Review :: 2024: A History of the Future | Chris Oswald

Title: 2024: A History of the Future

Author: Chris Oswald

Publisher: Newmore Publishing

Year: 2017 (2^nd edition)

Synopsis:
Something had to change.
Someone had to lead that change.
But was he up to the task?
George was an intellectual, a journalist, a writer: more theory than practice. Could he lead the country to a new beginning?
Someone had to stand up to the tyranny, the controlling force that had crept up to overtake their lives. Someone who could espouse the principles they all believed in.
But George had always been on the sidelines, involved but not committed. A product of the establishment but not a driving force.
Until now. Until he made the ultimate decision. A decision that would dramatically alter the fate of their country.
Britain was a sorry state; controlled, whittled down, oppressed and depressed.
Until now.
2024: A History of the Future is an engaging tale of the struggle to make change to a nation and to all those involved. Both historical novel and political thriller, it will take you into the future and back into the past, tying the two together in one story. One drama to fashion our future.
Through the Past.

Review:
Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the reading of this book as much as I thought I would. Its subject is really interesting and was very well written, but I took too many time reading the book and, somehow, it didn't get me.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed some aspects, mostly when it talked about History (the Second World War, in this case). I liked the link between the past and the present, which is very important for the History of the future.

We are a product of what came before us.

I also liked the fact that the book has a lot of inspiring quotes, such as the incitement for people to change something when it's needed. In this story, the country was struggling with political problems, and the power to solve them could be in everybody's hands. Of course that this advice fits in many issues of our lives... and that's even better. 🙂
To sum up, the book is good but didn't catch me. Maybe if I read it later, I could enjoy it a bit more.
I must thank once more the author for sending me a copy. I wish all the best for your career and your life!

Review :: Carson | Melissa Foster

Title: Carson (Bad Boys After Dark)
Author: Melissa Foster
Publisher: World Literary Press
Year: 2017

Synopsis:
Second chances really do exist...
As the founder of a multimillion-dollar international security business, Carson Bad exposes secrets for a living. He knows better than to forge relationships built on them. But for years he did just that with his best friend, and secret lover, Tawny Bishop. She brought a sense of calm and understanding to his life—in and out of the bedroom. Until one fateful night when a knock at the door changed everything.
Tawny is no longer a naive college student. She’s a sought-after perfumer living in Paris. She has plenty of resources at her fingertips, and lots of lonely nights to think about the only man she’s ever loved—the one she ran away from all those years ago. She needs to move forward with her life, but how can she when Carson still owns her heart?
Maybe showing up in the middle of the night unannounced isn’t the best route to unraveling the past and figuring out her future, but Tawny has played it safe for ten long years, and it's only made her long for the man she never should have walked away from. Now she's back in Carson’s life, and he’s determined not to make the same mistake twice. If only he knew what that mistake was.

Review:
This book belongs to a series of erotic novels and when I started reading it, I decided not to create high expectations, once the last erotic book I read was a bit disappointing. However, I found this story much more interesting than I could imagine.
The story is all about Carson Bad and Tawny Bishop. They've had a romance when they were college students but life pulled them apart, even if they did not forget each other. Thus, after so many years, they meet again and relive their hot romance, while they fight against some ghosts and unsolved problems from the past.
I loved discovering Carson and Tawny's personalities, as their life as a couple. The story is full of love and sex, with a lot of erotic descriptions; although they are pretty detailed, I didn't find them obcene or nasty. Also, I think the novel has good content and talks about nowadays' important issues.
I enjoyed very much the author's writing, which was informal, fun and very rich. What I appreciated the most was the fullness of adjectives, mostly referred to the sense of smell, once Tawny is a perfumer and that is her most particular sense.
In the end, this story might seem to be a cliché happy ever after, but I loved it anyway. I think I'd love to read the other series' books or even more about this couple!

Review :: Jais | Jason Kasper

Title: Jais (David Rivers Series #1)

Author: Jason Kasper

Publisher: Jason Kasper

Year: 2016

Synopsis:
Welcome to the war.
David Rivers returns from combat to find the silence of peace deafening. Escaping into the thrill of BASE jumping keeps a darkness growing within him at bay, until a discharge from military service pushes him over the edge.
After brutally settling his final score, David is confronted by three men who emerge from the shadows, having watched unseen as he committed ruthless, cold-blooded murder.
Now, they want him to do it again.
David undertakes the single most dangerous assignment of his life, earning admission into the dark underworld of ex-special operators for hire and plunging headlong into a new war, where victory is defined by profit and the rules are set by the highest bidder.
But as the stakes - and the payoff - continue to rise, his pursuit of the impossible is turning into a battle for survival, and David must confront the growing realization that his greatest enemy may not be within after all. 
Jais, the debut novel by Jason Kasper, is the first book in the David Rivers Series.

Review/opinion:
I won this book on Goodreads and, in return, I must write a honest review of it.
First, I must say that this is not my favorite book genre at all. Perhaps, that's why I didn't like it as much as I wanted, because I always make an effort to enjoy every book I read.
This is a book about war. So, most of the excerpts are violent, heavy and sometimes the descriptions are quite explicit. While reading these parts, I felt a bit uncomfortable and now and then I didn't pay much attention on it.
Besides that, I found other things much more interesting about the story related to the main character, David Rivers, such as his problems and struggles in life. He writes about them and through it we can see how psychologically damaged he is. Thus, the depression and suicide issues are very present here.
Sometimes, romantic excerpts appear and, for me, as a romance fan, those are the best parts, although they are few and not as developed as I'd enjoyed. Anyway, this is not a romance book!
Final thoughts: my personal taste didn't allow me to enjoy very much the story but I didn't totally disliked: it was OK. I think it is a good book for thriller lovers because of its adrenaline.
The author's way of writing is appropriate for this type of story, which is a good aspect.
Once more, I must thank the author for the opportunity to read this book and I wish all the best for his career!

Review :: Logos | John Neeleman

Title: Logos: a novel of Christianity's origin

Author: John Neeleman

Publisher: Homebound Publications

Year: 2015

Synopsis:
Logos is a bildungsroman about the anonymous author of the original Gospel, set amid the kaleidoscopic mingling of ancient cultures.
In A.D. 66, Jacob is one of Jerusalem's privileged Greco-Roman Jews. When Roman soldiers murder his parents and his beloved sister disappears in a pogrom led by the Roman procurator, he joins Israel's rebellion against Rome. The rebellion he helps to foment leads to more tragedy - personal and, ultimately, cosmic: Jacob's wife and son perish in Rome's siege of Jerusalem, and the Romans destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, and finally extinguish Israel at Masada. Jacob wanders, and in Rome, he joins other dissidents - plotting vengeance not by arms, but by the power of an idea.
Paul of Tarsus, Josephus, the keepers of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the historical Jesus himself each play a role in Jacob's tumultuous fortunes, but the women who have loved him compel the transforming and subversive climax.

Review:
Just out of curiosity, I started reading this book the day before Easter and I was quite curious about its content: not only due to the paschal feasts in which I was envolved (and the similar ones I found on the book), but also because I had never read a religious book, not even a fictional one, before.
In Logos, we find the story of Jacob, a Jew who struggles with a lot of personal problems and, at the same time, joins the Israel's rebellion that wants to save the city of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple from the Romans. However, it all ends destroyed and he finds himself lost. Along the reading, we discover his unexpected destiny.
This book is not an easy book: the writing is heavy, mostly when we read the descriptions of the wars, the worship rituals and sacrifices and sometimes the sexual episodes. The first part of the book was the hardest for me: now and then I lost my attention on it. Nevertheless, there are also many descriptions of the places where Jacob was: all of them reminded me of those movies that we see on TV on Easter day. Also, the story has its own romantic vein, which was very agreeable.
The end of the book was unexpected for me and I liked the origin of this new religion: Christianity. In the end, I understood the relation between the whole Jacob's life and the story told on his writings, The Gospel. This gave me a better idea of this book.
I must say it was a really tough reading, but I enjoyed very much.

Review :: My Name Is Tiarra | Mimi Marten

Title: My Name Is Tiarra

Author: Mimi Marten

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Year: 2016

Synopsis:
Tiarra Simon comes from an impressive international family of diplomats. She now lives a comfortable and somewhat routine life as a soccer mom on the island of Maui. But that changes when she, and Reese Martinez, youth soccer coach, arrive to London for a meeting with Alexei Ibramovich, the powerful, intimidating, and rich owner of the Chelsea United Football Club.
Coming to secure an endowment and coaching assistance for soccer youth on Maui, she quickly realizes that much more is at play. Alexei is as mysterious and dark as his past seems to suggest. From the moment they meet, there is electricity in the air and they both feel the magnetism. Alexei is overwhelmed by Tiarra, but he doesn’t know what to do with his feelings for her or even with the woman herself.
Tiarra’s family is at the heart of everything she does. Her husband Sergio, who himself comes from an international and political family from Argentina, and her two boys. Thus, as her integrity, her values, and her relationships get tested, she attempts the impossible in London.
Tiarra Simon is a force of nature. Love her or hate her, she will get to you. As Tiarra sweeps through their lives, no one is the same.

Review:
I love Tiarra! She is confident, strong and independent: everything that everyone would like to be. Also, she comes from an international family and she travels a lot and knows many languages. For me, she is complete, even an idol! However, sometimes I felt that her qualities were too highlighted, which made people around her look a bit submissive, although that fact gave the story a lot more fun!
In this book, we find Tiarra's special goal: to help the kids of Maui, her home, in Hawaii. In order to achieve it, she travels to London with Reese to meet the board of directors of Chelsea's football club and its players, so they can help them monetarily.
The story is a serie of events of this trip, where we can follow Tiarra's adventure and get to know the reasons why she chose this club in particular.
I felt that this story should be real! The willing of this woman to help children is praiseworthy and I think she made a great choice by speaking to the rich people of Football. Those who have millions should help the ones that have less but still admire them. The world would be so much better!
Besides, I loved the traveling aspects: they flew from the other side of the planet to London, being also in Paris, for this special purpose.
Because it's about football, Cristiano Ronaldo's name had to appear! 😀 And I was not expecting to see José Mourinho playing a role in the story. As a Portuguese, I felt very proud!
I enjoyed the author's writing. There were plenty of formal scenes and dialogues, but the majority of the descriptions were informal, comic sometimes, and very easy to read.

The way it ends invites us to read the next two books. I confess that I'm interested!

I recommend this book to those who like the football's world, travels and people that help others. You really need to meet Tiarra.

Do you know Tiarra's series? What do you think?

Review :: Borrowing Alex | Cindy Procter-King

Title: Borrowing Alex

Author: Cindy Procter-King

Publisher: Blue Orchard Books

Year: 2013 (2^nd edition)

Synopsis:

Nikki St. James wants to get married more than anything. But what’s she to do when her fiancé spends his days sucking up to her rich father instead of helping with the simple task of, oh, setting a date? Why...fake a fling with the best man, of course!

Nikki is the first to admit that ambushing Alex Hart and whisking him off to secluded Lake Eden is a tad desperate. But maybe pretending she’s hot for the handsome history professor will kick-start the attention of her future groom. Besides, a sojourn at a lakeside cabin is exactly what uptight Alex needs. Not that Nikki cares what he needs or how sexy he is....

Alex is not on-board with Nikki’s plan. Yeah, he’d love a break from his quest to achieve tenure at warp speed, but getting kidnapped by a crazy blonde hardly tops his to-do list. If what he’s heard is true and Nikki is perfectly happy with her “open” engagement to his former college roommate, why bother getting married?

Quickly, he realizes Nikki isn’t a wild party girl at all. She’s cute, sweet—and faithful. Against his common sense, he’s falling for her. Should he spill the beans about her cheating fiancé? Or will he ruin his own chance for a happy ending?

Review/opinion:
Borrowing Alex is a romantic comedy which, in the beggining, didn't captivate my full attention. That might be due to Nikki, the girl who borrowed Alex, kidnapping him, in an ultimatum attempt to her fiancé, Royce. I found this act too foolish and desperate and it gave me a bad image of her. However, as I kept my reading, I felt just like Alex: jumped to conclusions about Nikki without knowing her well enough.
Along the story, Nikki and Alex meet each other (just like they were completely strangers) and new and beautiful feelings start growing.
I think that the end is too predictable. Despite that, I enjoyed very much the comedy aspects in the story and truly loved Nikki's pets: two dogs, a cat and then a bunny (also a snake appeared in the story, but I don't like snakes: I respect them!).
In general, I liked this book. It is light, funny and also makes us look at what really matters for true love.
I recommend this book to everyone who loves romances in general. Read it, it's worth it!

Review :: The Quiet Way | Chris Lilley

Title: The Quiet Way - Selected Poems

Author: Chris Lilley

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Year: 2016

Review/opinion:
The Quiet Way is a collection of poems written by someone who suffered with depression and attempted suicide. These poems are divided in four chapters, in which we can find Chris' childhood memories and his darkest period in life. On the other hand, he speaks a lot about love and his relationship with God that, somehow, helped him to overcome his problems. Also, his poetry is full of metaphors and his words give many advices to our lives.
I enjoyed a lot these poems, but two of them touched my heart, specially this one:

Fear Itself
I do not fear the smoking gun
But the man who pulls the trigger
I do not fear the pointed hood
But the man who calls me nigger

I do not fear the Lord

But the man who claims His voice

I do not fear death

But the boy who holds the choice

I read this book in one day but I think people should take their time to enjoy every word and every feeling they get. I truly recommend this reading to those who are in the same situation as Chris Lilley did, or know someone who are still dealing with depression. This book is very inspirational.

Thank you, Chris, for sending me a signed copy of this amazing poetry book. All the best to you!

Review :: Forever More: A Love Story From the Edge of Eternity | Michele DeLuca

Title: Forever More: A Love Story from the Edge of Eternity

Author: Michele DeLuca

Editor: Joyride Press

Year: 2016

Synopsis:
As passings go, he told me his was a good one. When they found his body, there was a slight smile upon his face as if he were happily dreaming in his favorite armchair. It wasn't long after his carthly remains had been dispatched to the cemetery, that his spirit started showing up in my life. And while I know it sounds odd that anyone could fall in love with a dead man, I have to tell you that his energy was more alive than anyone I've ever known in physical form.
In the beginning, I thought he had come to me for help to heal the hearts of his daughter and granddaughter. Though that part of it, he also saved my life and led me to finally understand what it felt like to be truly known and exquisitely loved. His presence helped to unfold in me an astounding late-life blossoming of which I could't have dreamt. Much later, when I was an old woman, I realized it was all of that and so much more. My name is Rebecca St. Claire, and this is my story of Sebastian.
From "Forever More: A Love Story from the Edge of Eternity"

Review/opinion:
As I started my reading and realized this story would talk about a relationship between a woman and a dead man, I wondered how that could be possible. I guess everyone would wonder the same! In the beginning, I must say, I was a kind afraid of what I was going to read, just because this issue is not referred in books very often. Also, I am very sceptical about life after death and spiritualist religion. Nevertheless, I was interested in finding out Michele DeLuca point of view and the story was gradually catching me.
I liked Rebecca and felt a special sympathy for her. She passes by difficult problems in life, but it's when she returns to Lily Dale, a community where she was raised, that her life changes completely. She meets Sebastian's spirit, who wants her to help him, and she falls in love with him. It looks like something impossible to happen, but in this story we can follow their discovers about mediumship and all the issues related to it.
Just like the main character, I felt death as a softer thing; when a person passes away, its body life is gone, but not its soul. Maybe Heaven does exist and it gathers all the people... Or maybe this is the best way to think of death and deal with it. :)
Once again, I enjoyed very much this book!

Review :: Between Before and After | Amanda Dick

Title: Between Before and After

Author: Amanda Dick
Publisher: Amanda Dick
Year: 2014

Synopsis:

Five friends. Three days. One heart-stopping discovery.

Three years ago, Danny Morris left behind a gun, a tonne of questions and a gaping hole in the lives of those who loved him. What he didn’t leave was a suicide note. 

On the anniversary of his death, his closest friends gather at his parents’ beach house in New Zealand's idyllic Marlborough Sounds. Danny’s girlfriend, Kate, is fighting valiantly against her blossoming feelings for his best friend, Finn, afraid she is somehow betraying his memory by moving on. Max is self-medicating with alcohol, fighting off nightmares he refuses to talk about as the memory of finding Danny’s body continues to haunt him. While Finn is finally ready to admit to himself that he is drawn to Kate, trying to save Max from himself dredges up long-buried anger and frustration that threaten to overwhelm him.

Three years ago, a single bullet ricocheted through all of them. But instead of time easing the pain, it has created a new set of problems.

How do you leave the past behind when it's right in front of you?

Review/opinion:
When I first read the synopsis, I was very interested and curious about the whole story. And when I started my reading, I found it a bit different of what I imagined before. But in a positive way!
The author tells the story of Danny's suicide and his friends' feelings and behaviours. These friends gather every year by the anniversary of Danny's death in the beach house. At first, it seemed it was going to be a "happy" tribute in his memory at a cool and paradisiac place, but then they started realising there were unsolved problems related to that bloody day. Some of them (like Max and Finn) had hidden secrets that nobody ever imagined had happened and, somehow, become damaging.
These gatherings could be seen as a love proof to their friend, but I wondered if they were also lasting their grief and pain?
The most important thing I took from this is that is better talk to someone about what we are feeling or problems we are holding inside us that are messing us up and, consequently, the ones around us. This is the best way to overcome and keep going with our lives.
Besides the most serious issues, I found the story very pleasant. I loved the descriptions of the beach house, which led me to the beautiful landscapes of the Pacific islands. I also enjoyed the connection among these friends and the willingness to help each other.
I primarily recommend this book to everyone who are concerned about this matter (like me, because last year an uncle of mine committed suicide), but also to all who want to read a delightful story about true friendship.

Once more, my sincere thanks to Amanda Dick for the opportunity to read this amazing book!

Review :: Robot Coconut Trees | Kelsey Horton

Title: Robot Coconut Trees

Author: Kelsey Horton

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Year: 2016

Synopsis:

In Robot Coconut Trees, Kelsey Horton helps fiercely jump-start your writing practice through stories, exercises, inspiration, and fun writing prompts. As a blogger who reaches readers around the world, Kelsey tells how she went from keeping her writing dreams buried under the weight of "Real Life" to creating finished writing pieces and sharing them with the world. You'll discover how to:

• Daydream, journal, and freewrite your way to fresh new writing ideas
• Tap into your innate childlike creativity
• Muster the courageousness to begin - over and over again
• Break through sticky limiting beliefs of guilt, doubt, perfectionism, and writer's block
• Unapologetically share your finished work with the world

You are capable of moving from hiding to shining, from apathetic to empowered, from "Maybe I could write someday..." to "I am a writer." The world needs your light, your heartbreak, your dazzling stories, and your unprecedented self-expression. Now is the time to begin.

Review:
First of all, I found the title Robot Coconut Trees very curious and the first part of the book explains its origin. And I have to say that it is truly creative!
In this book, Kelsey Horton gives great creativity exercises, advices and tips for those who want to become recognized writers but are quite afraid to share with the world their writings. The author also tells her own experience of when she first disbelieved her dreams but then struggled to achieve her main goal.
In my opinion, this is also a useful book for bloggers (like me) and those who have writing as an important mean of communication. Sometimes we want to write something down but we lack of ideas; this book really helps us to unblock our brain and heart!
I loved reading this book because I felt like Kelsey Horton was by my side encouraging me to do what I love! I love writing. Maybe writing a book is not on my plans, but I created my blog also because I love writing and knowing that people read what I share with them.
After reading Robot Coconut Trees, I visited Kelsey Horton's website and I'm sure I'll follow her work and writings!