout the southern hemisphere, diving, treasure hunting, and adventuring.

Reisig claims he has been thrown out of more countries in the Caribbean Basin that most people ever visit, and he admits that a great many of the situations and the characters in his novels are authentic – but nothing makes a great read like experience…

He now lives in the mountains of Arkansas, where he hunts and fishes, and writes, but he still escapes to the Caribbean for an occasional adventure.

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