Book review: Echoes of Fortune: Shadows Over Cozumel by David R. Leng

   

 

Echoes of Fortune: Shadows Over Cozumel by David R. Leng

This story starts out with the team of specialists that are talking to a woman who has papers and documentations of a ship that went down decades ago. Some notes state it was to the east side of the island. Others have sturdied currents and tides and know where it really went down. Others are watching their diving expeditions and notice they don't bring anything up to the boat. The team think they are waiting til the treasure has been brought above then claim it as their own.

First book I've read form this series and am a bit lost as to who everybody is. Like being brought up to the present with glimpses of the past and those who lost their lives.   It all comes together as the dives and meetings with others that come up with more information that the team finds valuable. They dive to get a sense o what's down there, the 1800's ghost ship Del Rio and one of their own had died in finding it. They won't give up til they have the treasure in their hands. Their room at the hotel was searched but .... Jack is a sly one and Emma sees the other angles and Steve is always a few steps ahead of everyone. Together they make a great team. They know the signs of bad gas in their tanks but Jack is within reach and he starts having symptoms but he sticks with it. They all go up through a hidden hatch and the medical team....  So scary. This would make a super movie. They can't believe what they have in their hands and only half of one document... Jack knows who's to blame and they are able to move on, get back to the USA. It's not that simple...

Travel, mysteries, adventure, action and hidden treasure. What a story, something for everyone. First time reading this author and I can't wait to read more. SO very descrptie in the details of everything. I felt as if I was right there with them. 

Book Review: In Pursuit of a Dream by Donna Wichelman

  

In Pursuit of a Dream by Donna Wichelman

In this story we find Sarah and she's left her homeland and is in USA and finds not many like Irish folk. She finds a job tending to two young children as the mother has passed away. Matthew the father isheading his family to the west to settle intoa new life and home.

The journey is hard and many disasters are talked about as they are experienced. There are some deaths but they make it to the end, well Matthew and othes fall into danger and the others are most concerned as they see no way out for them...

Cute short story. Wish we had book prior to this, one where Sarah is actually in Ireland and how she was raised. Would be a good movie.

 

Book Review: The No diet military calisthenics for busy women over 40 reset your body at home in just 15

  

 

The No diet military calisthenics for busy women over 40 reset your body at home in just 15 minutes a day without equipment by kardyn training

Lots of introductory material to help you understand how it all works.  Protein intake and the amounts you need daily and hydrating with water are super important.  There are so many more tips along the way.  The hormones issues plays a big part in why regular exercise is not working for you to lose weight.  The exercises included here are low impact and there are precautions about certain parts of your body that might need to take things slower or easier.  Even if you miss a day you can make it up or forget it because the next days exercises will just fill in what you missed. Like the different rankings they give you and how much time to dedicate per day.

After 30 days you are graduating and then you start all over again from day 1 for another 30 days the same exact exercises you've already learned.

Love that it shows you in a  picture what and how to do them. It will show you a three step process with 3 different pictures so you know where to start and how to finish the movements. There are explanations on how not to do them also. NO hard jumping or grinding of your bones, no high impact movements.  This one is worth a try as there is no food limitations either. no counting calories or anything else.  There is a warning about the weight you will NOT notice a difference or quite some time but you are burning fat and actually creating bone density improvement  and strengthening your muscles.

Great resource book to keep handy.

 

Book Review: Raise Street-Smart Boys: 150+ Essential Life Lessons not Taught at School to Think for Himself, Trust Their Gut, Handle Any Situation, and Grow into a Self-Aware Teen - Illustrated Edition by Joseph Hedlund

  

Raise street smart boys  150+ essential life lessons not taught at school to think for himself by Joseph Hedlund

Like this educational and fun story.  Love learning about the lessons not taught at school.. These are everyday realistic missions and problems that need a solution.

Although written for a young boy can also be used for older boys and even adults.  

Love learning the simple missions and tasks to do that are also a challenge and a learning lesson at the same time.  Especially like the online safety tips and being aware of your surroundings and the challenges.  Stranger danger is always a good lesson even if others are all going along.... love the laundry tips   Like all the tasks, missions and challenges.  So much useful information.

Love planning for next day, even if it's school items in your backpack or just paying out the clothes you want to wear. Like laundry care boys can do and also keeping their rooms so neat and clean. My son always did that.

Great resource book for everybody.

 

Book Review: Raise Street-Smart Girls: 150+ Lessons Not Taught at School to Set Boundaries, Trust Their Gut, Stay Safe Online, and Grow into a Confident Young Woman by Joseph Hedlund

  

 

Raise Street-Smart Girls: 150+ Lessons Not Taught at School to Set Boundaries, Trust Their Gut, Stay Safe Online, and Grow into a Confident Young Woman by Joseph Hedlund 

Like that the lessons given are good for a younger girl but also for a teen girl.

I like that I can even use some of the social lessons myself and I'm an elder adult.

Lessons given are also telling you why you have to wait and breathe a second before responding, not go fly off the handle with a rude remark. The author even gives you exmaples of what to say and what not to say.

Love the challenges the author suggests for you to do. Further explanations are given and why they need you to just do them.  Most are to keep you safe and are good lessons no mater what your age is. Love sections on body shaming and how to determine if it's a pattern what others are doing or saying to you.  Love the digital safety missions.

Love money and time missions, you are learning to take care of yourself.

Great read, educational and love the life lessons. 

Book Review: Digital SAT Prep for first - time test takers: the all in one guide to ace the SAT on your first time by Crucible Prep

  

 

Digital SAT Prep for first - time test takers: the all in one guide to ace the SAT on your first time by Crucible Prep

Really appreciate the way this book is laid out. the chapters are easy to follow along with and how they are categorized makes it easier for you to really study for one aspect of the test over others are have completed to your satisfaction.

Starts with introductory material and how to take the test and the options that are available.

Notes, tips, and alerts are also given in each section. The chapters are also broken up into several areas to help you get the most of the chapter and how to concentrate.  Each section also has their own question and answer section. What I love about the answer section is that they explain why the answer is correct and what pitfalls to watch out for as some are really trick questions. Like the tips about test day, I just remember I as just so nervous and didn't feel as if I had done as well as I could have. Wish I had this book the first time I took the test, would've prepared me for so much of what I was anxious about. All kinds of keeping calm and collected and warming up before you even sit down.

Great resource book to keep handy. 

Book Review: Lucifer's Triangle (Arkana Archaeology Thrillers Book 8) by N. S. Wikarski

  

 

Lucifer's Triangle (Arkana Archaeology Thrillers Book 8) by N. S. Wikarski

Have read other works about Lucifer and just didn't like the genre. Glad I checked this one out because it is full of  action packed full of fun things to check into. Starts out with two different people and they are in two different countries/states. Took me a while to figure out the link between them.

Love what Arkana stands for the their mission. Love that the woman can just sense things by a touch to find out what occurred in the past. Some of it is creepy but makes sense in the long run.

Lucifer is in charge of the suicide bombers and the locals who can find them for the mission he has planned. 

The team send more to the site where the action is taking place after they've met with a few life scares and warning to leave the area.

Love glossary at the end explaining so much about the groups and what to mean to the world. Glad ot know the author is working on similar books in the future, preserving and rescuing artifacts. 

Very descriptive scenes that are explained in detail. Love the travel, link to religions, the artifacts and the events, holidays and  the missions. Something for everyone.

Really great read, entertained and kept me awake.

 

Aug 13 The Highlander’s Defiant Bride Book 1 of The Munro Brothers by Gerri Russell

 

 

The Highlander’s Defiant Bride

Book 1 of The Munro Brothers by Gerri Russell

In this story we find Destiny and she's held the castle together for her father and family. She had to sell some furnishings to keep food on the table and pay the bills. In return her father upon his retun is sending her to marry Cameron from a neighboring town.

 Cam is known as the butcher but she needs to see that for herself. She is able  to keep her maid with her as she's like a sister.

She learns new things as she's now also in charge besides her husband. He has kept her safe and protected and he waits for her to signal him to her bed. Love how strong Destiny is.

When their home is attacked she is able to warn them all about what to expect as she's dealt with the same thing at her home. They listen to her and are amazed she knows so much. She also was able to interrogate the prisoner they hold. The attackers want the prisoner... Love how she directs the soldiers to protect the tunnel access to the castle and sends the women to tend to the children, upstairs, out of harms way.

She also shows the women how to protect the area with just holding weapons. Love all the strategies she is able to teach all the soldiers about, having lived through it all at her home.

Love tender moments when he shows her how much he loves her. She did try to betray him but stopped herself but he doesn't believer her and she has to earn his trust all over again.

She does prove herself beyond actions....

What an awesome start to a new series. Love this one because the author knows how to really dig deep for her storytelling, Appreciate the ending where she explains about the history of the castle and the area.

Received this review copy from Tule Publishing via Booksprout and this is my honest opinion.

Children's books read: Aug 6

   

 

Granny Goes to Egypt by Anna Kay

Nice to meet this granny. She is very advenutous and fearless. She wants to try everything, all the food and things to do. Love the camel ride where she thought it was a race. So many funny moments and some very nice history lessons of the area. There is so many thing she does on this trip. Colorful, children's story but as a granny I also enjoyed it.

Has a summary at the end of everythigns he did. Lvoe the ending where she picks up a piece of Egypt before she heads home.

Great read.

 

welcome to our solar system/Bienvenidos a Nuestro Sistema solar by elisa R. Gonzalez

Like that this book is half in Enlgish and the other half in Spanish.

Colorful children's, educational fun book to read.

Starts with Earth, the moves to the sun and the next planets in line. Also all kinds of facts about the planets, first in English, then Spanish.

Love ending where it shows them all lined up.

 
 grandpa, the swing and me by Nancy Khalife 

Colorful children's rhyming story about a grandfather that makes a rope swing for his grandchild. They pla and laugh every day while using it. They also watch as the weather gets rainy and how will the swing survive? They also watch at night with lightening, thunder, wind and rain. They find a surprise when they walk outside the next day, even before having breakfast.

Really nice story of love.

 

 

I find you in little things by Rosie Fenwick

Colorful, comforting, children's book about how to cope with a loved one when they are no longer there. You search the  rooms and places you shared with them, playing just laughing or reading a book. You feel sad then you remember a moment and you start laughing so hard. The memories will not fad.e 

Aug 1 Amelia's gift by Hilary Walker

  

 

Amelia's gift by Hilary Walker

This book starts out to Amelia and she's arriving on Sinclair Island for several weeks with her mother who is attending to her health needs and they will be staying at the aunt's house.  She lives year round on the island. All  are having lunch one day and she notices a man stepping off a boat and their eyes kind of look at each other before she has to look away. Little did she know he would be her instructor while she tries to get back on the horse again after all of her medical issues. Her mother does not like the man and finally explains to her  that she thinks he is the man who put her in harm's way when he ran into her and caused her all this pain and agony. Throughout the years being paralyzed from the waist down has caused her heartache. She is not able to ride her horse any longer.  What I really liked about this book was the compassion he shows And also she showed him how to do  dressage moves and get better at horse competitions. They form a great bond with their horses. All the obstacles that she is able to overcome are a miracle.  The program is explained: how things are done. I really appreciate the handicap angle.

There are many issues but there are solutions and options available.  I love how the locals help her and him stay connected with each other when they're not together. She has second thoughts when another woman comes in and just the things she says really put her off. Never thought this book would turn out as it did. Many tears and a lot of pain along the way, what an awesome read about realistic things.