Book Review - The Freedman and the Pharaoh's Staff by Lane Heymont

A story mixed with history and magic


This novel hits on some wonderful and very intricate ideas, settings and plot elements. Opening during the years of Reconstruction in Louisiana with elements of voodoo within the culture, around 1870, the characters of Jeb and Crispus live a very claustrophobic life, not accepted by wider society, encountering the Klan who want to lynch just about any black person and some whites who are friendly but from arms length. Also tied up in the plot are Federal soldiers. The Klan is technically illegal, and the novel contains very graphic depictions of lynching and cruelty.

Crispus steals a map from the Klan which leads to an ancient Egyptian relic known as the Pharaoh's Staff. A general with the Federal troops learns about the search for the Pharaoh's staff and knows the person opening The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jeb and Cripus end up going to New York where they encounter white people who are as they describe them "ruder" but not as "cruel". There they meet the general's acquaintance who leads them further to finding out the nature of the Pharoaoh's Staff.

Fast forward to the future of the 1940s and Nazi Germany has developed a time machine with which they send an agent named Zelig back in time to also search for the Pharaoh's Staff.

Voodoo, Nazi's and the occupied South make this a fun and thrilling, speculative fiction adventure which lacked only in some details about the settings that kept the story from being truly vibrant.

LINK: The Freedman and the Pharaoh's Staff by Lane Heymont

Book Review - A Diary of Greed and Lust (Julie's Passion) by Elia Mirca

A full depth erotic novel

Always wary of the older man younger woman motif, I began "A Diary of Greed" with some skepticism. Not very helpful were the "50 Shades of Grey" comparisons, which is a comparison that gets thrown around about many novels. I understand the reason is because the book was so popular, but really "50 Shades" is to erotic fiction what Gilligan's Island is to shipwreck movies. It just isn't that good.

I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the character of Julie, at the verisimilitude of the plot and the explicitness of the sex. As someone who knows all the pseudonyms Dean Koontz once wrote dirty books under, my erotic fiction connoisseur credentials are intact. This is one of the better erotic books you'll read. Line up for Julie like the men do at the . . . . oh well, just read the book.

LINK: A Diary of Greed and Lust (Julie's Passion) by Elia Mirca

Book Review - 16 Powerful Stress Management Techniques You Need To Know About : Master The Emotions That Are Blocking You From Success by Daniel Rosenstein

This book focuses on the primary forms of neuro reprogramming which can alter thought patterns and stress. I have seen the techniques work on others who have come from a background of struggle that instill a sense of "can't ever get what I want, and I don't deserve it". Even though only half-way struggled with that kind of background, the techniques, in a sort of self mashed was, were helpful to me many years ago.

The book covers the techniques in enough detail that the reader can pick out the ones which fit best for his or her own needs or beliefs.

LINK: 16 Powerful Stress Management Techniques . . . by Daniel Rosenstein

Book Review - Joy: A Treasure Protector Story by Julian T. Nichols

A great story for girls about the source of beauty

Another addition to the family kindle library. If only all daughters could have a dream like this and in one night realize the internal source of beauty, dads would end up getting yelled at a lot less during those years in which a girl gets used to a world which judges harshly and superficially. But of course it's not all about me.

So get this book, and any other you find on the same theme, read, rinse and repeat.  

LINK: Joy: A Treasure Protector Story by Julian T. Nichols

Book Review - Poem For Children: "Why Was Mary Scary?" by Dan Laufer

A poem about overcoming fear and being true to yourself

Sweet (oh the pun) medium length poem about trying to get to the gnome who gives out chocolate to any child brave enough to go through the dark cloud on the way up. My daughter loved the poem, and how Mary went to each animal for help, and the animals were true to their form in the help they offered. So will Mary brave the hill in the end?

I'm not going to give it away. I'll just say this is an honest and well written poem with some decent art. Well worth a buck and a bedtime read.

LINK: Book Review of Why Was Mary Scary by Dan Laufer

Book Review - 60 Ways To Make Money Fast by Jill Golden

Need cash today, get this book

 No BS. This is one of those rare money-making books that has realistic ideas. Most books like this cover areas that promise big riches like MLM, or affiliate marketing. But this book covers places where you can quickly and immediately bring in small amounts of money fast. If you need money this week and you're out of ideas, this is the book to get.

LINK:  60 Ways To Make Money Fast by Jill Golden

Book Review of Expiration Dating by G. T. Marie

Entertaining and funny novel

One of the best characteristics of American writing is it's detached humor, especially when aimed at an young American's experience in Europe. G. T. Marie has written a funny novel about the experiences of young woman going to school in Italy and finding as much out about life, dating and people as she can.

Similar in style to Sophie Kinsella, the novel has great characters in Dana, her teacher who barely speaks English, and the model who is starting a shoe line. It combines for a very funny story about exceptions and reality on a romantic adventure.

LINK: Expiration Dating by G. T. Marie 

Book Review - The Hitwoman Gets Lucky (Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman) by JB Lynn

Wonderfully funny and ironic

Well you think you got problems. This very very funny novel puts a spin on killing for the ones you love. Maggie is a totally nuts woman who hates her day job and has a night one as a hit woman, and she talks to her pet lizard now that she has hit her head in an accident.

This book is hysterical and her friend weird friend Armani is great. In contrast everyone has a stronger personality than the killer. This book is a great mix of humor, characters and plot and very well written. Get it while's it free but it's sell worth more than the usual Kindle buck or two.

LINK: The Hitwoman Gets Lucky (Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman) by JB Lynn

Book Review - Shades of Terror by Larry A. Levitan

 Wow! This is the political thriller to read this month

This novel is a superior political thriller. Agent John Kramer is a character torn apart personally by 9/11, and yet he maintains a moral code about what kind of line-in-the-sand to draw in regards to how he treats terrorist suspects and operatives. In a counter terrorism campaign he hooks up with Mossad agents who, on the other hand, seem like something out of the Transporter series of movies. Kill early, kill often.

There is an intense scene a little more than halfway through the book where Agent Kramer is with the Mossad agents and they have captured several operatives, including low-level support operatives . . . merciless. And Kramer moves a little further in a transformation of morals, ideals and codes.

This is one of the most realistic novels I've read on the internal struggles of being someone dealing with stopping terrorism, with lots of stuff at your disposal to stop it with, and just what that does to the mind, and the ambiguity of morals and values it causes.

In my usual evaluation of whether the Kindle version is worth more than a buck, asking the following questions 1) Did I struggle with language and syntax? 2) Were the characters someone I'd meet on the street or a cardboard stand I'd run into at the grocery store? 3) Did I feel I had a better grasp of the plot than the writer? 4) Would I have rather bought a candy-bar across the street at 7-11?

This one shines on 1-4, running on all cylinders. It's fully worth $6.99, and I'd pass up a bottle of Zachary Boone for it too.

LINK:  Shades of Terror by Larry A. Levitan

Book Review - Beautifully Absurd by Robert Ashley M.D.

Puts its story above it's lessons, but the points still hit home

Even though this book is supposed to prod people into preparing for end of life scare, or at least educating them on the issue. Didactic elements aside, this is a good story. Yes, it makes its points about ending up in a situation where you cannot a) communicate your wishes, and b) want to connect with a family member but not sure how that will effect your care because you've been estranged from that person (in this case the protagonist's son) and the family member may be put in a position of making decisions for you. It's a problem that could occur a thousand ways.

The doctor who wrote this book tells a complex character story about guy named Paul and the events in his life that shaped him and his decisions. As a story, aside from its theme, it's a very good slice of life tale about the 1960s and 1970s with exploration of the usual themes of Vietnam, divorce, alienation from society and an aversion to responsibility. In other words, even if you have your end of life care stuff straight, read it if you want a good story.

LINK: Beautifully Absurd by Robert Ashley M.D.