Recommendations and Reviews

Visiting a different genre for this review. I’ve read a few of Diana Febry’s books and enjoyed them all. I particularly like the Chapman and Morris Mystery Series (Trouble at Clencher’s Mill and Trouble at Fatting House). I added Trouble at Suncliffe Manor to my TBR list. Here is my review.

Synopsis (from the author):

 After a tough winter, Kate is excited to receive a new house-sitting job in a clifftop manor house. As soon as they arrive, she experiences feelings of insecurity and the increasing sense she is being watched. Her sense of vulnerability is escalated by the paranoia of a young groom who does little to hide her attraction to Simon while persuading him to investigate the death of her grandmother. She believes her relative was murdered after seeing someone whose funeral she attended years earlier. While Simon chases ghosts in the shadows a very real threat is looming ever closer.

What I liked about Trouble at Suncliffe Manor:

The cozy mysteries Diana Debry write are like a visit from an old friend. Kate and Simon’s relationship continues to slowly evolve, but their penchant for danger is ever present. The story moves along nicely, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. Add to it the quaint setting of the story, and all the elements for a nice read are in place.

What I didn’t like about Trouble at Suncliffe Manor:

My chief issue with the book was the backdrop of Covid and its restrictions. I understand we can’t avoid the impact of the disease, but it was a bit of a distraction to the rest of the story.

Overall impression of Trouble at Suncliffe Manor:

Despite the issue I had with the Covid inclusion, I enjoyed the Trouble at Suncliffe Manor. Interesting and familiar characters, nice twists and turns, and a satisfying end kept me entertained. If you like cozy English mysteries, add this one to your own TBR list!

My rating:

4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 stars)

Connect with Diana J. Febry:

Visit Diana Febry’s Amazon Author page or her Goodreads page to find all her books. If you’ve read one or more, consider leaving a review. If you haven’t pick up a book or two (and then consider leaving a review when you finish reading them).

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I’ve been a little behind on my reviews and it’s time to get back to them. This installment is another BRAG Medallion award winning book, Thane (Everknot Duet Book 1) by Travis Daniel Bow. Read on for my thoughts!

Synopsis (from the author):

A young fanatic, a cadre of elite rebel spies, and a betrayal that will change everything.

Timothy is awkward, angry, and itching to fight. When he is kidnapped and conscripted into a secret army—and when a girl with a strange set of skills sets him free—he throws himself into the rebel cause. Igniting years of pent-up frustration into an obsessive drive to fight, spy, and deceive better than anyone else, he loses himself in the Band. But a bigger game is afoot, an old enemy is on the hunt, and everything Timothy has come to live for is at stake.

What I liked about Thane:

One of the most interesting aspects of this fantasy book is there isn’t any magic. That’s right, no mysterious spells or even magical creatures, yet the novel captured my attention and held it. The characters, especially Timothy and Robert, were well-developed, and the intrigue the pair find themselves part of kept the story rolling. Add to that the cast of supporting characters and their various adventures, and you have a tale that kept me turning the pages.

What I didn’t like about Thane:

The only complaint I have about Thane is the use of narrative versus dialogue. While I understand the need for a narrative viewpoint, I thought that dialogue in certain places might have moved the story along better than the narration did. It’s a minor point, though.

Overall impression of Thane:

I enjoyed Thane (Everknot Duet Book 1) by Travis Daniel Bow! While not a typical fantasy trope, with magic and magical creatures, it didn’t need them. Lots of action, intrigue, and good characters, this well-written novel is a good addition to fantasy fans’ TBR list.

My rating:

4.5 Stars (rounded to 5 Stars)

Connect with Travis Daniel Bow:

Find the author on his website, his Amazon Author page, or his Goodreads page. Discover all his books, maybe buy a couple, and consider leaving a review or a comment!

Connect with me:

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I found The Woodcutter King by Aerick Graham on bragmedallion.com and, after reading the blurb, added it to my TBR list. Here is my review.

Synopsis (from the author):

The whilom Wardens of Wudelic woods are watchers and sentinels of the wild. Their roots run deep like the oaks and elders. Proud as towering pines. Their history is as an old language etched into ruins, they are now known as the Woodcutters.

Eerie for their Ghost-lights, glowing orbs that sit on their brow, folks are not sure what to make of them. The patriarch, Alaric, is a descendant of the first Warden, having the ear of the woodland goddess, Lhodyn. She is the embodiment of all that is wild – capricious at best, vindictive at worse.

War descends over Alaric’s village as borderland marauders murder and enslave all. In reaction, Lhodyn seizes the village children and hides them within her woodland realm. Alaric is now faced with a hard choice, to remain and endure certain brutality while he searches for the young ones or flee with the remainder of his family, their best chance for survival.

What I liked about The Woodcutter King:

I enjoyed the way the author wove the story around the lives of the Wardens. To me it made the story not just your usual fantasy novel, but one that was truly rooted in family and what it means. The characters were nicely fleshed out, and the plot move along nice progression. Overall, an enjoyable book!

What I didn’t like about The Woodcutter King:

At times, the book moved a little slowly at times, and oddly-placed plots points detracted from the tale.

Overall impression of The Woodcutter King:

The Woodcutter King was an enjoyable book. The story wove nicely around the Wardens’ lives and the sacrifices family makes for one another. The only weak spots were a few slow moments in the story and some oddly-placed plot points. If you like fantasy, though, put this one on the TBR list!

My rating:

4 Stars

Connect with Aerick Graham:

Find Aerick Graham on his website, his Goodreads page, or his Amazon Author page. Visit and find all his books. Please consider leaving a review, too!

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Georgia Guidestones – My Sad Goodbye

Many of you will recall my two previous posts about the Georgia Guidestones. The first was my introduction to the monument courtesy of Brad Meltzer’s Decoded. The second when I provided an update about a mysterious cube that appeared at the site. Sadly, I have a new update.

As I noted in my previous posts, there have been many instances of vandalism of the monument over the years. Mostly spray painted graffiti, with the occasional attempt to deface the slabs, but nothing dramatic. But now, much to the dismay of many (and, to be honest, the glee of others), the Georgia Guidestones – often called “America’s Stonehenge” – are no more. On July 5, 2022, about 4 a.m., an alleged explosive device destroyed one the of large slabs. The next day, with the help of a backhoe, the remaining slabs toppled over, and the guidestones fell into the dust of history.

The GBI is investigating, and I hope they find the perpetrator. Whether you believe the guidestones were part of a New World Order conspiracy, or if you believe they were benign suggestions for how to live in the world, the simple act of destruction diminishes the opportunity to discuss and debate. Yes, people will recall they once stood, and the internet will keep the “commandments” alive, but the physical monument is now gone. Like the loss of any physical example, it becomes easier to forget.

Final thoughts:

What are your thoughts on the end of the Georgia Guidestones? I was lucky enough to visit them twice, and I never experienced any odd feelings. I didn’t experience convergence with the ley lines they were alleged to lie upon, or any other strange event. The stones were an interesting topic to debate and speculate upon, to test out various theories on who RC Christian was, and other such things, but as a writer and a Georgian, I never considered them anything more than a curiosity. Just for reference, though, here is a link to the Brad Meltzer Decoded episode about the guidestones. Sadly, I fear they will fade away in the clamor of everyday life and become just another urban legend.

Connect with me:

If you want to connect, I’m on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Pinterest. Say hi and let’s start a conversation!

I enjoy an occasional foray into the science fiction realms, and when I saw the synopsis of Gardens of Earth (The Sundering Chronicles Book 1) by Mark Iles, I added it to my TBR. Here are my thoughts.

Synopsis (from the author):

Corporate greed supported by incompetent surveyors leads to the colonisation of a distant world, ominously dubbed ‘Halloween’, that turns out not to be uninhabited after all. The aliens, soon called Spooks by military units deployed to protect the colonists, can adopt the physical form of an opponent’s deepest fear and then use it to kill them. The colony is massacred and as retaliation the orbiting human navy nuke the planet. In revenge, the Spooks invade Earth.

   In a last-minute attempt to avert the war, Seethan Bodell, a marine combat pilot sent home from the front with PTSD, is given a top-secret research spacecraft, and a mission to travel into the past along with his co-pilot and secret lover Rose, to prevent the original landing on Halloween and stop the war from ever happening. But the mission goes wrong, causing a tragedy later known as The Sundering, decimating the world and tearing reality, while Seethan’s ship is flung into the future. The Spooks win the war and claim ownership of Earth. He wakes, alone, in his ejector seat with no sign of either Rose or his vessel. When he realises that his technology no longer works, his desperation to find Rose becomes all the more urgent – her android body won’t survive long in this new Earth.

What I liked about Gardens of Earth:

There were many things I liked about Gardens of Earth. First, the relationship between Bodell and Rose, which defied the social convention, added a nice element. Second, the time shift and the causes and consequences of it, gave the story a great backdrop. Third, the Spooks’ revelations and the results of that made for an excellent ending (but no spoilers from me). If you enjoy scifi, a little time travel, and a touch of magic, Gardens of Earth fits the bill!

What I didn’t like about Gardens of Earth:

The only thing I had an issue with was the PTSD. I realize it is a difficult topic to write about, but it could have been explored a little bit deeper.

Overall impression of Gardens of Earth:

With good characters, a great story, time travel, aliens inhabiting Earth, and so much more, Gardens of Earth was an entertaining book. If you like scifi, give this one a try!

My rating:

5 Stars

Connect with Mark Iles:

Find Mark Iles on his Amazon Author page or his Goodreads page. Visit and find all his books, buy a few, and consider leaving a review or comment!

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Stepping way outside of my regular reading genre and heading into Elizabethan England to review BRAG Medallion winner, The Jesuit Letter (The Tyburn Folios Book 1) by Dean Hamilton. Here are my thoughts on this historical fiction thriller!

Synopsis (from the author):

Ex-soldier turned play-actor Christopher Tyburn thought he had left bloodshed and violence behind him when he abandoned the war against the Spanish in Flanders, but fate has different and far bloodier plans waiting.

The innyards of London are closed due to plague and the Earl of Worcester’s Men are on the road, touring the market-towns of the Midlands.

When Tyburn accidentally intercepts a coded latter from a hidden Jesuit priest in Warwickshire, he is entangled in a murderous and deadly conspiracy. Stalked by unknown enemies, he must race to uncover the conspiracy and hunt down the Jesuit to clear his name. . .or die a traitor’s death. His only hope – an eleven-year old glover’s son named William Shakespeare.

What I liked about The Jesuit Letter:

I enjoyed The Jesuit Letter! It had nice pace, good characters (including a young William Shakespeare), and an excellent plot. The twists and turns, and a little romance, adds to the story, and the backdrop of the traveling actors provides the perfect setting. One of my favorite things was the use of Elizabethan English and the ability to look up what the words meant. Overall, an entertaining tale!

What I disliked about The Jesuit Letter:

The only issue I had with the story was the romance part seemed to be an underdeveloped plot point. Other than that, no complaints from me.

Overall impression of The Jesuit Letter:

The Jesuit Letter entertained me! It had an intricate plot, good characters, and the backdrop of Elizabethan England gave it a great setting. The intrigue behind the letter, and the ultimate outcome kept me turning pages to the end. If you enjoy historical novels set in that period, try this one!

My rating:

5 Stars

Connect with Dean Hamilton:

Find Dean Hamilton on his website, Amazon Author page, or his Goodreads page. Stop by and see all his books and maybe buy a couple!

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