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Stations of the Risen Christ Resurrection Meditations

Title: Stations of the Risen Christ: Resurrection Meditations
Author: Frank Heelan
Publisher: ReadersMagnet LLC
ISBN: 978-1951775148
Pages: 58
Genre: Christian Meditation Worship & Devotion
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza

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Wet grass

Title: Wet grass
Author: Francisco Javier Morales E.
Publisher: Palibrio
ISBN: 978-1506522319
Pages: 156
Genre: Literature & Fiction/Literary
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

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Angels, of Course: A Collection of Illustrated Visits

Title: Angels, of Course: A Collection of Illustrated Visits
Author: Win Tuck-Gleason
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 
9781532086069
Genre: Religion/Spirituality
Pages: 88
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent

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Juliana

Title: Juliana
Author: Stan Cosby
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 9781728361352
Pages: 110
Genre: Historical fiction
Reviewed by: Anita Lock

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Clouds of War: Past, Present and on the Horizon

Title: Clouds of War: Past, Present and on the Horizon
Author: Jerry L. Burton
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 9781664121713
Genre: Biography, History
Pages: 270
Reviewed by: Jason Lulos

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Living Two Different Worlds

Title: Living Two Different Worlds
Author: Angela Drayton
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1664120501
Pages: 66
Genre: Autobiography
Reviewed by: Nicole Olson

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Are You a Bullyrag?

Title: Are You a Bullyrag?
Subtitle: Naughty or Nice
Author: Katheline Tate
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-7283-4379-2
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 60
Reviewed by: Barbara Miller

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PUMPKIN

Title: Pumpkin
Author: Ilyannie T.G.
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-7283-6841-2
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 32
Reviewed by: Barbara Miller

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A Baseball Career That Ended In…A Split Second: The Life and Faith of Jim Aldredge

Title: A Baseball Career That Ended In…A Split Second: The Life and Faith of Jim Aldredge
Author: Jerry Guibor
Publisher: Shunduay LLC
ISBN: 978-1-4917-6132-8
Genre: Inspirational/Biography/Christian
Pages: 229
Reviewed by: CC Thomas

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Having Coffee with God: Can Religion Change Monotheism

Title: Having Coffee with God: Can Religion Change Monotheism
Author: Benjamin Abrahams
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 9781663202659
Pages: 120
Genre: Religion/Biblical Studies
Reviewed by: Lisa Brown-Gilbert

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Bad Chemistry

Title: Bad Chemistry
Author: Paul Stephen Hudson
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1664124141
Genre: Literature & Fiction/Action & Adventure
Pages: 704
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza
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Here Is Wisdom

Title: Here Is Wisdom
Author: Alexander Meer
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1796070637
Genre: Politics & Social Sciences/Philosophy
Pages: 620
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

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Pacific Book Review

One of the most discussed topics and points of conversation people all around the world have amongst themselves is, “Where do we come from?” The origin story of mankind and the world, and who we are as a people have been widely discussed throughout the history of the world, with new ideas constantly being discovered both religiously and scientifically. As writer Pat Conroy once said, “The most powerful words in English are ‘Tell me a story,’ words that are intimately related to the complexity of history, the origins of language, the continuity of the species, the taproot of our humanity, our singularity, and art itself.”

In author Alexander Meer’s Here Is Wisdom, the author takes readers on a truly deep, philosophical journey into the history of the world and the evolution of mankind. Exploring topics such as the varying stories of creation between scripture and science, the evolution of life on earth, ancient civilizations and the future of the world overall, and everything in between. An in-depth study of humanity as a whole, readers will delve deep into philosophy, history, religion and various cultures both past and present.

A truly mesmerizing and intellectually stimulating read, author Alexander Meer really does an incredible job of presenting the history and evolution of mankind and the various civilizations that made up our world. Utilizing key data, historical documentation and scientific research to lend credence to the historical events presented within this text, the author showcases both the well-known civilizations that most people know about and some of the lesser-known people, and how each culture evolved and grew over time.

One of my favorite passages was about the civilizations that made up Ancient Greece, from the Greeks themselves to the Minoans and the Phoenicians, especially studying some of the first scholarly works of historian and scholar Herodotus. From his important work documenting the civilizations that came before and during his time to how different cultures viewed his work later in life, and how even his attention to detail was flawless as he favored the Greeks in his retellings.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy history, studying and learning about various different cultures and time periods, are into in-depth studies about the origins of our world and civilization, and philosophical studies overall. As a fan of history and culture, I was immediately drawn into this book and found the amount of research and study the author put into this non-fiction read informative and philosophically refreshing.

Overall, author Alexander Meer’s Here Is Wisdom is exactly that, full of wisdom. Lengthy, intellectually stimulating and well-researched, this book does an excellent job of taking a broad question about the origins of our world and mankind as a whole, and going into great detail about what our history is and how it not only has shaped our modern world, but the future of our world yet to come. Detail-oriented and attention grabbing, this is a truly marvelous non-fiction read that readers won’t want to miss.

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The Twelve Murders of Christmas

Title: The Twelve Murders of Christmas
Subtitle: A Toni Day Mystery
Author: Jane Bennett Munro
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1953397
Genre: Fiction / Mystery
Pages: 338
Reviewed by: Jake Bishop

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The Education of a Teacher: Lessons a Small Town Taught a Teacher

Title: The Education of a Teacher: Lessons a Small Town Taught a Teacher
Author: Noel Nation
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 9781483675282
Pages: 92
Genre: Biography/Education
Reviewed By: Barbara Bamberger Scott

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Getting Right With God

Title: Getting Right With God
Author: Joseph C. Way
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1664129504
Genre: Religion
Pages: 258
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington

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Firefly Zodiac: Selected Poems by Fiona Mcilroy

Title: Firefly Zodiac
Author: Fiona McIlroy
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-7960-0770-0
Genre: Poetry
Pages: 81
Reviewed by: Allison Walker

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Pacific Book Review

Poet Fiona McIlroy writes nature poetry from a uniquely authentic perspective. Years living in a pioneering rural cooperative has given her a truer appreciation for the natural world than most. This, combined with her degree in English and Literature, makes McIlroy’s poetry collection Firefly Zodiac an impressive display of language and metaphor, and sets her work apart from others in the genre.

McIlroy writes poetry about the environment and human impact, issues which resonate deeply for her. Many of her poems are detailed, macro snapshots of nature. Her poem “Tenacity” is about the “snow gum branches” of a tree against the “bone-china forget- me-not sky.” Metaphors like these are unexpected and indisputable; you can touch these words, you feel the cold bark and chill wind against your hand. One of the qualities which set McIlroy’s poetry apart from others is her ability to surprise you with outbursts of incredibly accurate yet completely unlike metaphors. McIlroy’s talent for turning nature into words is stunning again in poems like “Moonlight ride.” In this piece about riding a pony through night woods cast by moonlight, “bony white trees…bend their knees.”

Firefly Zodiac feels like a book compiled over a long period of time. While McIroy’s voice and theme stay fairly regular, the rhythm of the poems read one after another is difficult to grasp. For example, “Aphrodite in Sardinia” utilizes quick line breaks, sometimes cutting short one thought and pasting it to the next. The poem reads, “her spiral to the infinite/ utterly displaced/ now by hard angles.” It feels short, choppy. Finding “now,” somehow lost from its original thought and displaced into the next, interrupts the poem’s rhythm. Four poems later, “Between Sea and Sky” is equally quick, but flows more cohesively. Its lines, “boats hover/ butterflies pinned/ to the seam between/ sea and sky” are still quick, yet far more understandable. Each line holds its own grace together with the poem and separately from the rest.

Throughout the collection, the poems develop or waver in their maturity. For every startling and brand new observation, such as “the moon is a peach tonight,” there is also “just an inkling/ of the infinite can stun.” Lines like this second feel forced, a grand observation for the sake of grandiose. There is sometimes a playful tone which starts up but is lost in borderline pretentious verbiage. The poem “Love boat” is fun and sexy. It leads with, “Was it the crescent moon/ lying on her back/ inviting slow seduction.” But as the lines progress they break apart and bog down, thoughts become separated by paragraphs, and the crescent moon sets upon coral atolls and the French tongue in Noumea.

As a poet, McIlroy’s fine eye is unmistakable. In a genre brimming with the beauty of nature, she’s managed to create distinction for herself. But for every surprising, touchable, poem she offers, her collection also contains poetry more cliché in nature. Firefly Zodiac is a strong collection, but not yet the best we’ll see from this poet.

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The Blue Orb

Title: The Blue Orb
Author: Suzy Vivian
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1532026951
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 274
Reviewed by: Aaron Washington

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Soul Seeker

Title: Soul Seeker
Author: Kaylin McFarren
Publisher: Creative Edge Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 979-8665284903
Pages: 393
Genre: Occult Fiction/Paranormal & Urban Fantasy
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza

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Death to Moby Dick: a Love Story

Title: Death to Moby Dick: a Love Story
Author: Stephen Melillo
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing LLC
ISBN: 978-1648033827
Pages: 296
Genre: Fantasy
Reviewed by: Aly Avina

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ESPer Wars

Title: ESPer Wars
Author: J.W. Delorie
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 978-1643612966
Pages: 372
Genre: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza

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Thy King Dumb Come

Title: Thy King Dumb Come
Author: Stephen Tryon
Publisher: AccountabilityCitizenship.org
ISBN: 978-1734304725
Pages: 186
Genre: Political Fiction/Genre Fiction
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza

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Space Gamble: Volume 1: Perils

Title: Space Gamble: Volume 1: Perils
Author: J.W. Delorie
Publisher: Westwood Books Publishing LLC
ISBN: 978-1949006292
Pages: 378
Genre: Science Fiction
Reviewed by: Nicole Olson

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My Bug Buddy

Title: My Bug Buddy
Author: Mimi Soes
Illustrator: Cedar BLM
Publisher: Archway Publishing
ISBN: 978-1480825062
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 38
Reviewed by: Beth Adams

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The Sixth of September

Title: The Sixth of September
Author: Callista Bowright
Publisher: Crest Media Distribution
ISBN: 9781952046100
Pages: 892
Genre: Adult Fantasy Fiction
Reviewed by: Nicole Olson

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All’s Forgotten Now

Title: All’s Forgotten Now
Author: Michael S. Ripley
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1-7283-2816-4
Pages: 163
Genre: Fiction/Mystery/Fantasy
Reviewed by: CC Thomas

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A Face in the Crowd: President Donald J. Trump: A Personal View

Title: A Face in the Crowd: President Donald J. Trump: A Personal View
Author: Barry Spencer
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 9781984583031
Pages: 158
Genre: Political Science
Reviewed by: Barbara Bamberger Scott

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Privilege Meets Politics

Title: Privilege Meets Politics
Author: Honor Mamath
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1796091939
Pages: 114
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Aly Avina

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Wise Words to Ponder

Title: Wise Words to Ponder
Subtitle: A Selection of Great Thoughts through Quotes and Verses
Author: Eric Wei
Publisher: PartridgeSingapore
ISBN: 978-1-5437-5991-4
Pages: 90
Genre: Philosophy / Poetry
Reviewed by: Beth Adams

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Jazzy and Rhumbi to the Rescue

Title: Jazzy and Rhumbi to the Rescue
Author: Dori Seider
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1-6641-2179-9
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Pages: 54
Reviewed by: Barbara Miller

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Forest Dragons Book 2: The Huntress Trilogy

Title: Forest Dragons Book 2: The Huntress Trilogy
Author: Paul Fletcher
Publisher: Page Turner Press and Media
ISBN: 978-1643766003
Pages: 210
Genre: Adult Fantasy Fiction
Reviewed by: Beatrice Makowski

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