Month: January 2017

Mystery Thriller Week Reviews 7,8, & 9

logo1Mystery Thriller Week Reviews 7, 8 & 9

The number is getting higher, make sure to stick around to the end!

Book Review:

  Bradley, North Carolina, is the home of the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series.  The small town is supposed to be a quiet place, unfortunately it also has a lot of people are dying of murder. Fortunately, a rather elderly amateur sleuth Myrtle Clover is determined to solve them and make a name for herself.

This blog will review three of books in the series that Elizabeth Spann Craig created, in addition to two other series.  This is a very interesting series and all worth pursuing.

A Dyeing Shame (Book 3)

Synopsis

Myrtle Clover is a funny, senior sleuth and with her friend Miles, they are a real pain for her son Red.  Red is a cop, Myrtle is not. This worries Red to no end!  Personally, I understand why Myrtle wants to help out, she is not an old lady.  They are your typical southern, charming individuals who a great example of the southern culture.  Unfortunately, and very sadly Tammy has been murdered and not in a typical manner.

My Opinion and rating 4 Stars

The book is well written and flows at a brisk pace.    The southern setting of Bradley, NC just adds spice to the whole book. I really like Myrtle and would wish that I knew her in real life.  She has spunk, courage and sassiness.

A Body in the Backyard (Book 4)

Synopsis

My Opinion

    

One day Myrtle’s yardman discovers a dead body planted in her garden. This is not a regular dead body, it is one that has been hit in the head with one of Myrtle’s garden gnomes. Myrtle’s friend Miles recognizes the body as one Charles Clayborne and he reluctantly tells Myrtle Charles is Miles cousin. Charles is not the most stand up citizen of the town. You know it is really hard to believe that so many of the town’s people end up dead, but really in her garden?

As Myrtle starts finding and digging up clues to solve this case, she is also targeted by the killer killing as she finds another dead body in her yard. Events, bad events start happening one after another until?

My Opinion and a 4.5 star rating

This story was a quick, fun, mystery and for some reason this characters are really involved that makes reading this book a great time. It’s a great book, and this time I couldn’t figure it quickly. A wonderful read about an older woman who truly enjoys life.

A Book in the Bookclub (Book 6)

Synopsis

This another great read in the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series. This time, Myrtle finds not one but two dead people who are involved in the various organization in Bradley, North Carolina. Myrtle asks Wanda the psychic (her friend Miles cousin) for help in solving their deaths, specifically their murders. Although Myrtle loves to try to solve murder cases, her son Red, the police chief, not so much because he wants her to be safe.tIn order for Red to keep her safe, he wants her to stop solving the murders.  It was while Myrtle was trying to solve the first murder, one of the women she thought of as a suspect, turns up dead in almost the same spot as the first one. Myrtle does most of this solo, this time, because she and Miles argued about her missing cat, Pasha. Not only is Red and Miles against her, and in addition to entertaining her grandson, Red     has scheduled a tour for her at Greener Pastures.   Myrtle is not happy, she is to put it mildly, angry and  Greener Pastures is the last place Myrtle wants to live.  Does Myrtle solve the murders and save the day?  Or does she end up in Green Pastures?

My Opinion and rating of 4.2 stars

This book is well written and paced in a very sequential and wonderful manner.  This book was great read and I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I was glad Myrtle’s grandson was in the story, it was fun to see how long Myrtle stays angry at Miles, after all they are friend and have been for a long time.

Summary:

This author and I definitely like her writing style. She is a good storyteller and is pretty funny. As a soap opera fan, I love how Craig weaves Myrtle’s theories with those she sees on her favorite soap opera, Today’s Tomorrow. I will definitely be checking out her other books, both the Myrtle Clover Series as well as her Southern Barbecue series. 4 stars!

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Battlefield of the Mind Bible: Renew Your Mind Through the Power of God’s Word. Amplified Version.

Featuring Notes and Commentary by Joyce Meyer

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This is the amplified version of the Bible.  The book is essentially a study of God’s word featuring Joyce Meyer’s teaching notes that many of her fans will recognize from her teachings. This Bible also has some notes from her best-selling book The Battlefield of the Mind.

My Opinion and Rating 4.8

This is something that I have to say up front; do not get the e-book.  The reason is that the book is not as easy to maneuver around.  I have Joyce Meyer’s amplified Study Bible and Max Lucadoa’s NIV Study Bible.  I missed not being able to get from one chapter to the other easily.  In addition, I have other Bibles in the e-book format and they are easy to go from one area to another.   Other than that I really enjoy the book and plan on doing a study with the both the Battlefield of the Mind and the accompanying Study Bible.  I suggest that you all do the same!!

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Who are in my Personal Learning Network? Why are they in my Personal Network?

 Everyone needs a personal learning network in order to be successful! This is a comment that I find a lot in the blog posts, job hunting advice and in the Bible. The individuals who are in your network can enhance and amplify your learning, success, creativity, happiness, joy and life.   
In order to develop and determine your personal learning network I propose that you list your responses and comments regarding the following five points:  

1.  Personal Belief System

Some people call this a moral compass, but it is an answer to what do you believe in and who has the ultimate power in your life.  My personal belief system is the Bible. I pray a lot and communicate with God.  I want to be obedient to his word and commandments. I need people to hold me accountable.

                                  2.  A Bucket List                                                             In the movie “A Bucket List,” the two hospital roommates make a list and set out to achieve those goals.  There are two components involved in the bucket list:  your mindset and your boundaries.  In order to make a bucket list, your mindset has to be open and your boundaries need to be limitless. Several years ago, I made a bucket list and I thought I put it in my Bible, but when I went to find it I couldn’t, so after fruitlessly searching for it, I made a new one. The list is typed, in my handbook and hs the following sections of importance –  primary goals as writing, teaching and traveling goals. 
–  secondary goals financial, relationship, health
– tertiary goals meeting people, habits, 

I have realized that in order to achieve those goals I need to make health and relationships a priority, followed by everything else so .… 

3. Develop your Personal Learning Network

a. Develop a type or characteristics of individuals that you want to associate with and why.
           
             Remember there are people in your life who you have little choice but to accept them as part of your existence, but it is YOUR CHOICE what kind of influence they have in your                   life. The people include:

              -Co-Workers: (workplace individuals, supervisors, team members and all other  staff members at your place of employ.”
              You DO have to be professional and give them professional respect.  You DO NOT have to                let them use you as target practice or tell you what your opinion is on ANY subject.

       – A social media friend has the same interests (educational technology, education, writer,                   blogger, book reviewer, author, entrepreneurial and/or presentation skills) and shares                      them with me, as I share with them. 
These are not individuals you know personally, usually.
 

4.  Boundaries

It is important to establish a gate around your life, it doesn’t have to be a solid wall, more like a picket fence that you can see over but people need your permission to come into your world.  The individuals outside this fence do not have the privilege to influence, direct or impact your life in any manner. 





5.  Council of Influencers


This council consists of you, you are the chairman of the board, and everyone in your council will help you meet your goals and positively influence you. This is a group of people that you choose, some may be close friends, some may be celebrities that have achieved your goals and want to know how they did it, or they may be individuals in between. You choose them, you accept them and the council does not consist of more than 10, usually only 5 people. They are who you touch base with when you make an important decision. As you change, your council of influencers may change or it may stay the same, but you need to constantly evaluate who is in your circle of trust.

This list is not exclusive the five points that are listed in this post, but they do provide an outline to help you select and develop your personal learning network.  It is not a short process and it should not be a long process, but it is a process that must be constantly re evaluated to determine if the personal learning network that you have developed has been helpful. 

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Let’s Salute the Week!

This past week has been productive, Yeah!

Sunday is a time to worship with my church community and make sure that I have listed all of my praises for the week.  I am grateful I have a job, I am grateful the internet is working.  I also realized that I need to pay more attention to the details of what I want to accomplish.  I am grateful for that realization.

gratitude

This is section for all the problems for the year, believe me they have been some doozies.  However, I realized that I must be close to something in my writing/brand for the devil to be bringing out some negative forces.  I mean, we currently don’t have internet, but I am writing this post so that it is ready to process tomorrow.  The internet will either come on sometime today or it won’t.  If not, I will use my work internet or I will hope on the libraries internet.  One way or another I will get it posted.

Also, I will be upgrading to a new plan this week so that I can post a video on the blog.There will be some practice shots, so my regular followers can look for them on Wednesday, when the technician comes in to check on the internet.  I am really gmy-videooing to enhance it.  The book reviews I did and will complete are going to be posted within the iMovie and posted as a video at the beginning of Mystery Thriller Week.  I completed this process for a project during the time I was at school completing my Specialist degree in Educational Technology.  Look for that on February 12, 2017.

Finally, this week should be a relatively good week, now that I know it is the spiritual forces that are trying to get on my nerves.  I won’t let it bother me, whether it happens or not, well that remains to be seen.

We will all have a great week!!!

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MTW Book Reviews #12, #13, and #14

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I was given an ARC from Henery Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of all of Ritter Ames’ books. In addition, during the week of Mystery Thriller Week I will be posting an interview of the author.

Counterfeit Conspiracies (A Bodies of Art Mystery Book #1) by Ritter Ames

Synopsis

This is Ritter Ames first book in her Bodies of Art Series and was a fascinating read for me.

Laurel Beacham, who is the main character,  is an art recovery expert. She knows how identify and put together an art piece that would put any art thief to shame.  Laurel was born in the lap of luxury, but her father lost the fortune due to gambling anscreen-shot-2017-01-25-at-11-33-27-pm-1d drinking.  She works for the Beacham Foundation because she loves art and feels the need for it to be returned to its rightful owners. This assignment has not gone according to plan since her boss called off her vacation and sent her on this disastrous mission. While she is on assignment, Jack Hawke’s appears and some more opportune moments and helps her get out of some tough situations.

My Opinion and Rating 4.2

This book was a great read and is a real page turner.  I’m not sure about Jack, he just seemed to a little out their for me, but the plot was fast paced with some adventure, murder, guns blazing and some interest characters.  The characters, Laurel and Jack were fun to read about and it will be interesting to see how they develop.  In addition, there was Nico who assists Laurel in her recovery cases. He is definitely a tech genius that provides tools for Laurel as well as transportation.

Marked Masters (A Bodies of Art Mystery Book #2) by Ritter Ames

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In Ritter Ames’ second book in the A Bodies of Art Mystery Book,  Laurel has been promoted to the head position of the London branch and has solved a case, but she can begin to enjoy her  success before she is  involved in a much larger case WITH the enigmatic Jack Hawkes as her partner.   The   action in Marked Masters made it impossible to put down for long as the characters and excitement provide the reader with lots of reason to continue reading this wonder full book.  I highly recommend it!

My Opinion and Rating 4.5

I liked this book a little better as is evident by the rating, but that doesn’t mean the first book wasn’t good.  I enjoyed both books and sincerely encourage individuals to read the series as it continues to develop. The main item I liked was that laurel can take care of herself and while it is nice to have Jack around, Laurel knows how to handle herself.

Abstract Alias (A Bodies of Art Mystery Book #3) by Ritter Ames

Synopsis

screen-shot-2017-01-25-at-11-33-34-pmLaurel Beachum and  her team are still on the trail of a mega art heist, but the suspects are nowhere to be found.  After a while, during a New Year’s Eve celebration in London, two of  the suspects shows up  at the party.  The suspect also find Laurel and Jack in the crowd within minutes of the other, and now a chain of events take them from  London to Florence and eventually ending in Cologne.  Instead of trying to find the missing art, suddenly the case include a rash of forgeries, deaths and a kidnapping.

The characters of Laurel and Jack are developed more in this story and we find out more about their background and families.  It is very interesting.

My Opinion and Rating 4.6

This book is a real page turner and will keep you up late at night because of the surprises that Ms. Ames places   at some very interesting places in the story. This book s a wonderfully written,  a fast paced mystery that will grab and hold your attention.   While the first two books in this series are well written, entertaining reads, this one provides a lot of background information.  I strongly encourage you to read all of this series!!

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MTW Book Reviews #12 and #13

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Book Review:  Addressed to Die FOR (A Maggie McDonald Mystery #1) by Mary Feliz

Synopsis

screenshot-2017-01-24-22-10-58Addressed to Die is about a family that moves into a favored deceased aunt’s home only to find a dead body inside.  This is not the introduction that the family had thought they would receive to their new house, especially since they had inspected the house  prior to arriving.  While the family, is camping out in the barn, the detectives are conducting an investigation in the house.  The move just did not go as planned for professional organizer Maggie McDonald!  On top of it her husband’s business calls him out-of-town and Maggie is left to solve the case, get her boys settled in school and repair the house as it is constantly broken into during the investigation.  Fortunately, Maggie meets some wonderful neighbors who help her out and get her settled, but what an introduction to a new town.

My Opinion and Rating of 4.8

This was great, an intact family who pulled together while acting like a real family.  I know it isn’t exactly grammatically correct, but oh well!  I just really enjoyed the book and couldn’t wait for the next book.  The characters are wonderfully written and so human!  It was just a great read!  Well, paced, organized and flowing!

Book Review:  Scheduled to Death (A Maggie McDonald Mystery #2) by Mary Feliz

Synopsis

screenshot-2017-01-24-22-12-08A new client who Maggie McDonald shares with her realtor friend as their prepare the house for sale.  Another dead boy and the boyfriend, Professor Lincaid Sinclair doesn’t really have an alibi.  It doesn’t help that he is scattered and you’re typically confused professor!  The house is surrounded by gardens whose main gardener expects to get the house from the dead woman, Professor Sinclair’s fiancee. However, she isn’t the only suspect, there are several people who would want the good Professor dead and are upset that they got his fiancée,as she is quite popular.

My Opinion and Rating of 4.6

The rating is a little lower, but the book was still great.  I really like the animals in the story, they really don’t have anything to do with the murder except that each of the main characters have one dog.  I got a little confused at one point because I wasn’t exactly sure how woman died and had to go over one more time, but otherwise it was a good story and it was nice to learn a little more about Orchard’s police department.  I really think everyone who starts the book will stay with it to the end!!

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MTw Book Review #11

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Book Review:  Skin of Tattoos

by Christine Hoag

Synopsisskin-of-tattoos

Cyco Lokos is a gang member of the Magdaleno (Mags) Argueta.  He  comes home to Los Angeles after serving a prison term for robbery, for which he was framed by Rico. Interestingly enough Rico is the new leader of the Cyco Lokos. Consequently, all he wants is start of new life and have people leave him alone.  He just want to start a new life. 

The problem with being in prison and a gang is that no one forgets, even though Mags tries to let go of his bitterness and stay out of gang life for the sake of his Salvadoran immigrant family and his girlfriend Paloma.   As he tries to find a job, where no wants to hire a former gang member or convict, Mags makes a decision that he feels is his only choice, given his options.   

Mags is caught between a rock and hard spot as a series of web of secrets, revenge, lies, and murder all come to pass, which may just cost him more that he can pay. 

My opinion and rate of 4.5

I like this story and I didn’t expect too.  A few years ago a young man moved into our neighborhood who was trying to leave his gang life behind him.  His body was covered with tattoos.  He and my husband would talk occasionally about life in general. One day he walked by and said he was moving, but we should know a local gang was trying to imitate our son.  We ended up keeping our son home a few days and our friend and my husband got involved and the gang left my son alone.  However, our friend had to move, he had little choice. Once you are in a gang you don’t get out, alive .  I felt sorry for Cyco, it’s a tough world that he lives in and from my peripheral view of his world and brief involvement I feel for him.  It’s not an easy situation no matter from what aspect you look at his world. 

This book is good and I think that if you want a glimpse into this hard life, you can check out Skin of Tattoos.  Nevertheless, I think you will find the book well paced and the characters well-developed and interesting.  Check out the book!

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Let’s Salute the Week!!

Mystery Thriller Weeklogo1

This project has been teaching me and reminding me about lessons I learned in the past. Editing, ugh, not my strongest suit, although I have worked as editor.  It is, however, to work as an editor with a software program that helps with the grammar and mechanics.  Now I need to go back to basics and make sure I look and listen to myself as I go through the post.

Today I have headache because of the short nights I have been keeping.  I think I need to sleep a little more. 

Anyway, the other bloggers have really been keeping up with their reviews.  During the actual event I will be posting interviews about the authors of the books that I have reviewed.  There is a separate page for that as well.

read-all-the-booksBook Reviews,

Business business-consulting

                and Writing!writer

Review:  January 30, 2017   Storystorm

Article:    February 1, 2017:  Article: The Forensic Edge

I will be shortly developing the printable that I can use to promote more of the blogs from the Writers’ Journey!

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MTW Review 10: Skeltons in the Attic

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Book Review:  Skeletons in the Attic by Judy Penz Sheluk

Synopsis

screenshot-2017-01-22-13-52-12The beginning of SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC  really  hooks  the reader from the get go. The story is set in the small community town of Marketville just north of Toronto.Calamity (Callie) Barnstable is  the sole beneficiary of her late father’s estate,which includes a  house in the town of Marketville.  Callie did not know that this house existed and not only that, she has to move to Marketville, where the house is, live in the house and solve her mother’s murder.

Not surprisingly, Callie doesn’t really want to do this, after all, the mystery is 30 years old and Callie’s mother left her and her Dad when she was six years old and now she has to figure out why. Just to fulfill her father’s wishes? Really? However, a psychic, Misty Rivers, will expose all of the “skeletons” in the Barnstable family if she doesn’t follow the her father’s instructions. 

My Opinion and Rate 4.3

The story is paced really well and the writing makes the reader want to go along and read the story to the very end. The characters are colorful and well-developed.  They kind of remind me of people who I know, and that doesn’t mean I like them, but the characters take on a life other on and really entertain the reader. The author’s descriptions of setting and action kept me reading in order to learn what happen and why all through the story.A real page turner through out!

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Mystery Thriller Week 7, 8 & 9

logo1Mystery Thriller Week Reviews 7, 8 & 9

Book Review:

  Bradley, North Carolina, is the home of the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series.  The small town is supposed to be a quiet place, unfortunately it also has a lot of people are dying of murder. Fortunately, a rather elderly amateur sleuth Myrtle Clover is determined to solve them and make a name for herself.

This blog will review three of books in the series that Elizabeth Spann Craig created, in addition to two other series.  This is a very interesting series and all worth pursuing.

A Dyeing Shame (Book 3)

Synopsis

screenshot-2017-01-21-21-21-071Myrtle Clover is a funny, senior sleuth and with her friend Miles, they are a real pain for her son Red.  Red is a cop, Myrtle is not. This worries Red to no end!  Personally, I understand why Myrtle wants to help out, she is not an old lady.  They are your typical southern, charming individuals who a great example of the southern culture.  Unfortunately, and very sadly Tammy has been murdered and not in a typical manner.


My Opinion and rating 4 Stars

The book is well written and flows at a brisk pace.  This book was actually the first book that I read inthe series and I completly enjoyed it.  The southern setting of Bradley, NC just adds spice to the whole book. I really like Myrtle and would wish that I knew her in real life.  She has spunk, courage and fussiness.

A Body in the Backyard (Book 4)

Synopsis

 One day Myrtle’s yardman discovers a dead body planted in her garden. This is not a regular dead body, it is one that has been hit in the head with one of Myrtle’s garden gnomes. Myrtle’s friend Miles recognizes the body as one Charles Claiborne and he reluctantly tells Myrtle Charles is Miles cousin. Charles is not the most stand up citizen of the town. You know it is really hard to believe that so many of the town’s people end up dead, but really in her garden?

As Myrtle starts finding and digging up clues to solve this case, she is also targeted by the killer as she finds yet, another dead body in her yard. Events, bad events start happening one after another until, how does it end?

screenshot-2017-01-21-21-25-31My Opinion and a 4.5 star rating

This story was a quick, fun, mystery and for some reason this characters are really involved that makes reading this book a great time. It’s a great book, and this time I couldn’t figure it quickly. A wonderful read about an older woman who truly enjoys life.

A Book in the Bookclub (Book 6)

Synopsis

This another great read in the Myrtle Clover Mystery Series. This time, Myrtle finds not one but two dead people who are involved in the various organization in Bradley, North Carolina. Myrtle asks Wanda the psychic (her friend Miles cousin) for help in solving their deaths, specifically their murders. Although Myrtle loves to try to solve murder cases, her son Red, the police chief, not so much because he wants her to be safe.tIn order for Red to keepscreenshot-2017-01-21-21-27-42 her safe, he wants her to stop solving the murders.  It was while Myrtle was trying to solve the first murder, one of the women she thought of as a suspect, turns up dead in almost the same spot as the first one. Myrtle does most of this solo, this time, because she and Miles argued about her missing cat, Pasha. Not only is Red and Miles against her, and in addition to entertaining her grandson, Red     has scheduled a tour for her at Greener Pastures.   Myrtle is not happy, she is to put it mildly, angry and  Greener Pastures is the last place Myrtle wants to live.  Does Myrtle solve the murders and save the day?  Or does she end up in Green Pastures?

My Opinion and rating of 4.2 stars

This book is well written and paced in a very sequential and wonderful manner.  This book was great read and I enjoyed it thoroughly.  I was glad Myrtle’s grandson was in the story, it was fun to see how long Myrtle stays angry at Miles, after all they are friend and have been for a long time.

Summary:

I definitely like this authro’s writing style. She is a good storyteller and is pretty funny. What I really like about this series is the main character.  A wonderful human being that I would like to meet in real life.

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