William L. Stuart

author of The Gemstone Chronicles Series

Book Reviews, Thoughts, and Random Interesting Ideas

Time to B.R.A.G. a Little (again)!

by Leave a Comment

My readers recall that The Gemstone Chronicles Book One: The Carnelian won its first award from IndieBrag when it received the B.R.A.G. medallion in 2015. This past October, I submitted Book Two: The Amethyst and guess what? It won as well, so it’s time to B.R.A.G (again)! I could not be prouder!

B.R.A.G. The Amethyst Cover

What is IndieBRAG?

As a refresher, IndieBRAG, home of award-winning independent authors, awards the B.R.A.G. medallion. B.R.A.G. stands for Book Readers Appreciation Group and has as its mission is to discover talented independent authors and give their work the attention and recognition they deserve. According to their website, all books brought to their attention are subjected to a rigorous selection process. They screen the works to ensure they meet minimum standards for quality and content. If the book passes the screening process, IndieBRAG makes the book available to a global group of readers, who can select the book based on the genre.

B.R.A.G. Medallion:

IndieBRAG only awards 20-25% of the submissions a B.R.A.G. medallion, indicating the book is well-worth readers’ time and money. Now I have two! I plan to submit Books Three and Four at some point in the future and hope to have the entire series listed on the website just as The Carnelian and The Amethyst are!

In the market for good independently published books? Visit the IndieBRAG website and see what interests you. I’m reading a fellow B.R.A.G. medallion author’s book now and they are excellent! I’ll bet you can find your favorite genre there, too. As always, if you read a book, please consider leaving a review! It doesn’t take long. Your feedback is appreciated and welcomed by the authors.

Connect with me:

Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Visit my Amazon Author page or find me on the IndieBRAG site. Stop by, check out The Gemstone Chronicles, and say hello!

Aerenden: The Gildonae Alliance by Kristen Taber – My Review!!

by Leave a Comment

Not long ago I read Aerenden: The Child Returns (Aerenden #1) by Kristen Taber and gave it 4.5 stars (rounded to 5 stars). I added Aerenden: The Gildonae Alliance (Aerenden #2) to my TBR list and now, it’s time for my review!

Aerenden: The Gildonae Alliance Cover

Synopsis (From the author):

The Mardroch army hunts the new King and Queen, destroying villages in its wake. And Meaghan and Nick, training for battle in a remote section of wilderness, are far from safe. Danger hides in shadows and behind innocent faces. Allies become foes. Each day is a fight to survive. But in the end, only one threat matters. And it’s a threat they never see coming

What I liked:

As with the first book, I enjoyed the story. Meaghan continues to grow as a character and her relationship with Nick gets more complicated with each passing day. I also liked the way different powers manifested themselves in the individuals who possess them. The battle scenes entertained me. Lastly, the story flowed well and kept me turning pages. Overall, an excellent read!

What I didn’t like:

 Like the first book, I thought Meaghan and Nick’s relationship was too choppy and undefined. Other than that, no issues for me.

Overall impression:

Aerenden: The Gildonae Alliance (Aerenden #2) was a good continuation of the series. It built on the previous book and revealed a few new characters. With good battles scenes, intrigue, and a little bit of romance, the book kept me entertained. If you like fantasy, this is one to read!

My rating:

5 Stars

Connect with Kristen Taber:

Find Kristen Taber on her Amazon Author Page, Goodreads Page, or her website. Find out what she up to and more about her books. While there, consider leaving a review or a comment and maybe buy a book or two!

Connect with me:

Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Say hi and let’s connect!

Aerenden: The Child Returns by Kristen Taber – My Review!!

by 1 Comment

I decided to read a few of my fellow indie BRAG Medallion authors’ books. I started with Kristen Taber’s Aerenden: The Child Returns (Aerenden #1). Read on for my review!

Aerenden Cover

Synopsis (from the author):

Murder. Monsters. Magic. To Meaghan, these words belong in newspaper articles and children’s stories, not her carefully planned life. Until the day she and her friend Nick witness her parents’ brutal demise at the hands of red-eyed creatures. They flee into the wilderness where Nick tells her the creatures, known as Mardróch, came from another world to kill her. He gives her a choice–face the Mardróch alone or escape through a portal into a distant kingdom.

It isn’t much of a choice.

Ærenden is a land more beautiful and sinister than Meaghan could have ever imagined. Vines attack. Monkeys freeze their victims with a glare. Soldiers create bombs from the air. Even Meaghan’s newly discovered empath power turns into a danger she cannot control.

But control becomes the least of her worries when she learns the truth behind the kingdom’s fifteen-year civil war–a long-buried secret that could cost Meaghan her life.

What I liked:

I enjoyed the way Kristen Taber melded the modern world with a medieval feeling Aerenden. The action was good, and Meaghan and Nick made good characters. The Mardróch was sufficiently evil and Garon, as the ultimate bad guy in the story, made for a great villain. I liked the way the author wove magic into the story as well. Overall, an entertaining book!

What I didn’t like:

Nick and Meaghan’s relationship was unnecessarily choppy and the transition from modern times to Aerenden was a little odd to me. Other than that, no complaints.

Overall impression:

Aerenden: The Child Returns was a good story! Good characters, nice pace, and a little romance kept me turning the pages. I recommend this one to fantasy readers of all ages!

My rating:

4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 stars)

Connect with Kristen Taber:

Find Kristen Taber on her Amazon Author Page, Goodreads Page, or her website. Find out what she up to and more about her books. While there, consider leaving a review or a comment and maybe buy a book or two!

Connect with me:

Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Say hi and let’s connect!

Gemstones and Fluorescence – Who Knew!?

by Leave a Comment

I learned something new recently (at least new for me). I accidentally discovered, through an unrelated web search, certain gemstones exhibit fluorescence under ultraviolet (UV) light. Now, this may not be news to some of you, but it surprised me!

Fluorescence:

What is fluorescence and why do some gemstones exhibit it and others don’t? According to an article by Hobart M. King, PhD, RPG on Geology.com, certain minerals can absorb a small amount of light and then emit a small amount of light in a different wavelength. This change in wavelength appears as a color change to the human eye. Here is a link to the article so you can see more for yourself!

Additional research taught me fluorite, rubies, some emeralds, and diamonds fluoresce. What do I have from my many rock hounding trips to the North Georgia Mountains? Rubies and emeralds (no diamonds, but I may be headed to Arkansas later this year to see if I can find a diamond or two, but that will be another post)! No fluorite that I know of, though. To test my rocks, I asked for a UV flashlight for Christmas and I was lucky enough to get one.

Checking my rock collection:

After the Christmas festivities were complete (including a delicious prime rib linked here), I spent time examining my rock collection for signs of fluorescent stones. Guess what? I found some! The rubies show up well (chromium, which gives rubies their red color, is an activator for fluorescence) and a few of my better emeralds have a slight reddish glow. Who knew? I wondered why the sapphires didn’t fluoresce and discovered that iron can dampen fluorescence, even though the titanium can acts as an activator. Both of those elements give sapphires their blue color. Here are a few pictures to illustrate the change with the UV light. The first two are rubies under regular light and then under the UV light. I love the pink color!

Fluorescence Rubies

The next two pictures are of a yellow rock that I really don’t know what it is, but it glowed a lovely pale green under the UV light.

Fluorescence Yellow Rock

I realize using a long wave UV flashlight like I received at Christmas will not show the fluorescence on all the stones that possess the property. For that, I’d need a shortwave UV lamp. I may have to order one to see what the difference between the two devices is. If I can get one that is portable, I can take it with me and use it during my rock hounding excursions.

Safety First:

If you decide to use a UV light, make sure to use it safely. UV light is the same light that causes sunburn, so don’t shine the light on your skin. Don’t look into the light directly and don’t shine it on another person or a pet. Wear UV protective glasses, too!

Did you know about gemstones and fluorescence? Leave me a comment and let me know. I’d love to see some of your pictures. As I find more fluorescent stones, I’ll try to post pictures.

Connect with me:

Find me on the socials and let’s connect. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Say hi and let’s talk about rocks (or books)!

Die Every Day by Gordon Bickerstaff – My Review!!

by Leave a Comment

If you follow my reviews, you know I reviewed a couple of Gordon Bickerstaff’s Lambeth Group Thrillers. When Gordon Bickerstaff released Die Every Day: For the Rest of Your Life, I added it to my TBR list. Read on for my review.

Die Every Day Cover

Synopsis (from the author):

A woman is murdered in a Glasgow city hotel room. Police have everything they need to charge a suspect. Caught at the scene, he confessed, and he’s filled with guilt and remorse. With undeniable evidence; the police expect him to plead guilty.

Rumours suggest the man will plead not guilty and tell his story. If he faces trial, the truth will cause international outrage and the government will fall.

Faceless mandarins in corridors of power are determined he will remain silent.

Lambeth Group agent, Zoe Tampsin, is ordered to make him plead guilty. What she discovers will crush her soul and place her next in line to be murdered.

Who is pulling the strings? What secrets are they hiding?

What I liked:

Just like the other Lambeth Group Thrillers, Die Every Day starts with a bang and keeps going. Zoe is back as the heroine, but she’s trying to juggle her own issues as well as Gavin Shawlin’s latest predicament. Despite the mission to make an alleged killer confess, she finds much more to the story. She faces personal demons and yet, in true Zoe fashion, comes out ahead! How? No spoilers from me, so read this one to find out!

What I didn’t like:

In spite of all the good things in the book, Gavin’s circumstances were a bit hard to believe. In addition, some of the background machinations were a stretch.

Overall impression:

Die Every Day by Gordon Bickerstaff is an excellent addition to the Lambeth Group thrillers. With good characters, nice plot, and tons of action, the book doesn’t disappoint. If you like thrillers, read this one!

My rating:

4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 stars)

Connect with Gordon Bickerstaff:

Find Gordon Bickerstaff on his Amazon Author Page or his Goodreads Page. Find all his books (maybe buy a couple) and consider leaving a comment or a review!

Connect with me:

I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Find me and let’s connect!

Grave Digger Academy by C. A. King – My Review!!

by Leave a Comment

A while back, I read Finding the Fountain of Youth by C. A. King and enjoyed it. Another C. A. King book, Grave Digger Academy, popped up in my recommendations, so I added it to my TBR list. Here are my thoughts!

Grave Digger Academy Cover

Synopsis (from the author):  

There is a reason why people don’t believe in monsters and it’s not because zombies, vampires, mummies, and ghosts don’t exist…

Welcome to Grave Digger Academy- the last place anyone wants to end up.


****************************************************************

It’s Makayla’s first year in the paranormal academy system. When all three of the schools she applies to deny her entry, there’s only one left. Unfortunately, she’s more interested in finding a way out of Grave Digger Academy than in learning its curriculum.

Gravediggers actually do the digging. Grave Diggers, however, keep buried bodies where they belong—six feet under.

This year’s students are about to learn corpses can be temperamental, and when the dead refuse to cooperate, there’s Hell to pay.

What I liked:

Grave Digger Academy was a fun read. I enjoyed the humor and almost lighthearted feel of the book. Makayla was a spunky character and her ability to involve others was a nice touch. The mystery surrounding her family added another layer to the tale. Overall, a good start to the series!

What I didn’t like:

My only complaint about Grave Digger Academy was the timeline seemed accelerated in places. I understand you can’t cover every day of a school year, but time jumped around a bit.

Overall Impression:

Grave Digger Academy by C. A. King was a quick read. Good characters, good humor, and a lighthearted tone made it a fun book. If you enjoy YA paranormal fantasy, read this one!

My rating:

4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 stars)

Connect with C. A. King:

Visit C. A King on her website or her Amazon Author Page, read about her many books, and maybe buy a couple. While there, please consider leaving a comment or a review!

Connect with me:

Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest. Say hi and let’s connect! Remember, shares, comments, and likes are always welcome and greatly appreciated!