Book Reviews by Ehlen Administration

Kings, Queens, Heroes, & Fools by M.R. Mathias My rating: 4 of 5 stars Hyden Hawk has been charged to find the Silver Skull of Zorellin, leaving his friend Mikahl to defend his new title as High King and reclaim Wildermont from the combined forces of Shaella and Ra’Gren, her reluctant ally. Due to Hyden she now has a new dragon and a new mission, to free her lover, Gerard, from the demonic realm he to which he was forced to retreat. But does Gerard retain any of his old self, or has he turned into the new king of hell? Can anyone fight against him once he’s freed? Picking up right where The Sword and the Dragon leaves off, Kings, Queens, Heroes and Fools follows the story of Hyden Hawk and Mikahl in their new roles, while delving deep into the new political atmosphere created in the original book. As typical of Mathias, there are a lot of characters to follow and a lot of magic to help, but I found that it seemed much easier to follow the plot as there were two clear alignme...

Hierarchies of Greed by Michael Patrick Clark My rating: 4 of 5 stars During the Cold War a major London Soviet spy cell was blown, and both American Gerald Hammond and Russian Stanislav Paslov are investigating the leak, which may lead much higher up than anyone ever anticipated. Their unlikely relationship leads to a transnational investigation that will put both they and their loved ones in great danger. Both men of integrity, committed to their cause, they find themselves dancing with the devil they know and the devil they don't An intriguing novel, well researched and characters developed, Hierarchies of Greed offers an insightful glance into Cold War politics and intrigue. I’ll be honest, it took me a while to get into it at the beginning, as spy novels necessarily must set the scene rather thoroughly and I got a little bogged down in the details. The glossary at the back was helpful, as I did start to get character wires crossed at first. However I thought as a whole ...

Found, Near Water by Katherine Hayton My rating: 4 of 5 stars Christine leads a support group for women, like her, who have lost their children. Some are known deceased, others are unknown. Over time the support group dwindled to a few women who became fast friends as they bonded over their shared grief. But what will happen when Christine, a victim support advocate, has to be there for a new mother who has also lost her child, and a curious psychic tells her that the child is dead, and the body will be found, near water? Will Christine be able to support her and deal with her own past and present, and will the women she calls friends still be able to rely on their own stories to get them through the ensuing scandal? As a mother, one of the worst fears is that of your child being abducted, dieing of some horrible disease, or being killed in an accident. No parent should have to outlive their child, regardless of how old the parents or the child. I think that’s what made this boo...

So this week I'm covering the gamut, I've posted book reviews, explained a little about essential oils (EOs) and now I'm talking about my other job, adoption. I LOVE adoption. Don't misunderstand, adoption is challenging. it's gritty, it's grief-filled, there are a lot of problems with the system, it can be heartbreaking. But just like many of the most difficult parts of your life, it's absolutely wonderful. I really challenge people to take a hard look about how they feel about adoption, particularly those who allow their kids to be adopted by others. What is your stereotype of a birth parent ? Is it really accurate, particularly accurate for modern adoption, or do you still see it the way it was 50 years ago? Tina Tyra and I have been collaborating on a blog series for biological parents on how to get started with adoption and things you need to consider - including whether it's the right decision for you or not. If you know anyone who is ...