Book Reviews by Ehlen Administration

Trigon Daze: by M.R. Mathias My rating: 4 of 5 stars Vanx Malic has managed to free his friend, Chelda, from the spell that kept her bound to the Shadowmane, and hoping that what he saw in the Mirror of Portent can be prevented, or at least changed. When the Trigon start the invasion just as he saw he isn’t sure if he can protect his friends or if the zombie warriors will just bowl over everything in their path, with the help of the grand dracus hovering over the battle. Losses are inevitable, but is this war even winnable? He has to try…. In general I love M.R. Mathias’ series, but I have to admit I felt like this was one of the weaker, more connective filler novels. Necessary, but not the absolute best. There wasn’t loads of character development as we were already familiar with most of the cast, and I think that is where Mathias shines in some of his other novels. I did LOVE the short story at the end about Foxwise Posey-thorne, I thought that really added a lot of love to th...

Bloodline Gypsy: Jook and Gypsies Vol. 1 by Shirley A. Martin My rating: 4 of 5 stars Susannah has always known she was a little different. Her unconventional, nomadic childhood did nothing to prepare her for the death of her mother and grandparents in a terrible crash, or the home of her thus far absent father and his family. Finding out a mythical creature is after her and another is protecting her seems almost par for the course. She wasn’t sure how she was going to embrace her destiny, but it was barreling down in her in a live or die scenario. She was pretty sure life was the better option, but it isn’t exactly the life she planned. Yep, it’s a werewolf book. So far only one mention of vampires though, in case you were worried. I have to admit, I know almost nothing about werewolf mythology, so reading some of the history and backstory of the werewolf-gypsy relationship was pretty fascinating for me.It was well done and presented as a natural part of the story, which made f...

Child of Shadows by Kathe Todd My rating: 4 of 5 stars Leila has had a rough life, but she’s made the best of it. She has scrapped, stolen and survived, and while she is an excellent thief, her luck may be about to run out. Running from guards who discovered her theft, she is drawn to an eery temple and is conscripted into service by a disgraced god. Will she be able to complete his task and restore him to his former glory? Not even his gifts and her skills as a thief may get her through this adventure. Set in an alternate reality Age of Enlightenment Europe (1700s or so) where the gods are not just stories but actively participating in modern life, author Kathe Todd pits them against each other in much the same way the Greek and Roman pantheon are portrayed in the classical stories. They squabble, they manipulate, and for some reason they always require human muscle to carry out their divine intervention. The story progresses like an epic, with a long journey and a lot of learn...

Where Angels Prey by Ramesh S Arunachalam My rating: 4 of 5 stars Bob has a nose for a story, and something about Prasad Kamenini doesn’t smell right. Sure, his company, SAAMAN is hailed as the cure for poverty in India, thanks to his microlending program and innate ability to help foreign investors part with hefty sums to aid the poverty relief for some of the poorest of the poor, but Bob is convinced there’s more than he’s telling. Maybe even more of the extra-legal variety, and not particularly helpful to the poor, to the point of hurting the most vulnerable. Armed with a global list of contacts and aided by his good friend and Indian reporter Chandresh, Bob dives into the world of microfinance, and what he finds is about as far from angelic as you can get. Where Angels Prey tells an intricate tale of corruption, and one the Western world needs to hear. While there is nothing inherently wrong with microfinance, it is not always monitored and distributed properly, and can some...

The Legend of Things Past by Phillip William Sheppard My rating: 4 of 5 stars Donovan Knight is no stranger to top secret assignments, and he is good at what he does. He assumes this one is the like the others, but is stunned to go back in time to pull off saving the planet. Consequences abound, whether he is successful or not, not to mention the whole distorting the time-space continuum thing. But the survival of the future, and more importantly, his family, depends on his mission succeeding, and there is nothing more important than his family. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a Survivor fan, and am happy to support contestants, hopefully without the obvious fangirl nerding out. Upon discovering that Mr. Sheppard wrote this book, I immediately had his voice in my head reading it to me, which made it all the more fun. The plot moves quickly, and while I question some of the timey-wimey parameters, it’s a great read with a few twists and turns along the way. Mr. Knight’...

  Ever wonder how our monetary policy developed over time? I mean a looonngg time? Author Robert Schuler gives a history of how money developed and influenced in trade and war. I’m a huge history buff and married to one of the rare (according to Schuler) men who  has a degree in both economics and history, so this book was right up my alley. While I don’t profess to be an expert I found Schuler’s explanation intriguing, if a little academic for the uninitiated, but still really interesting. I think that applying it to personal finance is a bit of a stretch, although I loved the focus on building intergenerational wealth, as I think this is a sorely overlooked priority in most western mindsets. If you want your paradigm challenged and enjoy historical context don’t pass this one up! Please note, while there may be affiliate links or payment for reviews, all opinions are my own. You can't buy a good review from me, people. I am way too mouthy for that.

Church of Martyrs by Pete Fusco My rating: 4 of 5 stars Eddie, former priest and current sole occupant of the derelict Church of Martyrs in Cleveland is really not sure why he has garnered the attention of any assassin, but he’s grateful the creepy, over realistic statues of famous Church martyrs were there to save him. Now if he could just figure out what they want from him, and how to stay alive and maybe how to keep the pope alive, that would be awesome. I loved the somewhat sacrilegious humor coupled with the healthy skepticism of religion in general, although the Catholic Church was the prime target in this one. I also loved that it was a fast paced globe trotter and the added supernatural aspect, although as a social worker, I was a little frownie at the relationship progression. Still it is a great read, and anyone looking for a quick read should definitely pick this one up. View all my reviews Please note, while there may be affiliate links or payment for reviews, ...

Think Round: How To Own The Future By Focusing 100% Of Your Company On Customers & Consumers 100% Of The Time by Martha R. Pease My rating: 4 of 5 stars Are you struggling in your business but can’t quite put your finger on what is causing the stagnation? I know that one of the keys to not just marketing but client satisfaction is constant reevaluation of your company while looking through the eyes of your clients or customers. Think Round, authored by two marketers with decades of experience, will give you the tools you need to do just that. I love how they put the emphasis on research from the POV of your clients/customers, and give you real world examples of how to do just that. As someone who manages a small business I think this book is invaluable to those who have to take on the task of doing just about everything themselves. I’m very glad I picked up this book and heartily recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh view on their business marketing. View all my revie...