Great Savings on Text Books for Students

     One of the greatest expenses students have to face are the outrageous prices on text books. Other than some of the reference books for the classes that actually pertained to my core classes, I never used any of the expensive text books ever again after the class was finished. Instead of buying these books, you can rent them from Campus Book Rentals.

Learn To Tie A Tie With The Rabbit And The Fox

Learn To Tie A Tie With The Rabbit And The Fox by Sybrina Durant Genre: Children, How-to

     This is an adorable book that tells a tale of a fox chasing a rabbit. Not only is the story entertaining it serves as a mnemonic device to help children learn and remember how to tie a tie. I knew there was one for tying shoelaces but had never known about this one. The fun illustrations made me wish that I had a Kindle Fire so I could see them in full color. A great gift idea for Christmas that is unique and can be fun for the whole family. There is even an accompanying song that you can listen to at the author's website.

I give it 5 stars!

Section 51 - Serial Sunday Book Review

Section 51 by V.G. Harrison Book 1 in Project Solstice series Genres: Science Fiction, Paranormal

     This book is a great combination of science fiction and paranormal. Ava Frost is a triplet who shares an empathic connection with both of her brothers. When she suddenly feels no connection to her closest brother, has trouble reaching him on the phone, and receives a bad vibe from him when she does speak with him she decides to pay a surprise visit to investigate. What she finds puts conspiracy theories to shame. Not only has the government tried to cover up the death of her brother, but they are genetically engineering what they hope to be an unstoppable army.

Love vs. Blood - Blitz Tour

LOVE vs. BLOOD

By R. L. Smith

Ethan Burke only has eyes for Emily, the problem? She’s human and he’s a vampire. He watches over her, trying to protect her until one night she vanishes. Kidnapped by a Master Vampire who killed his parents’ years ago, Ethan believes the Master is using Emily to lure him to his lair, convinced he only wants to finish the Burke family off. Ethan seeks the help of Devin Riley, the vampire which took him in as his own. Together they set off to find Emily, only Ethan gets a surprise. After finding Emily, he sees his mother for the first time, she’s not dead but one of the undead. Forced with making a decision, will Ethan choose to save the mother he’s never known or the girl he’s just met?

Where can you get it?

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/LOVE-VS-BLOOD-R-L-Smith-ebook/dp/B00F03BMQI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384820197&sr=8-1&keywords=Love+vs.+Blood

Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/4432160

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/354747

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVXjlcEqe80&feature=youtu.be

Connect with R.L. Smith

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/RL-Smith-Author/512301618851284?ref=br_tf

Buddhism and Politics - Book Review

Buddhism and Politics: Citizens, Politicians, and the Noble Eightfold Path by Victoria Stoklasa Genre: Nonfiction

     In this day and age it seems that the majority of politicians are just power hungry, money grubbing people who are only looking out for their own best interests. I think that, similar to many occupations, the people start out with good intentions but become hardened or disenchanted after realizing that situations may not be as rewarding as they had originally anticipated.

Monkeys Wearing Pants - Fun Read Friday Book Review

Monkeys Wearing Pants by Jon Waldrep Genres: Humor, Satire

     This book is a collection of anecdotes and witticisms and is currently a free Kindle ebook on Amazon. Great light reading for the weekend or on any day that might need to be brightened a bit. Even though I have a pretty decent sense of humor it takes something incredibly funny to make me chuckle out loud, but this book did quite a few times, in fact. Sometimes the humor is a bit quirky but Waldrep takes every day situations that can be frustrating normally and put a spin on it to make them seem comical.

On the Bridge - Book Review

On the Bridge by Ada Uzoije Genres: Drama, Paranormal

     They say suicide is a selfish act. When one commits suicide they leave behind their friends and loved ones to mourn, ponder why one would take their own life, and possibly leave spouses and/or children to flounder on their own. If you think about it though, there are plenty of stories and movies where one desolate soul wishes they had never been born and some mystical creature rearranges the world to reflect what would have been if that person had never been born. This level of depression is not a new concept. Unfortunately, in real life, a celestial being never intervenes to show the suicidal individual that their lives DO matter and they are not just a millstone around the necks of people who would be better off without them.

BRRRR

     It is getting chilly out and summer is most definitely over. I seem to have seriously overextended my summer hiatus well into fall this year. I apologize for this. I had a booth for my craft business at our local festival this year and have been overwhelmed with orders. I have been flying through the audiobooks but did not want to have only audiobook reviews up so have been waiting until I did have time for "real reading". However, it doesn't look like I will have much time for that until after Christmas. So bear with me as the majority of reviews will be for audiobooks, but heck I figure the plot is still the same whether it is read to me or not.

Another Argument for Real Books Vs. Kindle

     My brother is fairly industrious, at least he tries to be. He has had several decent ideas in the past for assorted websites to create, though he seems to lack the motivation to market said sites after creating them. Yesterday he pitched a new idea to me by saying, "You know that electronics site that I buy from mainly because they accept bitcoins? There are several sites like it that each specialize in different items." I just look at him waiting for him to proceed. "There aren't any that sell books." Still no response as I wait for him to get to his point. "We should make one."

     Finally, I reply with, "Where would we get the money to buy stock? Theoretically, if we had reliable transportation, we could list the books and just go buy what we needed to fill an order, but we don't. We would need to have stock on hand."

Rose Madder - Listen While You Work Audiobook Review

What I listened to ...

Rose Madder by Stephen King Genres: Thriller, Suspense, Paranormal Narrators: Stephen King & Blair Brown

     The majority of audiobooks that I have ready access to are Stephen King novels, thanks to one of my best friends who is a huge fan of both audiobooks and King. It is her extensive library of audio books that I usually borrow from. Within the last few years I had attempted to read straight through SK books in chronological order - except skipping the books from his Tower series, wanting to read those back to back. Rose Madder is where I had gotten stuck as it was one of several unfortunate books that was damaged by flooding while in storage. I'm not sure if I am going to proceed with my quest from here, I would rather provide more variety to my reviews, but it is a possibility.

Vic: Time Doesn't Matter - Book Review

Vic: Time Doesn't Matter by Jerry Gill and Edgar Rice Burroughs Genres: Action Adventure, Romance, Fantasy

     While Edgar Rice Burroughs is best known for his creation of Tarzan, he also created a character named Victoria Custer which was features in two short stories. These stories inspired author Jerry Gill to create additional chapters to tie the original stories together, which resulted in this novel.

CounterPoint - Book Review

CounterPoint by D.J.R Genres: Action Adventure, Paranormal

     This book has an incredibly interesting premise. Earth is merely an experiment on God's part, one of many different ecosystems set up throughout the galaxy. It is up to the angels to watch out over the experiment and keep it going. But something has gone wrong. Demons and monsters are spreading evil through the world exponentially and the archangels are debating if it is time to shut down the experiment. One family with special powers teams up with a few rogue angels to save the human experiment.

How to be Selfish - Book Review

How to be Selfish (And other uncomfortable advice) by Olga Levancuka Genre: Nonfiction

     If I learned nothing else this summer, I learned that I could stand to be a lot less selfless. I find that I am one of those people with the opinion that it is just SO much easier to do something myself than to ask someone else to do it for me, listen to their grousing and/or attitude that I am expecting THEM to do something for ME (heaven forbid right?), nag them several times when said task still has not been completed, and inevitably having to do it myself anyhow. Yes, I know, just tattoo "Doormat" on my forehead, right?

     A lot of people have negative associations with selfishness. Selfishness can be a good thing, in moderation. How often are you asked to drive the car pool for your son or daughter's soccer team? What percentage of those requests do you find yourself accepting even though you may have had visions of a nice soak in the tub or unwinding with your current favorite book while someone else was responsible for getting your child home from practice?

     When I was given the opportunity to review this book, I jumped at the chance, hoping that it would insert some sanity into my life. I guess that I was expecting some words of wisdom and guidance as to how to say no when something is asked of me that I would really rather not do and/or stick to my guns once I have attempted to delegate chores to someone else in my household.

     Unfortunately, this is not the advice that I found in this book. This book can help you find the strength to overcome that deep rooted aversion to being selfish. It will point out some helpful positive affirmations that you have the right to some ME time, or whatever it is in YOUR life that you need to be more selfish about.

I give it 4 stars!

Moonpennies - Fun Read Friday Book Review

Moonpennies by Alanna Rosette Genre:Romantic Comedy

     Lina Daniels' mother explained to her when she was young that there is no such thing as true love. Surprisingly enough, Lina grows up to have commitment issues. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak, Lina pushes guys away before they can leave and break her heart. She also has a tendency to pursue the unattainable guys. Boy does this ever sound familiar.

     Unlike normal romance books, the main character has a quirky wit and many of the situations she finds herself in are incredibly humorous, if not very realistic - but that is what makes them so hilarious. This book is most definitely a fun read - incredibly light, humorous, and the story was so easy to pour through that I cannot recall any errors, if there were any.

     If I could change anything, it would be the ending. While not quite the traditional cliff hanger, there was still the sense of "Ohmigosh I can't believe the book ended THERE!" I definately cannot wait to find out what happens in the next book and would recommend the series to readers who enjoy a bit of humor with their romance.

I give it 4 stars!

The Real Book of the Dead - Book Review

The Real Book of the Dead by Collette Sinclaire Genres: Paranormal, Nonfiction

     The world is not black and white. There are many shades of grey. Within those shades lies the realm of things intangible: ghosts and spirits, telekinetics, psychic abilities, pyrokinetics, aliens, some would even put God into this category. All of the things that cannot be seen or heard and require a bit of faith or belief lie within this realm. Personally, I'm not sure that I'm a believer of these things. But I like to think that I am open minded. I neither believe nor disbelieve. I simply do not have enough information to form a solid opinion one way or another. Many experts say that everyone has some level of psychic abilities, but we never fully realize it. When an old friend calls shortly after you were just thinking about them, is that coincidence or some small level of psychic ability?

     Collette Sinclaire is renowned as a psychic. In this very original book she has collected a series of stories from the spirits and souls that she has been in contact with. Her hopes is to alleviate some of the worry and sadness that we, as mere mortals, experience when loved ones pass on. Sinclaire tells of beauty, hope, of an existence with no more pain, and the freedom from the sickness that may have bound individuals to sick rooms or kept them bedridden. Her words may bring comfort to those who have experienced great pain and loss.

     You do not have to be a believer to enjoy this compelling book, but an open mind would greatly benefit the experience.

I give it 4 stars!

Slow Burn - Book Review

Slow Burn Zero Day series #1 by Bobby Adair Genre: Horror

     Zed Zane is oblivious to the current flu scare that has been generated. He had become disdainful and distrustful of the media hype generated by competing new stations over the years. He perceives the news flashes as just yet another new flu strain sensationalized by news networks. He has other things to worry about. Like eating some crow, swallowing a bit of pride in the process, and asking his mother for money to cover his rent, yet again. But he soon discovers that it is far more than a flu virus that has taken over his hometown.

Demons Within - Featured Author Book Review

Demons Within: Unholy Fire The Hidden Evil Trilogy #2 by J. Thorn Genres: Horror, Paranormal

     The problem with reviewing series and sequels is that I find myself afraid of revealing too much information in my synopses that could possibly reveal any surprises from the first book to those who have not yet read it. So I will keep my overview fairly brief and hopefully avoid any spoilers. After surviving the first confrontation with Preta, Ravna decides to take a road trip with his girlfriend. A seemingly innocent side trip in their sight seeing has deadly repercussions as they find themselves tangled within Preta's web of horror once again.

     I love how Thorn has portrayed this story. Each section is told in first person by a different character, giving us their perspective as events unfold. While some of the characters necessarily overlap their stories, we also are given an inside peek at what that specific character was thinking during specific scenes, until the entire story appears before us. Incredibly suspenseful, riveting horror filled twists, and an original storyline leaves me waiting impatiently for the third and final book in this trilogy.

     I definitely recommend this book to fans of supernatural horror stories.

I give it 4 stars!

Featured Author Guest Post - J. Thorn

     I would like to begin by sincerely thanking Laurie Love for featuring my books this month and for inviting me to write a guest post for her blog. It’s always an honor and a privilege to be asked to do so.

     I get out of bed every morning because I believe in giving. I believe in making the lives of others better. I do this by creating art that makes life more enjoyable, rejuvenates the spirit, and connects us through universal human experiences. And I happen to tell great stories that are dark, emotional, and engaging.

     I’m a disciple of Stephen King and I grew up reading his stories. If you enjoy King, you’ll enjoy my books as well. I do things in a slightly different way. It seems to be how I’m wired. I’ve posted my phone number on my website, on my social media profiles, and in the back of all of my books. Don’t believe it? Call 216.245.8476 and leave me a message and I’ll call you back. I respond to every message I receive whether it be via voice-mail, Facebook, Twitter, email, carrier pigeon, or smoke signals (maybe not the last two). I don’t have an agent, or a handler, or a PR person. I don’t know if I’ll always be able to respond personally to every message, but I can now so I do. I’m more interested in connecting with the right readers, not the most. You can get to know me better on my website jthorn.net or connect with me on various social media platforms, although I’m most active on Twitter @JThorn_ and Facebook.

If you want to talk, call me. I’ll call you back.

Preta's Realm - Featured Author Book Review

Preta's Realm by J. Thorn The Hidden Evil Trilogy #1 Genres:Horror, Paranormal

     Drew is a normal everyday kind of person. Loving husband, father, and competent employee, until he inherits an unknown and unwanted debt from his grandfather. His grandfather had been a soldier overseas and brought home a most disturbing souvenir, an evil spirit. This spirit now claims a debt that was never fulfilled and claims Drew's soul until this debt is paid. Not only does Drew begin to wonder if he is losing his grip on his sanity after being visited by the spirit of his dead grandfather, but he also discovers that his life is not quite the wonderful fairy tale story that he had thought that it was.

The Law of Three - Featured Author Book Review

The Law of Three: A New Wasteland by J. Thorn Portal Arcane Series #2 Genres:Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy

     Samuel is back for more. He is a bit wiser as he retains the memory of having been in this odd land before. He has actually been cycled through many reversions, many more than he recalls. Not only is Samuel still chased by the wolf packs but new creatures have been imagined to slow down any progress Samuel can make in his attempts to ensure his survival.

July's Free Whispersync Freebie from Amazon

     Did you know that every month amazon selects a title that is available as both a free ebook and the audiobook version can be downloaded free from audible.com which is now owned by amazon. Granted, the free ebook, from what I have noticed so far, is a classic book within the public domain that you can download for free anyhow. The audiobook, however is a completely different story. This month's selection is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. For more information click here, in fact bookmark that link and check it each and every month!

The Reversion: The Inevitable Horror - Featured Author Book Review

The Reversion: The Inevitable Horror by J. Thorn Portal Arcane Series #1 Genres: Horror, Paranormal, Fantasy

     Samuel gains consciousness with a noose around his neck, hanging from a tree amidst police caution tape. After freeing himself and surveying his surroundings, he finds many other nooses in surrounding trees, some with bodies still swinging from them, some without. Samuel also comes to realize that he has no memory of how or why he has come to this place. Many that have come to the forest of the dead have no recollections of their past. Often the memories will come back to them slowly. Even more often, these memories are unwanted once they do come.

The Tommyknockers - Listen While You Work Audiobook Review

What I listened to ...

The Tommyknockers by Stephen King Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller,    Fantasy Narrator: Edward Hermann

     THIS is the audiobook that I SHOULD have started with. Granted, I would rather experience new books, but I think as a starting point that I should have began with a book that I am already familiar with the story line. I have read The Tommyknockers a couple of times and I must say that this was the most enjoyable experience yet in my adventures into audiobooks. While it is true that only listening to books that I have already read can really limit my choices, I think that by "re-reading" a couple of books may really help me with the whole visualization process that I have been having with audiobooks. Also it may not be such a horrible way to revisit some books that I have wanted to re-read but just have not found the time to do so.

Gone Home - Book Review

Gone Home by Kim Welsman Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy

     This book is a sequel to Welsman's Going Home. To give a little background, the main character, Peggy, is of the alien race that lives on the planet Sylax. She was genetically created and not conceived in the usual way. She is often the victim of racism because of the difference in her creation and psychic abilities. In the first book, Peggy had been sent on a mission to Earth. This book reveals to us little bits of information about that mission and tells of Peggy's conflict to convince the Sylaxian Council to allow Earthers to serve on the council, now that she has returned home and reported of her findings on Earth.

Worthy - Book Review

Worthy by Laura Rouney Genre: Romance

     Happy 4th! Have plans today? I'm headed off to a family barbecue and actually taking a little time for some rest and relaxation. If you don't have plans today, fear not, for I have the perfect book for you to read while you have the day off and a long holiday weekend ahead.

J. Thorn - Featured Author Biography July 2013

J. Thorn Main genre:   Horror, Fantasy

     While I really enjoy featuring an Indie author and bringing attention to new authors, there isn't a whole lot to be found on the internet as far as biography material goes. Thorn currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He splits his time between IT work, writing, and as a guitarist in the heavy metal band Threefold Law. Thorn has received several awards and acclaims, please visit the author's website for further information.

The Return of the King - Listen While You Work Book Review

What I listened to ...

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien Third book in The Lord of The Rings trilogy Genres: Adventure, Classic,    Fantasy, Young Adult Narrator: Rob Inglis

     Finally! The big epic battle of good vs. evil. Knew it was coming up somewhere in this book. All of the assorted beings we have crossed paths with (elves, dwarves, ents, etc) have put aside their own differences and banded together to defeat the Dark Lord Sauron and his own troop of fantastical creatures. The story is packed full of tension and suspense during this epic battle. Wonderful conclusion to the trilogy but in all honesty, I think this is a series of books that I really need to read on my own before attempting to listen to the audiobook. There is just so much going on that it is really quite easy to get lost.

Dragon Circle - Fun Read Friday Book Review

Dragon Circle by Casey Fry Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy

     Dragons guard the humans of the world. But who watches over the dragons? Throughout history 5 humans are appointed as Guardians to help out the dragons when needed. But when the Guardians were last called upon, one thousand years ago, all did not go as planned. Now, in modern day times, a group of high school students learn that they are the reincarnated souls of the Guardians and are being called upon to set things right.

Inspirer - Book Review

Inspirer: Poetic Observations by Allen Vaysberg Genre: Poetry

     I try to be fairly eclectic with the books that I review. A little bit for everyone as everybody has their own personal favorite genre. This also helps to keep me fairly well rounded in my own reading and stops me from just gravitating heavily towards mysteries and mayhem. However it dawns on me that I think this is only the second book of poetry that I have ever reviewed.