Book Review: Orion Surfacing by I James Forrest

Orion Surfacing by I James Forrest
Sci fic story about Simon and his escapades while out on the water and exotic countries.
He has special powers and learns more from the crystals. Love that they and the sting ray and dolphins and other sea creatures are about when the magic happens.
Wish they were for real and able to cure people of deadly diseases today.
Fast paced action as others are out for his boat that is so over equipped with technology it's scary and fun to learn about.
He becomes very fond of Sam as she's a stunner and they are able to tele-communicate with one another. At the end you find out why and their real link.
Some sexual scenes. Loved hearing also of the scuba diving equipment and nothing is needed to breather underwater and how you can walk on water and NOT get wet.
Very descriptive details. This sounds so cool but they do have a mission to finish...
Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Books more Jan 13

Deadly Distractions by William Manchee
What I like about this book and series is that each of the lawyers has their own alternating chapters of the cases they are working on.
At one point Stan and Monty are detained and Paula and Jody run the office for a bit but then Paula gets in trouble....
They all try to help Dusty out of his IRS problems along with the murder of the agent...
Love how they discover new clues when they weren't even thinking of them being where they found them.
Great ending for all and you wonder if the threat to go after them will show up in another book...
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

The Prime Minister's Daughter by William Manchee
Have enjoyed the authors works on the series Stan Turner, lawyer and know this will be another great read.
This book starts out with Kevin and he's going  with his mother to the hospital for surgery. While there the prime minister from Trinidad is also having surgery and he is able to spend time with the daughter in the waiting room.
He notices some things are just out of place and steps in front of a bullet meant for the prime minister and gets shot himself. The assassin escapes...
Kevin after recovering is sent tickets to visit the royal family in Trinidad and he discovers there is another sister. He thinks he's really in love with Kiran but she doesn't love him but wants out of the country.
Their body guards are overtaken and the 3 kids run for their lives into the caves and then the forest where they run out of the next morning as they hear the NDC try to locate them to kill them, Kevin has seen too much.
Love the excursions they have gone on and just becoming familiar with island life.
There is so much to this story, something for everyone.
Romance, travel, blackmail, country overtaking, court trials, promises not kept, other mysteries surrounding the bad guys and the royal family...
Like the outcome but didn't see it happening with so much bad blood and water under the bridge.
Fast paced, action and adventure.
Other works by the author are highlighted at the end.
I received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.

Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke
This story starts out with Hannah and she's one of the judges along with Roy, a coach at the school.
Hours later he's murdered and his wife is the one to call Hannah for help. Like how you don't have to know the characters, you are brought up to date from previous books but not the full whole story.
Story goes back in time also for Hannah and her aversion to dating married men, not that she knew at the time...
Her sister and mother help with clues also among others who don't even know that the information they gave them was useful.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Books read Jan 13

Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke
This book starts out with Hannah and her sister has talked her into going to the gym so she'd be able to fit into her regency romance award ceremony her mother is putting on.
Love the new recipes she tries to make, cheeseburger cookies, quite the imagination....
Love the trial and error phase of baking and when Hannah finds the solutions!
Everything goes perfect getting up early and exercising til she finds a dead body at the gym, at least her sister is with her.
Facts are hard to collect as the men at the police dept can't help as they were all involved with the dead person so Hannah picks up her pace to find the culprit.
So detailed as the girls gather the clues and proceed to investigate before a new deputy is on the case.
Hilarious about Delores book being fashioned out of people in town... You never guess who it could possibly be, they almost had her fooled also!
Index of recipes is included at the end.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Love the Hannah Swensen series and all the characters involved in this family saga tale.
The three sisters, Hannah, Andrea and Michelle are wondering why their mother, Delores won't pick a color for the theme for her wedding to Doc.  When she decides she changes her mind a week later.
Hannah heads to the car shop to pick up Lisa, her baker in The Cookie Jar and with the storm ends up running into a man and killing him.
She is in jail and with her notes and others helping to even figure out who the man is, there are many clues as they all gather with what they've seen. With lots of food recipes this is always a good story.
Lots of new things happen that are described, places where I never thought we'd see Hannah involved in....
Most of all I enjoy watching how she creates a new cookie-this is something I do yearly now as well. The freedom to play with food, flavors, textures, etc.
Excerpts from her next thriller series book, Dead Giveaway are included at the end.
This book has a bit of romance, mystery, baking, travel and new experiences.
I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review

Book Review: More Than Love, A Husband's Tale – Peter B Forster

More Than Love, A Husband's Tale – Peter B Forster
First time author for me and I can't wait to read more.
When I first started this book I thought it'd be more uncomfortable but I found it soothing.
The many things said were right up my alley and I had dealt with and got a better understanding in my mind what was really going on during my time of hardship.
Starts out in diary form when the author learns of his wife's cancer and how he not only deals with it but finds comforting things to help him cope with the devastation.
Love the parts of how he treats his wife throughout her illness.
Treasure the most personal of details as they would be some I'd not share about my husband and myself.
Love how he is in charge of her drugs and knows what she needs when. Heartbreaking when they have the hospice conversation...
Can never have enough of the special memories, the escapes and special time with one another.
Like how past events are discussed and it gives you a better detailed understanding of what transpired prior to the illness.
Received this review copy from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Book Spotlight: 2 books by Kyle Keyes

About the Author

Born To Write:

Older Americans often come from whistle stop towns painted by Norman Rockwell. Kyle Keyes grew up in Clayton, a South Jersey borough first founded as Fislerville. Clayton had a small urban district with street lights, but no indoor plumbing. Farmland and outhouses were a sign of the times.

Clayton was so small, that Keye's aunt doubled as his Sixth Grade school teacher, who once said that Kyle lived with his nose between the bookends. She must have known something.

Keyes went to Temple Tech for concrete and steel design in 1956 and 1957. He never became an engineer, but still has a red, tinker toy motor and his World War II, Erector Set.

The early Sixties found Kyle in the U.S. Army where his top sergeant would daily bark, "You just say morning, trooper. I'll decide if it's good or not !"

Keyes wholesaled bakery products to food chains for thirty years,and wrote odd items for local newspapers. He is widowed and currently lives in Florida. He has two children, Kathleen and Daniel. Grand children are now grown and too old for tales about railroads and yesterday's America. This leaves Keyes no option but to write books.

Se la ve.

PS: Should you need a book autographed, Kyle can usually be found rooting through neighborhood trash cans, one block ahead of the recycle truck.

The Pandarus File by Kyle Keyes 
What I like about this book is that there is so much to it: murder, mystery, locations, investigations and link to it all.
What I didn't like from the start was all the different locations and years, felt like I lost a few decades at times)
Story is from the 2011's and even further back to 1950's and til you hear all the missing years the story gets your attention.
Helena entices the men at the bar with strips and it gets them to not only order more but tips are good.
Elmer Kane is a very young man-for her and he's a bit on the slow end but she loves the family money.
1950's and we find Helena with Rodney but she's blackmailing Martin...
Pre 911 we find Jeremy investigating in Paris to find Helena but that's not her name...
What I loved was the things he discovers while investigating and how it all fit together and how-I saw things differently when explained this way!
Love the descriptions of what's right in front of you, as if you are RIGHT there.

Martin Swan's Diary by Kyle Keyes  

Like this book right from the start, first off I feel part of the scene with the descriptions and it's action, fast paced.

Jodie and her spouse are on the outs and he confronts her to find out Sweeney is there to help her. She grabs her child and suitcases and they leave NJ for FL.

The family mob know where her sister is and they head there but there are things there for them in place. Love how Swan gets special treatment along the way and help him out of bad spots.

Time goes back to when he served overseas and we find of his special abilities there.

Love the travel, roads we have been on, fond memories.

Like short diary notes to summarize the day's events.

So many are after them from all angles and they count em off as they are dealt with...

Books read Jan 3 2020

A Heartwarming Holiday: A 15 Story Collection from Heartwarming Christmas Town (Christmas Town 2016)
15 book collection which I've read the ones below.
..
Thanksgiving Duet Nucracker Sweethearts Novella #1 by Dana Mentink
Praise and about the author are included at the start of the book.
Pippa is in charge of her friends daughter as she has passed. They left NYC to take on this Christmas pageant in Maine and she runs up against Bodie who she thinks is mistreating her little girl.
The girl was getting bitten by wasps and he was trying to kill them along with getting stung. She finally realizes that hours later and goes to apologize to only find that they have been invited to dinner at the inn, his relatives run it and he works there.
What I like about the book is we learn he also had a child, Charlie and as the story goes along we find out what happened to him.
Pippa and Viola are only there til just after the holidays then they will head back to NYC in hopes of more work.
He is also musically inclined ....served overseas and moved his grandfather's piano back to Maine from the west coast, great change for him.
Tree falling through the building Pippa was rehearsing the orchestra put that to a stop and Bodie offers his aunts inn as there is plenty of room there.
She doubts her skills for being a mother to Viola and Bodie reassures her she is doing great.
Relatives come to take Viola away but Bodie steps up...
Note from the author ins enclosed at the end.
...
Christmas Curtain Call Nutcracker Sweethearts Novella #2 by Roz Denny Fox
Praise for the author.
Story starts out with Connor and his wife had died and he is contemplating running the local newspapermen.
He has the daughter they have Mistr and she likes to dance in the ballet like her mother who had helped set up a local place.
He is introduced to the ballet instructor Gizelle who's working with Pippa with the music for the big event.
With amount of papers being delivered cut down others voice their opinions. The dancer's salary is up to the paper, which is failing...
Love that they not only sled together but cross country ski together, so precious...
..
Set for New Year's Nutcracker Sweethearts Novella #3 by Annie Denman
This book starts out with Jenny and she helps at the event with costumes.  Story also follows Neil and he is also helping at the nutcracker pageant.
She opens up to Kim and I realize how like her I am myself. Dressing dolls in outfits that i had knitted, the most fashionista of the 1960's.
He is a carpenter and loves to work with his hands and realizes she is the same with her designs and clothing.
He finds himself measuring for a new table for her sewing machine and delivers it when she least expects it and is so happy, the best gift she ever received.
Note from the author and her other works are highlighted at the end.

Book Review: The Big 10 Fish and Seafood cookbook by Terri Dien

The Big 10 Fish and Seafood cookbook by Terri Dien
The newspaper wrapped around the fish and twine is what caught my attention from the start, 40+ years ago it's how we got our local fish, right off the boats.
Dedication and table of contents along with full page color photos start this book. Chapters are broken up into individual fish categories.
Intro talks about a lot of different things when it comes to fish: how to buy, mercury, sustainability, benefits, must have equipment, how to remove pin bones from fillets, ingredients that will enhance the flavor among other topics.
Each section has a full page color photo along with the item in detail and it's own index of recipes.
Like size of the book also it's a full 8 x 10 and you can open the book and it will stay open flat.
Each recipe starts with a title, short summary of the dish, servings, prep and cook time.
Print could be bigger and darker.
List of ingredients and each section of the dish has it's own ingredients listed. Directions are given
along with variations.
There are NO pictures of the finished dish and there is NO nutritional information.
Measurement conversion charts and a list of resources and references are listed at the end.
Index, acknowledgements and about the author are also included.
My favorite sections would be shrimp and salmon. Love that this covers fish from fresh water and salt water areas.
Valuable information about all kinds of fish.
I received this review copy from The Callisto Publisher's Club and this is my honest opinion.