Jan
23

A roller coaster thriller

By arcook Posted in 5 stars, Action, Fiction, STAINED WITH DIRT, STAR rating, Thriller, Wash Rating | No Comments »
TITLE:   Vaults of Power
AUTHOR:   Diane Echer
PUBLISHER:   Chicoine Editions
PAGES:   278
ISBN:   978-0984817108
STARS:   5
WASH:   stained with dirt

Vaults of Power by Diane Echer is not about roller coasters, but the book reads like a good roller coaster ride.

Vaults of Power starts off a little slow, but not so slow that you are able to stop reading. There is just enough mystery and action at the beginning to keep the reader from putting the book down. As the pieces fall into place near the top of the first hill of this roller coaster, the reader develops an excitement about what is about to come, but has no idea what kind of ride the book is going to take them on.

When the action started, it didn’t stop till the last few pages of the book. There were twists and turns that I never saw coming. Putting the book down to do other things was very difficult.

Robyn Gabriel is a treasure hunter whose life is about to be changed when she finds out that her twin sister Sybil has been in an accident. Robyn immediately leaves her treasure hunting ship to travel across the world to France. What follows is a chase to discover what a secret manuscript really says and why so many people are interested in getting their hands on it.

The book is a combination of Dan Brown and Clive Cussler with the special flair of Diane Echer blending them together. This book is not a “copy cat” – the story is definitely original. There is the international conspiracy (Jesuits, sinking of the Titanic, federal reserve, and more) that we expect from Dan Brown and the treasure hunting, risk taking main character that made Clive Cussler famous.

If you enjoy either of these authors, this is a book that you do not want to miss reading!

Vaults of Power is Diane Echer’s first book. I personally look forward to seeing what she writes next!

Keep your eyes on this author!

 

What other bloggers have said about Vaults of Power by Diane Echer: 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was given a copy of this book by the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising

Jan
11

Understanding (Organizing?) the Angels

By arcook Posted in 3 Stars, CLEAN, Inspirational, Non-Fiction, STAR rating, Wash Rating | 2 Comments »

 

TITLE:   Understanding the Angels 
AUTHOR:   Dr. James Hodges, Ph.D.
PUBLISHER:   ECKO House Publishing
PAGES:   236
ISBN:   978-1427650399
STARS:   3
WASH:   clean

Understanding the Angels by Dr. James Hodges is all about angels. In this book, he describes the types of angels that were created by God and what their responsibilities are. There are numerous scriptures cited to back up his characterization of the seven different classes of angels.

Even with the large number of scriptures cited, I felt a little uncomfortable with some of the ideas that he presented. The one that concerned me most was the idea that we are able to call upon angels to help us or someone else and they will obey us if we are in alignment with God’s will. 

Dr. Hodges shares in his book how he “…would command the angels of protection to guard every door she would walk through … angels to stand guard over her locker… At one point I filled the gym and cafeteria with angels over her.” (The her referred to is the author’s daughter.)

Dr. Hodges comes across as an “angel specialist”.

Near the end of Understanding the Angels, there is a short chapter on new age philosophy. This chapter contains some good information but does not seem to be in line with the rest of the book.

In conclusion, I must say that Understanding the Angels does contain some useful information. This book would make a good basis for a study group where the members took time to read and study the scripture references given as well as their context.

NOTE: The correct title of the book is “Understanding the Angels”. My original title of “Organizing the Angels” was a commentary on how I felt the subject of angels was treated in this book. I apologize for any misunderstanding this may have caused.

 

What other bloggers have said about ”Understanding the Angels” by Dr. James Hodges, Ph.D.: 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was given a copy of this book by the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Dec
31

42B for 11,517P in 365D

By arcook Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Translation: 42 books for 11,517 pages in 365 days.

Those are my reading stats for 2011. I had hoped to hit 12,000 pages but have not yet finished the book I am reading now and definitely will not have time to get 250 additional pages read by midnight tonight.

My favorite book of 2011 was Quest for the Nail Prints by Don Furr (http://www.reallyrandomsite.com/thebookreview/quest-for-the-nail-prints-by-don-furr/).

The book and page totals do not include proprietary, personal, research, technical or work related reading.

In 2012, I hope to average 4 books per month with a total page count of 15,000 for the year.

What are your reading/review goals for 2012?

Dec
31

Lucky by Craig Inglis

By arcook Posted in 4 Stars, Children's Book, CLEAN, Fiction, STAR rating, Wash Rating | 1 Comment »
           TITLE:   Lucky
       AUTHOR:   Craig Inglis
   PUBLISHER:   CreateSpace
          PAGES:   36
            ISBN:   978-1463777562
          STARS:   4
           WASH:   clean

As the back cover says, Lucky is the story of a dog that bounces back from some bad luck. The book is meant to show children that they can overcome the most challenging problems.

The story is brief and written on a child’s level. The illustrations by Richard Kinsey are colorful and sure to capture the attention of children.

Craig Inglis has written a children’s story that is not your typical happy-all-the-way-through book. The few pages that describe Lucky’s “bad luck” surprised me. As a couple of my grown children read through the book, I noticed the look on their faces change when they got to these pages.

I feel this book would be best suited for a child that is facing a situation where somebody they know (pet or human) is going through some difficult situation. This is not a book I would keep on my grandchildren’s bookshelf, but would possibly use in a counseling session with a child.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was given a copy of this book by the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Dec
28

Blog changes in 2012

By arcook Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

I will be making a few changes in my blog as of the first of the year.

The most noticeable change will be my post titles. The people I first started doing book reviews for over 1.5 years ago required that the blog title be {book title} by {author}. As of January 1, I will no longer be following that convention. The blog titles will be a product of my (hopefully) creative mind. The top section of the review will continue to show the book title, author, number of pages, publisher, ISBN, star rating, wash rating, picture of the book, and a link to purchase a copy through amazon.com.

I will also be including as part of my review posts links to other sites that have posted a review on the same book. If you have a review on a book I have reviewed on my site, please send me a link to it (linking back to me would be nice, but not required).

In 2012, I plan to start including some author reviews and possibly some articles on blogging.

The design of the blog may change a little if I have the time, but that is not a big priority at this time.

« Previous Entries