A Kingdom's Cost

This book is about James Douglas of Scotland when he was eighteen years of age. A Kingdom's Cost begins in the year 1300 in Paris and ends in Scotland.

There are historical characters such as William Wallace, King Edward l of England (who was known as Longshanks), the Bishop of Andrews, William Lamberton (who crowned Robert de Bruce as King of Scotland), William Douglas the Hardy, father of James and there is Isabella, the love of James.

James is the main character and the book is about his struggle for Scotland, with others, to become free of England and for James to regain his rightful land.

The beginning chapters are filled with historical facts and the time frame moves quickly. It took me close to one hundred pages to really get in to the personal part of the book. I know little of Scottish history and did learn a lot from A Kingdom's Cost and the war between England and Scotland during the reign of Edward l. As far as I could read with my extra research the author was close to the facts.

There was so much fighting and war, I kept wondering why so much. I got my answer on pages 196-197: "For Islemen and highlanders, war was a sport they savored".

This book will give the reader a big nudge to learn more of the history of Scotland. I have been to Scotland and know some of the area and some history. I even went to Inverness but Nessie did not show herself that day.

I look forward to reading more by J. R. Tomlin. I want to thank her for the opportunity to read A kingdom's Cost.

I received a complimentary copy of this e-book to read and review. The opinions are my own. I will post this on my blog: www.mnleona.blogspot.com, Smashwords and LibraryThing.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/46734?ref=mnleona

The Bridge of Deaths

Review of The Bridge of Deaths by M. C. V. (Catalina) Egan
A quote from Carl Sagan at the beginning is:
Somewhere,
something incredible
is waiting to be known.
Carl Sagan
1934–1996
American astronomer, writer, and
scientist. (page ix)
This book took me about three or four chapters to really get into it. I did not care for it at the beginning but as I got into it, I was very impressed. The book is in the third person. Catalina Egan has taken historical facts and turned them into a novel. I liked the characters, even with some faults they had.
There is Maggie and Bill, who live in London and the lady from Florida, Catalina, who connect on the Internet and use Skype and emails to communicate.
Bill has been transferred to London where he has recurring dreams about a past life. He meets Maggie at a bookstore and they click right away. They begin to search what is happening to Bill and why.
Catalina is searching for clues to the death of her grandfather, Cesar Agustin Castillo, a Mexican, who worked for Standard Oil of New Jersey and died in an British Airline airplane crash off the coast of Denmark on August 15, 1939.
There were four other passengers that died in the crash; a member of British Parliament, Anthony Crommelin Crossley, a conservative; another employee of Standard Oil of New Jersey, Samuel James Simonton, an American; a German Corporate Lawyer, Erich Bruno Wilhelm Beuss and a crew member for the airline, Alfred Stanley Mardsin Leigh. The pilot, Clifford Frederick Cecil Wright survived.
Catalina has been researching for almost twenty years and the facts she has acquired are very detailed.
There were so many facts, I had to stop reading and give my mind a rest. It is like when I do the genealogy for my family, I need to clear the mind of facts and names. I found myself checking the Internet for more information.
Bill felt he had a past life; Maggie and Bill began to search for answers. They consulted with a hypnotist as well as other means such as the Internet. "Hypnotist's job was to help Bill separate who he was today from who he had been in a past life." (page 302).
The book leads you into the past of many well known names in history. Winston Churchill, Nevile Chamberlain, Ronald Regan as well as many books and movies.
Anyone into genealogy, an interest in World War ll, history and mystery will like this book. Most of the characters are real.
I wish to thank the author, M.C.V. (Catalina) Egan for the complimentary e-book to read and review.
I give this a five star for all the research and facts that are in The Bridge of Deaths. The opinions are my own.
Acknowledgements on page 327
Bibliography on page 335
Films on page 346
Newspaper and Magazine Sources on page 347
Flight Magazine on page 349
Internet Sources on page 350
Archives on page 354
Author Biography on page 355
Epilogue on page 313
There are pictures of planes, people and scanned documents.
Find Catalina Egan at: thebridgeofdeaths.com and facebook.com/mcv.egan
Go to:
http://suzannevanrooyen.com/2012/01/23/guest-post-by-author-maria-catalina-egan/ to read an interview with the author.
Leona Olson
mnleona.blogspot.com ( )

Five Dances With Death, Dance One

Austin Briggs has written a good historical/supernatural book about the Aztecs of Mexico. The book begins in 1516. It also relates to the Spaniards as well as the Mayans, Olmec and Toltecs, people of Mexico. The "outlanders" are the Spanish who came in ships. The Aztec Empire is called "One World".

Angry Wasp is searching for his daughter, Dew, who was captured by his enemy, Talon. The beginning of the book has Angry Wasp and Talon at the ballcourt for the game to get Dew back . I have seen the ballcourt at Chichen Itza and was told there were sacrifices for the losers.

There is gore but anyone who has studied these cultures will not be surprised at the violence. The names in the book have somewhat been changed because they are hard to read; for me, I did not have much of a problem. I am glad I have studied the Maya, and also taught school children about them, and I have studied the Aztec somewhat, because it made the book more interesting and easier to read. Many of the words and happenings were familiar to me. The language of the Aztec was Nahuatl. I recommend the readers copy the Notes at the beginning of the Five Dances With Death which has a Quick Pronunciation Guide, Names of Places and Tribes, Historical Names and Gods so when they read they will have as good guide. I would have liked a map to help locate the area.

This is a supernatural book and Broken Plume, wife of Wasp, is a sorceress from Blue Cloak Mountain. She sends Wasp into the Void where he becomes a "twin" of himself where he can have a out of body experience. Plume has warned him not to go too far.

There are a number of characters and they all blend together, Wasp has his father, his wives and children as well as other leaders form other clans. The book begins with the search for Dew but somehow she is not the main part of the story. The book is fast track and there are many twists and turns. The language is fine and no sexual portions.

List of some characters are: Angry Wasp, his father Angry Wasp the Elder, His first wife Broken Plume, Talon, his enemy, Stern Lord ( Montezuma) who was leader and ruler of the Moonnwalk People and One Grass of Sacrifice, a young woman. Some gods are Feathered Serpent (Quetzalocotal), God of Rain (Tlaloc), and Smoking Mirror (Tezcatlipocal).

This is the first book of a series and the end of the book will leave you wanting to see the next "chapter".

I give it a five star. There is a quality of writing and I did not find any typos. Five Dances With Death is in the first person with Angry wasp as the person; I think it helped make the book personal. I will recommend this to my local library because they have recently acquired the option of e-books for the patrons.

The reader will learn something about the ancient cultures of Mexico.

http://austinbriggs.com/aztec-history/who-were-aztecs/

http://austinbriggs.com

mnleona.blogspot.com

Leona Olson

The Twilight Garden

Twilight Garden by Molly Dean. Publisher is Wild Child Publishing in Culver City, California.
Daniel Weston, his Aunt Margo and her daughter, Sabrina (Bree) are spending the summer at Daniel's Great-Aunt Delilah's home. Daniel and Bree are city raised in Atlanta and the country will be boring to them, they have determined. Bree is 14 years old and has become a "brat" according to Daniel who now calls her mother by her first name, Margo. She is into poetry and wants to live in Paris.
Daniel meets Kat, Katherine McDougal, who is 11 years old at the beginning of the book and they quickly become friends. Daniel, who is 10 years old, does not tell Kat his age.
Aunt Delilah had gone to Ireland she says to find her long-lost granddaughter, Maggie Dell who has been gone for years. Kat said she is dead and is a ghost. Delilah has left instructions for Margo to take care of her 8 cats, which Margo detests.
Delilah had a beautiful garden years ago where Kat and Daniel spend a lot of their time. Daniel learns a lot about the flowers from Kat. The cats are a big part of this story also.
Adults seem to be a problem in this story and I am not sure they realize it. Dan's parents are separated; his father very business like and his mother more easy going. Kat's mother is on her step-father number six. Bree wants to be with her father who has not been in her life for a long time.
The characters are:
Delilah- the Great-aunt who is said to be in Ireland
Daniel Weston
Kat McDougal
Margo Hollister - Bree's mother and Daniel's aunt
Glen- the father of Dan
Ariel Bannister- a friend of Delilah and becomes a friend of Margo, he talks about his travels around the world
Franklin- Bree's mysterious father;
Colonel Nicolas Pepperidge- described as an old coot who does not have much of a memory left
Cary Bowman- the young handyman who becomes a good friend of Bree
Maggie Dell- red-headed granddaughter of Delilah
The kids make their own summer fun and activities. The garden is important and I will let the reader find why it is important to the children and why Colonel is also important to the story.
A good and sensitive read for adults and children of the ages of 9-13 (I am guessing at the ages). This story might help some adults remember when they were a kid and take life a little easier and be more patient. Daniel's father was a good example of this. ( )

A Log Cabin Christmas Collection

This is A Collection of Christmas Christian Romances. The chapters are about 50 pages each and easy to read. Very heart-warming stories. The stories really tell it how it was in the Pioneer Days of the 1880s.
Chaper 1 : "Snow Angel" by Margret Brownley. Maverick, Texas, 1885.
Chapter 2: "The Chistmas Secret" by Wanda E Brunstetter. Allentown, Pennslyvania,1880
Chapter 3: "Christmas Traps and Trimmings" by Kelly Eileen Hake. London, England, October 12, 1811
Chapter 4: "A Star in the Night" by Liz Johnson. Franklin,Tennessee, December 3, 1864.
Chapter 5: "The Courting Quilt" by Jane Kirkpatrick. Oregon, 1867
Chapter 6: " Under His Wings" by Liz Tolsma. Camp Twelve, Wisconsin, 1875
Chapter 7: "The Dogtrot Christmas" by Michelle Ule. East Texas, June 1836
Chapter *: "A Grand County Christmas" by Debra Ullrick. Colorado.
Chapter 8: "Christmas Service" by Erica Vetsch. Minnesota North Woods near Grand Rapids, December, 1875 ( )

The Endless Waltz

"Having just been promoted to Captain, Bret De La Cosa finds himself sailing back to England from the Caribbean, ready to enter into a new chapter of his life with his Fiancée Isabella. He doesn’t get far as Davey Jones sets his eyes upon Bret, destroying his ship, and casting him down into the depths of the Locker below. After learning that he is still alive, Bret must make his way through the Dead City, fighting off Pirates and Marines alike in an attempt to find a way to escape the Locker and make his way back to the surface. Through his journey he encounters Romans, The Flying Dutchman, and the mighty Leviathan, all leading up to his final encounter with Davey Jones himself."

This book caught my attention at the beginning with Barbados and the winds. I have been to Barbados and I find it different from other Caribbean Islands and I do remember the waves and wind.

There is a lot of action and I think one for a teen or young adult to read and enjoy. Religion is part of the book and shows Bret as a caring human being. I got lost through some of the book; I think I needed more imagination. Jacob Marc Shafer does have a good imagination in his descriptions and the activities in the book. The characters were ones which the reader could connect and get to know and like or dislike; there are good and bad characters. I found emotion in the book and personally, it helped me know some of the characters.

The opening description of the book describes it very well. I only wish the book had better grammar and not so many misspelled words.

I will give this book a re-read. I am not sure the title is the best for the book but does become apparent near the end of the book.

Anyone interested in the sea, Davey Jones and his Locker, adventure, something different and pirates will like The Endless Waltz by Jacob Marc Shafer. Find him at www.jacobmarcschafer.com.

I received a complimentary copy of The Endless Waltz to read and review. The opinions are my own. I will give it a 3.75 rating. To a person of a younger age, I am sure it will get a 4 or 4.5 rating. No bad language or sex which is a big plus in itself.

Dawn Comes Early by Margaret Brownley

Dawn Comes Early by Margaret Brownley

Katherine Tenney has arrived in Cactus Patch, Arizona in 1895 on a Southern Pacific train from Boston. She has answered an ad in the paper that was "Looking for a woman of good character and pleasant disposition willing to learn the ranching business in Arizona Territory. Must be SINGLE and prepared to remain so now and forever more. Will be given ownership of ranch. Eleanor Walker". Because Kate had a history of disappointment from men, like her father and grandfather, also from her mother, she knew she would never marry. Kate was a writer of "dime novels" or potboilers as they were called here but her last book had been banned in Boston and she had nowhere to turn. Both parents had died and she was alone.

Her arrival was at a bad time as she arrived while Cactus Joe ( I pictured Jack Elam, one of my favorite actors), was causing problems again and most people were in hiding. The man who was to take her to the ranch had left when the problem occurred but the blacksmith, Luke Adams, took her to the ranch.

Luke's parents had died when he was young and his aunts, Lula-Belle and Bessie, raised Luke and his brother, Michael.

Her "training" to become a heiress began the next day and it was grueling. Breakfast was served between 4 AM and 5 AM. At 5 AM the ranch hands said their daily prayer and always asked for rain.

Kate had ridden a horse in Boston, but not like these horses. When Ruckus took her to get a saddle, he asked her "Western" or "Mexican" and Kate though as a blonde, she would think he would know she was not Mexican. This was a new world of words for her. She was college educated and used long words which confused the men. When Ruckus told her horse's name was Decker, she asked if it was for the English author, Thomas Deckker but Ruckus told her it was because he was the slowest horse and was on the "bottom of the deck".

The names of the ranch hands had barn names: Ruckus, Stretch, O.T. for some. Eleanor Walker was " the Boss Lady"; for a man it would have been "Old Man". The one name that surprised Kate was for God; He was called "Forever Man". She was dubbed "Goldilocks" by Ruckus.

Ruckus was in charge and even though he gave Kate lots of hard chores, mucking the barn as one of her first chores, he seemed to be on her side. This was not going to be easy to become the heiress; some who answered the ad only lasted for a day or so.

Luke is the main male character in the book. His aunts are concerned he has not married and he is already 30 years old. Michael is younger and more interested in writing than helping Luke in the blacksmith shop. Bessie is married to Murphy and Lula-Belle is married to Sam, who taught Luke about blacksmithing. I really liked these two wonderful mother-hen aunts.

This is such a good feel book and a well done Christian love story. This is a part of the country where God and the Lord is important to people and they are not afraid to show it.

There are some sad moments but lots of laughs and also confusing moments.

God invented night said Bessie so "we older folks can enjoy the benefits of youth without seeing how awful we look". They were discussing perfumes and satin unmentionables because the aunts had been reading Kate's banned book, Miss Hattie's Dilemma, which Lula-Belle had ordered. Bessie does not want to look like a painted lady and does not want to wear satin items. Lula-Belle has decided to order hers from Montgomery Ward; she wants to bring some spark back into her marriage. This book becomes part of the story in the book.

Other words that connected with me personally were dust storms or Arizona dusters; in West Texas we call them sandstorms. My high school, Monahans, school paper is called the Sandstorm. I have not heard the term.,"You best watch it" in Minnesota (where I now live), I "fancy" you, I have a "hankering" for you, a bowl of "fluffy white potatoes" sounded like something my father, who was born in Oklahoma, would say, "chipped cup" sounded so in place where Kate was at one time and Monday is washday. Uncle Murphy said "a drop (of rain) every 6 inches. My mother used to say " we had ten drops of rain" in Monahans; she was form Colorado where they had lots of rain. Ruckus says "Us western folks are easy to understand. You ought to know that by now. We may not always say what we mean but we always mean what we say".

There is a Reading Study Guide at the back of the book. This would make a good book for book clubs. I am recommending Dawn Comes Early to a friend who winters in Tucson and also belongs to a book club there.

I wish to thank Thomas Nelson Publishers, booksneeze.com and the author, Margaret Brownley for this complimentary book to read and review. Because is such a good read and not a complicated book to read, I am giving it a 5 star. Dawn Comes Early is one of a series of A Brides of Last Chance Ranch Novels.

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

This book was recommended on one of my social networking sites. I watched the series on TV recently and decided to read the book also. I am glad I watched the series first because it made the reading easier. I can get the TV series from my library and will probably watch it again. I will say after I read the Preface and saw the author did not believe in God, I almost did not read the book. I am glad I made the choice to read it.


The book is full of history about England and building of cathedrals and the people of the times. Hardships and good times were part of their life in these trying times. The building of a Cathedral is the main topic of the book.

The main characters of The Pillars of the Earth are:

Prior Philip- Prior of the Kingsbrdige Priory

Tom Builder- the master mason building the Cathedral for Philip

Alfred-son of Tom and Agnes

Martha- daughter of Tom and Agnes

Jonathan- son of Tom and Agnes

Agnes- first wife of Tom

Ellen- second wife of Tom

Jack- son of Ellen

Aliena- daughter of Earl of Shiring

Richard- son of Earl of Shiring

William- son of Percy Hamleigh

Regan- mother of William

Francis- brother of Philip

King Henry- the first King Henry

Maud- daughter of King Henry

Stephen- nephew of King Henry

Waleran Bigod- Archdeacon and then Bishop of Kingsbridge

This book is full of history. For those who have seen some of the great cathedrals of Europe, this is a reminder of their majesty. I remember seeing many cathedrals of Europe and in England and they all have the special feelings of something great.

There is love, hate, jealously, fear, rape, greed, religion. love of God and family, heartbreak and murder in this The Pillars of the Earth book of 973 pages. Some of the rape scenes were graphic as some of the battle scenes and I scanned over them.

The chapters are:

Prologue- Year 1123

Part One- Years 1135-1136

Part Two- Years 1136-1137

Part Three- Years 1142-1145

Part Four- Years 1142-1145

Part Five- Years 1152-1155

Part Six- Years 1170-1174

I give this book a definite 5 star.

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

It Is Dangerous to be Right When the Government Is Wrong By Judge Andrew Napolitano

It is Dangerous to be Right When the Government is Wrong ,The Case for Personal Freedom is a thought inspiring book by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano. He is on FOX News (FNC) and FOX Business (FBN) as a consultant and also has his own show on Fox Business, Freedom Watch. The Judge is a Libertarian.

This is not a book easily read without getting upset. Although, I do not agree with the Judge on many views, he is so right, as far as I am concerned, that our government is over the edge. I think this book should be in college or high school classrooms for discussions. The book is dedicated to Congressman Ron Paul, a Republication from Texas, who is now running for president. I found it somewhat hard to concentrate sometimes on the content because it got technical and I thought lawyer "talk".

For those who watch the Judge, you will see his finger pointing and hear his loud voice but you will not hear his laughter. Judge Napolitano has his opinions and they are in this book.

These are the chapters and they identify his views.

Author's Note: Is Freedom a Myth of a Reality?

Introduction: Where Do Our Rights Come From?

Chapter 1: Jefferson's Masterpiece: The Declaration of Independence

Chapter 2: Get Off My land: The Right to Own Property

Chapter 3: Names Will Never Hurt Me: The Freedom of Speech

Chapter 4: I Left My Rights in San Francisco: The Freedom of Association

Chapter 5: You Can Leave Any Time You Want: The Freedom to Travel

Chapter 6: You Can Leave Me Alone: The Right to Privacy

Chapter 7: Hands Off: You Own Your Body

Chapter 8: Sticks and Stones Will Break My Bones: The Right to Self-Defense

Chapter 9: You'll Hear from Me: The Right to Petition the Government for Redress of Grievances

Chapter 10: War...War...What is it Good For?: The Right to Enjoy Peace

Chapter 11: When the Devil Turns Round on You: The Right to Fairness from the Government

Chapter 12: A Dime Isn't Worth a Penny Anymore: The Right to Sound Money

Chapter 13: Theft by Any Other Name: The Right to Spend Your Own Money

Chapter 14: A Ride on Dr. Feinberg's Bus: The Right to be Governed by Laws with Moral Issues

Chapter 15: Ignoring Stupidity: The Right to Reject the State

Acknowledgements

Notes

Index

About the Author

Some notes I have taken are: The role of Government is to protect us (page xii); Liberty at last (xiii); Natural Law (page 197); Due Process (page 178); Wavier of Rights (page 179); Silly Laws (page 182); Tripartite nullification (page 196); Cartel (page 209); FDIC (page 211); Taxation violates natural property rights (page 222); Government is the negative of liberty (page 249) and Our natural rights (page 259).

I received a complimentary copy of It is Dangerous to be Right When the Government is Wrong, The Case for Personal Freedom to read and review from Thomas Nelson Publishers and booksneeze.com. The opinions are my own.

I will give this book 5 star rating.

Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

Cleopatra's Daughter

This was a good historical fiction book that starts with the deaths of Marc Antony and Cleopatra on August 12,30 BC.

The three children of Cleopatra, Kleopatra, and Marc Antony are taken to Rome after the death of their parents. Cleopatra's Daughter is Kleopatra Serene and Serene is the narrator of the book. Her twin brother is Alexander Helios and the youngest of the children is Ptolemy. Serena and Alexander are ten years old and Ptolemy is six years old. They are taken to Rome and paraded before the Romans wearing golden chains. The children go to live with the sister of Octavian, Octavia, who was the former wife of Marc Antony.

I do want to give more details because I did not know that Cleopatra and Marc Antony had children even though I have read a lot about history and watch the archaeology programs. (Learn something new every day). The details in the book are close to history, even though this is fiction and the author has taken some liberties in her writings.

This is my first read by Michelle Moran and I am really impressed in her knowledge and research. She has many tidbits that bring the reader into the era. I was a volunteer at a Pompeii exhibit and I appreciated the descriptions of the people, clothing and living areas as they were so simlar.

Maps are in the beginning of the book and always an added bonus for me as a reader. There is List of Characters and a Timeline front of the book and a Glossary, Afterword, Historical Notes and Acknowledgements in the back.

I give this a five star. It is certainly a re-read for me because of so much history.

I am now reading Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran.

You can find her on www.michellemoran.com

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

When Midnight Comes by Lori Handeland

When Midnight Comes by Lori Handeland

A short story that moves quickly and emotionally. The story is based in New York City in 1869. Jack has been murdered and wants a second chance at life. His love, Lucia, comes to him and walks him through what he did wrong to achieve his accomplishments in life. It reminded me of Mr. Scrooge and his past, present and future. Being alone and unloved is the biggest punishment when one is alive is a part of the book that seemed so true to me. This is a story of emotions, love, punishment, selfishness and a second change which most of us would like. There is a religious tone in the story and I think a Catholic one such as Purgatory.

A good read. There is one sexual portion of the story so I recommend this one for adults. I personally think some of it could be left out of the story and have it a great read for young people because of the theme of the story.

A reader can purchase this e-book on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com for .99.

Find the author at www.lorihandeland.com and also on Facebook.

I want to thank Smashwords.com and Lori Handeland for the complimentary copy of this e-book and the opportunity to read and review this story. The opinions are my own.

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

The Box of Rocks

Box of Rocks by Karla Telega

This is a mystery/adventure and "where am I in life" type of book. Two women, Maggie Gorski and Cheryl Anderson are at a mid-life crisis and need something to keep them busy. They have made a list of things to do such as rock collecting, a book club, ghost hunting and target practice. Maggie is married and Cher is divorced. Both have a dog that are also part of the book and I think helped make the book with the extra activities that dogs bring to daily life.

Maggie and Cher head for the hills to search for gold and find themselves involved with a murder.

A college associate of Paul Lakeland has been murdered and Paul is arrested for the murder. Paul found a clay jug that he believed was Native American in a cave and wanted to do his thesis on it for his doctorate degree in archaeology.

Twists and turns keep the reader surprised. There are laughs and also some serious matters.

I liked this book, it was an easy read and kept me interested. The f word was only used one time and I could have done without the almost sex scene. The characters, Maggie and Cher, were like friends one might know; a little eccentric but likable characters and the reader can relate to some problems the women had.

I would have liked to see more of the characters who were brought into the book with no ending for them. Possible they might be in a future adventure of Maggie and Cher.

I liked the descriptions of the area of South Carolina because I am not familiar with the state and it's history.

I give Box of Rocks a four star for a different and fun book to read..

I wish to thank the author, Karla Telega and Smashwords for the complimentary copy of Box of Rocks and the opportunity to read and review. The opinions are my own. This will be a great series of books on Maggie and Cher and their adventures.

You can find Karla at www.telegatales.com

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mnleona

The Swiss Cheese Theory of Life, How to Get Through Life's Holes Without Getting Stuck in Them

Review of "The Swiss Cheese Theory of Life, How to Get Through Life's Holes Without Getting Stuck in Them" by Judith A. Belmont, MS and Lora Shor, LSW.

I received a complimentary copy of this e-book to read and review from the authors. The opinions are my own.

The acknowledgements tell a lot of the authors of this book and you can personally get to know something about them. Both authors are speakers and counselors.

The purpose of this book is to help one get their lives together, no matter how you feel about what is happening to you or those you love and know. We all have our ups and downs.

The chapters are The Ten Digestible Slices of Life.

Chapter One: An Introduction to Swiss...With All Its Holes.

Chapter Two: First Slice; Fondue Can Never Turn Back Into a Block of Cheese. Giving Up the Habit of Regret.

Chapter Three: Second Slice; There is No Such Thing as a Perfect Slice of Cheese. Transforming Mistakes and Failure Into Success.

Chapter Four: Third Slice; No Whine With the Cheese, Please! Healthy Thinking for Life!

Chapter Five: Fourth Slice; If the Cheese is Ripe, DIG IN! Be proactive, Not Reactive!

Chapter Six: Fifth Slice; Living Whole Despite the Holes! Mindful and Spirituality

Chapter Seven: Sixth Slice; Enjoy the Wine and Cheese Party! Making People Connections

Chapter Eight: Seventh Slice; Cheese Lite! Welcoming Wellness for a Healthier YOU!

Chapter Nine: Eighth Slice; The Cheese Wheel of Life- How Do You Slice It? Achieving Life Balance.

Chapter Ten: Ninth Slice; Mastering the Cheese Wheel of Change! How to Be a Stress Manager...and NOT a Stress Carrier!

Chapter Eleven: Tenth Slice; Smile and Say Cheese! Forgiveness, Gratitude and Optimism.

Chapter Twelve: An Extra Slice; You Can't Miss With the Swiss! Final Words From Our Guides.

Bibliography.

There are many quotes from people of all walks of life. Some are Ghandi, John F. Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Robert Louis Stevenson, William Shakespeare, Julia Child, Helen Keller, Plato and Henry Ford. Two quotes I chose : "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why they call it the present" from Eleanor Roosevelt and "Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs" from Henry Ford.

There are color cartoons mainly from Randy Glasbergen that certainly adds to the book and it gives the book a sense of humor.

This book has three "personalities" that speak to the readers. The Swiss Wiz which is usually wisdom, the Swiss Cheese Fairy of Life that is comforting and the Stinky Cheese that is negative. The Stinky Cheese says "Misery Loves Company".

The following are some notes I took as I read:

1. Opportunity is NOWHERE. What do you see as the reader? Opportunity is NOW HERE or Opportunity is NO WHERE?

2."I" is in Illness and "W" is in Wellness.

3. Even small steps can get you to your goal if you move forward.

4. Jack LaLanne began the fitness center we know as Ballys.

5. Serve others, smile and give of yourself.

6. Stress is not good or bad, it just IS.

7. Spend 15 minutes a day reading something positive.

8. Add a Smiley sticker to things.

9. Put a can on your desk or table to show you can.

10. Happiness is a choice.

I enjoyed this book very much. It is a good book to give as a present to one that needs some help.

Check their site: theswisscheesetheoryoflife.com where you may purchase the book as well as on Amazon.com.

I want to thank the authors, Judith Belmont and Lora Shor for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I will post my review on LibraryThing.com, Amazon.com, mnleona.blogspot.com, SparkPeople.com and bookblogs.ning.com. I will post the information on Facebook.com also.

Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

The Map of Time by Felix J. Palma

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author, Felix J. Palma and Simon & Schuster to read and review. The opinions are my own.


The book has been translated from Spanish to English by Nick Caistor.

I was first interested in this book because the cover said the book would have characters such as H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, two of my favorites.

Interesting read but a little confusing at times. I actually was reading this book and put it aside then began to read again. The review is just a touch because the reader must read the book to get the real details and content of the book or "Tale(s)" as the author has said.

H. G. Wells was one of the main characters in this book. His book, The Time Machine, was all the rage in Europe.
There are three parts of this book. Part One goes into the past, Part Two goes into the future and Part Three goes way into the future as well as a lot of this section stays in the book's time period of the late 1880s.
Andrew Harrington in Part One wants to go into the past to kill Jack the Ripper before he kills his love, Marie Kelly by using the machine that took the character, George, into the future with his Time Machine which is described in the book written by Wells, The Time Machine. Andrew is suicidal and his cousin, Charles, takes Andrew to see H. G. Wells so Andrew could travel back to the past. Marie is a prostitute in the Whitechapel area in London. I did some research and find the names I checked are the women Jack the Ripper killed except the name was Mary Kelly, not Marie. This section is very descriptive in the gruesome acts of what Jack the Ripper does to the women.
Part Two of The Map of Time journeys us into the future and time travel. Gilliam Murray has developed a program that takes men and women of London area from 1896 to the year 2000 and it is called Murray's Time Travel. The passengers are transported into the fourth dimension on a tram where they find automations are trying to take over the world in a legendary battle between humans and automations. The hero is Captain Derek Shackleton and his job is to defeat the king of the automations.

Claire Haggerty has decided to go to Murray's Time Travel with her friend, Lucy, but makes plans not to return to her time period. Claire has decided that the century in which she lives is boring and she has no interest in men in her time era. She believes the future holds more for her. When the passengers are getting ready to depart, Claire hides and see Captain Shackleton without his helmet, which had hidden his face during the battle. She tells him she loves him and wants to be with him in this time period. The man in charge of the group finds Claire and tells her she must leave with the rest of the group; Derek Shackleton rushes out of sight.

The tale is interesting and there are many details of people and events. H.G. Wells and his wife, Jane, are brought into the tale closer to the end.
Part Three has a Scotland Yard detective who believes that someone from the future is committing murder in London. This section is mainly about Wells but also has Henry James and Dram Stoker. H.G.Well's book, The Invisible Man, is part of this tale.

This book is difficult to read because there are so many different occasions happening and the book seems to jump into different areas but the author still brings the tales together. It is a page tuner and so many details and people are in this book, even if only a mention. After I started the book again, I started with Part Two and went back to Part One. The "Map of Time" is described in Part Three and well worth waiting for the meaning. It pulls the book together.

Some names are Jules Verne, Dram Stoker, Henry James, German chemist who developed aspirin (Felix Hoffmann) in the late 1800s and the chemist who invented Coca Cola.
Felix J. Palma has done a remarkable job on The Map of Time. It seems like he is in London and for the readers who have been to London, it puts the reader there but in another time era.

Anyone interested in time travel will find this a good read.

I have to give this a five star plus because of all the details in the book/tales.
Leona Olson

mnleona.blogspot.com

A Most Unsuitable Match

A most Unsuitable Match by Stephanie Grace Whitson.


The story begins in St. Charles, Missouri in 1869 and takes us to Montana. The main characters are searching for family, Fannie Rousseu is searching for her aunt and Samuel Beck is searching for his sister. After the death of her mother, Fannie and her servant, Hannah, take a riverboat to Montana to find the twin sister of her mother. The sisters were estranged and Edith is the only family member Fannie has left. She meets Samuel on the Delores, the riverboat, where he is working for passage. He is searching for his sister, Emma, who left home after their abusive father came home drunk again.

The journey takes them through loss of loved ones, accidents, sorrow, storms and new friendships. The descriptions of places in the book are great and the characters in the book make you feel you know them personally.

A most Unsuitable Match has Bible verses at the beginning of each chapter. Samuel carries his mother's Bible with him and reads as much as he can. He influences many people who not otherwise be exposed to the Bible and it's teachings.

Some other main characters are Hannah Pike, Lamar Davis, Abe Valley, Doctor Edmund LaMotte, Patrick LaMotte, Captain Otto Busch, Lame Bear and her best friend Minette who is in St. Charles.

Patrick and Minette are blind and this story tells how they overcome some of the problems of being blind.

No f words, no a** words and no sex. What a pleasure to read a love story of a man and a woman and love for others. Keep a tissue close to you in this heartwarming and sometimes sad book.

I give this a five star and look forward to another book by Stephanie Grace Whitson. I wish to thank the author, Bethany House Publishers for the complimentary copy of A Most Unsuitable Match to read and review.

You may reach Stephanie at www.stephaniewhitson.com and www.footnotesfromhistory.blogspot.com and contact her at Stephaanie@stephaniewhitson.com .

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Kashi Cinnamon Harvest Cereal

I received a sample of this cereal today and we snacked on the pieces. Tasty and light on the cinnamon. I will buy next time I need more cereal. Organic whole grain wheat, organic evaporated cane juice, organic cinnamon, natural cinnamon flavor.

J. R. R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien by Mark Horne is a small, 5 " X 7 ", powerful book about the author who wrote The Lord of the Rings and more.


Mark Horne begins this book when John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was in South Africa as a child of three years of age. Tolkien was born in South Africa on January 3, 1892 and he dies on September 2, 1973. The book takes Ronald, as he was called by his parents, through his young years, college years, his time spent in World War l, his marriage to Edith Mary Bratt, his children, his writings, his Catholic religion, his being a professor at Oxford and his close friends. There is a lot of information about World War l and how some of the war influenced some of his writings.

The author does a good job of using the names of Tolkien's associates and dates of activities. Tolkien knew several languages and liked to read a book in the original language when he could. His mother, Mabel Tolkien, home schooled Tolkien and his brother, Hilary before they entered formal schooling.

Because this book holds so many details, I am listing some names, places and occasions.

Beowulf, Viking Club, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Book of Lost Tales, Midgard of Norse Mythology, Middle English, Icelandic Language, Merton College, Oxford, England, Fredo and Sam, Fairies and Elfs, World War l and World War ll, C. S. Lewis, Germanic mythology, Father Francis Morgan, T.C.B.S. Club, Beren, Luthein and so much more.

Chapters are:

1. Between the Shire and Mordor, Part One (1892-1909)

2. Between the Shire and Mordor, Part Two (1892-1909)

3. Coming of Age (1910-1911)

4. Growing Up in Oxford (1911-1914)

5. The Coming of the Shadow (1915-1918)

6. Language and Legend, Part One (1918-1925)

7. Language and Legend, Part Two (1926-1937)

8. Hobbits and Epic Heroism (1938-1948)

9. The Worldwide Best Seller (1948-1973)

10. Legacy

Notes

Appendix: Bibliographical

About the Author

I liked this book and will give it a five star. There were so many details, I feel the author has encouraged the reader to read more on J.R.R. Tolkien and other writers that are mentioned in the book.

I received a complimentary copy from booksneeze to read and review. I wish to thank Mark Horne, Thomas Nelson Publishers and booksneeze for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions are my own.

Find Mark Horne at: hornes.org/mark

Leona Olson

Petra: City of Stone

Petra: City of Stone by T. L. Higley


First, I would like to thank the author for the complimentary electronic version of the book, this is my first time to read T.L.Higley.

The book begins with Julian leaving Rome because of religious persecution and the next chapter is about Cassia who has left Damascus with her son Alexander because of the death of the father of her son, Aretas. Cassia knows that Aretas is from Petra and wants to find his family.

Julian and Cassia meet at the Nymphaeum Fountain in Petra where Alexander and Julian quickly become friends. Julian also meets Malik at the fountain; Malik plays an important part in the lives of Cassia and Julian.

Cassia is robbed and attacked the first night in Petra and awakens to find herself and Alexander under protective care of Malik and his followers. It is here she finds that her son is the grandson of the king, Rabbel and heir to the throne. Alexander's father was the estranged son of Rabbel. Rabbel's first wife, Gamilath, Aretas' mother died; King Rabbel remarried and had a son with Hagiru.

Cassia takes Alexander to the Royal House to see the King but his wife, Queen Hagiru, refuses to let them see him because she said the King was unavailable; later the King comes into the room and does acknowledge Alexander is his grandson. Hagiru is upset because she thought her son, Obadas, would be the heir to the throne. The King leaves the room and Hagiru tells Cassia her son would be raised by them and she should leave Petra.

Julian finds Cassia injured and takes her to Malik. From there the story is based on trying to get Alexander back to Cassia and the finding of Christianity for Cassia.

I liked this book and the history of Petra was evident. I thought it would be more on archaeology but found it is based on Christianity. My major is Anthropology/Archaeology and I always have an interest in this subject. I read somewhere that Petra:City of Stone is a book for adults but would highly recommend it for young Christian adults. This is a good book for a book club for a church group or one interested in history.

Some tag words I found are Jesus, one God, sandals, amphitheater, death, sacrifice, suffering, strength, stone sculptors, power of Jesus, figs, triclinium, incense, siq and gods which bring you into the time era of the book. Some historical names are Petra, Damascus, Jerusalem, Nymphaeum Fountain, Temple al-Uzza. Petra and Paul of Tarsus. Faith and love are two words used quite a bit. Jesus is very involved with the characters in the book and the reader could sense that with feelings. At one point the "faces" are described as peaceful and there was singing from the Christian group.

I found the last chapters of the book more powerful and emotional as Cassia and others try to rescue Alexander from the evil Hagiru.

The book definitely has history and encouraged me as the reader to do more research on Petra. Check out some sites on the Internet for more information. I did find T. L. Higley (Tracy) on Facebook. She has traveled through Greece,Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Italy to research. I look forward to reading more of her books. ( )

Nov 20, 2010

Talon of the Unnamed Goddess by J. R. Tomlin

Talon of the Unnamed Goddess






This was not a good read for me. I hate to begin negative but felt there were so many names and I tired of the war scenes.



Aisha is a Talon, one who is prepared for war and protection of others. Aisha is contracted to protect Rhiannon who is the heir to the throne of the kingdom of Grayna. She has been prepared for the challenge by training for ten years; one of the few women who accomplish this. I found her a strong character and very qualified in her tasks. The book focuses on protecting Rhiannon and helping her to regaining the kingdom of Grayna after the death of her father.



The book has plenty of descriptions of the battles and wounding and death of the warriors. There are no heavy intimate scenes and what was there was well done.



I liked the main characters of the book but would have liked more personal and less battles. I think the book was well written and good descriptions on places, food, herbs and people.



I give this 3 stars.



This is my opinion and hope I do not prevent others from reading this. I have enjoyed other works from the author but not this one as much as I had hoped. I want to thank the author, J. R. Tomlin, for the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions are my own. I received a complimentary copy from Smashwords, LibraryThing and J. R. Tomlin.