Wild-Born by Adrian Howell

Wild Born is a suspenseful, young adult, paranormal, thriller and the first book in the Psionic Pentalogy created by Adrian Howell.

When an accident renders twelve-year old Adrian immobile, he begins to develop telekinetic ability, that he has long suspected he has but not proven until now. Shortly after, however, his home is attacked and he finds himself separated from his sister, Cat.

He soon learns that he is a psionic, a human with special ability, and that there are more like him. After the catastrophic night that changed his seemingly normal life, Adrian ends up a fugitive depending heavily on his wit and undeveloped ability for survival and hunted by paranormal factions, each intent on having him on its side.

This is an exciting and suspenseful paranormal thriller that easily calls X-Men to mind. It portrays various human traits, emotions, and behaviors such as compassion, kindness, and unconditional love. It also depicts bigotry, prejudice, and discrimination. It shows that family is not limited to blood relations but those who are with you when you need them the most.

Scenes are carefully described in detail including chasing and fighting scenes. Characters are well-developed and accurately depicted like benevolent Cindy, naïve Adrian, and unpleasant Dr. Denman. Though the ending is less conclusive than my usual taste, it is understandably so.

Congratulations to Adrian Howell on such an exciting and enjoyable book. Some scenes, however, may be too violent for very young readers. For more books by this author, click HERE.

Thomas Wildus and the Wizard of Sumeria by J.M. Bergen

Thomas Wildus and the Wizard of Sumeria is a fantastical, an action-filled, an adventure-filled, and a magic-filled, young adult fiction, and the second book in The Elandrian Chronicles created by J.M. Bergen.

It’s summer vacation and Thomas Wildus and his friends Enrique and Akhil are doing what normal and ordinary boys do during vacation, having fun and hanging out, with girls. However, a mysterious message, a glimpse of a familiar, albeit frightening, face, and a visit from his mentors cut the summer fun short. Now, Thomas and his friends are back to the training room and preparing for a quest for a magical object and a confrontation with the ‘Sumerian’.

As magical as, as suspenseful as, and, probably, even more action-filled than the first book, this second installment introduces more characters both good and evil and presents more rigorous training, both physical and mental, for Thomas and Enrique. The author also offers surprising twists and unexpected turns of events that make the book even more interesting. Fighting and chasing scenes are depicted in vivid and minute detail and the conclusion is quite satisfying. However, I find some of the descriptions too gory and too violent for young readers.

Still, I enjoyed this book a lot and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Congratulations to J.M. Bergen (@JMBergen1) on such a great and enjoyable second installment. For more books by the author, click HERE.

Order of Seven by Beth Teliho

Order of Seven is an intriguing, suspenseful and mind boggling ancient historical fiction book by Beth Teliho.

Devi has been having strange and recurrent dreams. Orphaned at a young age, Devi and her brother Nodin are adopted by kind and wonderful parents. However, despite the loving environment they grew up in, Devi and Nodin have special abilities that they would never understand unless they find out about their biological roots. While Nodin has empathic gifts, Devi has visions and an attachment to a particular tree.  

Now, at eighteen years old, Devi’s visions and dreams are getting more vivid and more detailed, and her need to connect with her tree is getting more frequent. With the help of a friend and a newly-met energy healer that makes her heart flutter, Devi takes a step, previously inconceivable to her, and discovers a shocking revelation not only about herself but also about the world.

This is a very interesting, intriguing, suspenseful and mind-boggling book that integrates myths, legends, and ancient history with modern and contemporary setting by featuring teenage characters and modern technological devices. Characters are well-developed with distinctive personalities. However, though the likely favorites are Devi and Baron, mine are Ben and Mapiya. They are my type of modern mystics. Quiet but powerful.

Congratulations to Beth Teliho (@beth_teliho) on such a very interesting and entertaining book. For more books by the author, click HERE.     

My 2019 Book List

I have read 118 books in 2018. Just like the previous years, most of them are by independent authors and are self-published. As a professional book reviewer, sometimes I feel like reading books become ‘work’ which, technically, in my case, is true. So, when writing reviews becomes too tedious and stressful, I read for fun. The following list is that of books that I chose to read for personal amusement.

1. Surprise Me by Sophia Kinsella

2. The Giver by Lois Lowry

3. Magic Strings of Frankie Presto by

4. Acceptable Risk by Robin Cook (reread)

5. Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts (reread)

6. Sands of Time by Sidney Sheldon

7. IQ84 by Haruki Murukami

8. The Zahir by Paulo Coelho

9. The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas

10. Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

11. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (reread)

12. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott (reread)

That looks like a short list, doesn’t it? Well, if you want, you may add your book to that list. Here is the list of the books I read and reviewed in 2018. Mainstream books, however, are not reviewed. They are popular enough as they are and some are even overrated and don’t need reviews for promotion.

1. Srepska by LucasSterling

2. You Can’t Pigeonhole Meby David M. Hood

3. Maggie ElizabethHarrington by D.J. Swykert

4. But My Brain Had OtherIdeas by Deb Brandon

5. Kitty Hawk and theIcelandic Intrigue by Iain Reading

6. Curses of Scale by S.D.Reeves

7. God is Alive and Wellby Dr. Robert Walker

8. Confessions of theHeart by Canaa L. Lee

9. Dawn of the Chrysalisby Sam B. Miller II

10. Sex and the Women byHeini Grunbaum

11. The Xeno Manifesto byBrysen Mann

12. Dodging Satan byKathleen Zamboni McCormick

13. Smith by Sam Miller II

14. Fiery Rivers by DaefydWilliams

15. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

16. The Bridge in the Fogby Marc Remus

17. The Simple Little Ruleby Mike Ellerkamp

18. The Witch’s Journey by Elaanie S.

19. Contract Pending by AlMarsiglia

20. A Chicken in the Windand How He Grew by Frank South

21. Madam Tulip and theBones of Chance by David Ahern

22. You Can’t Do That, YesI Can by Michael Attardi

23. Four Grams ofAffliction by Patricia M. Gunn

24. Brand Real by Vasken Kalayjian

25. Eyes Don’t Lie byCrystal Dawn Mason

26. Kitty Hawk and theTragedy of the RMS Titanic by Iain Reading

27. Marriage God’s Way byScott La Pierre

28. Tabikat by HarrietRedfern

29. Nightmares, The Lost Lullaby by Jason Segel

30. Pillow Talk: The Legend of Lorelie Begins by Daria J. Wagoner

31. Katseye by HarrietRedfern

32. Deadly Highway by J.Stewart Willis

33. Stop Whining; StartWinning by Tom Anslett

34. Driving in Reverse by LindsayWincherauk

35. Genna’s Ghost bySheldon Newton

36. Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

37. Living with Uncertaintyand Still Enjoying Life by Karen Kay Dunn, M.A.

38. Patrick Kearney: TheTrue Story of the Freeway Killer by Jack Rosewood

39. The Manifesto Murders by Nick Airus

40. Invasion of the Ortaksby Sveinn Benonysson

41. That Place of Knowledgeby Phillip Shalka

42. The Wave and the Dropby Cindy Spring

43. The Golden Peacock byLauren B. Grossman

44. Hell Holes by DonaldFiresmith

45. The Fatness by Mark A.Rayner

46. Somewhere a Tree Growsby Kipling Keats de Magi

47. Voyage of Pearl of theSeas by Ruth Finnegan

48. A Distant Eden by LloydTackitt

49. Squelched by TerryBeard

50. Witchstone by VictoriaRandall

51. Bosnian Phoenix byMiljan Peter Ilich

52. The Language Thieves byMarc Remus

53. None Notches by TJSpencer Jacques

54. A Father Offers His Sonby Scott La Pierre

55. Kitty Hawk and theMystery of the Masterpieces by Iain Reading

56. American River:Currents by Mallory M. O’Connor

57. Angels among Us by Hannah Conway

58. World, Incorporated byTom Gariffo

59. Gone by Michael Grant

60. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

61. Revival from the Shoulder by Paul Juby

62. No Peace After War byClaire St. Hilaire

63. Highly EffectiveTeaching Strategies by Marc Hoberman

64. Fighting to Win byNicole Flockton

65. Eden Shrugged by EdmonMcGhee, Jr.

66. Tales of Gold by TLMarmon

67. Law of Attraction Masterby Steven Marie

68. Opus Singularis by RobertEarl Means, Jr.

69. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

70. When Angels Play Pokerby Maura O’Leary

71. Meditations from aPastor’s Heart by Jerome A. Jochem, M.S., M. A.

72. A Side of Faith byKrista Phillips

73. Templar Secrets byAndreas Economou

74. A Reunion in Time byRussell F. Moran

75. Spirituality in the 21stCentury by Frank P. Daversa

76. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

77. First Family by AliceLangholt

78. Chanctonbury by NatashaMurray

79. Accidents Happen bySharon Karaa

80. Empty Desk by JanetCall

81. Roadmap to the End ofDays by Daniel Friedman

82. McDowell by William H.Coles

83. Beyond Wealth to Long-Term Prosperity by Naseem Mariam

84. King of Time by SkySommers

85. Days of the Giants byRJ Petrella

86. A New Vision by MoriahMorningstar

87. The Ghost Writer byDamon Norko

88. Story Bends by S.D.Henke

89. The Crystilleries ofEcholand by Dew Pellucid

90. Garbageman by Erik Dean

91. Earthships, Book 2 byBonnie Jane Hall

92. Paralytic State bySteven Orlowski

93. Spin by Tina Sayward

94. Messed-Up Men of theBible by Tina and Dave Samples

95. For the Man in White byTyler Martin Sehnal

96. The Influence ofMilitary Strategies to Business by M. D. White

97. The Legacy of Job’sWife by Cynthia Koelker

98. Serpents and Doves byG. Lloyd Helm

99. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

100. The Easter Make Believersby Finn Bell

101. Vagrant by Janet Post

102. Chip’s World: Complex#31 and the Caretaker by Thomas Hill

103. Cyber-Thought Police byKyle Robertson

104. Ink by Amanda Anderson

105. The Mighty Blue SavedChristmas by M.A. Baer

106. Psychopath by JeffereyDawson

107. Chronicles of Pangea:Eve by Jay Mathis Horne

108. The Witch of Endor:Vampires by R.K. Wheeler

109. Unleash the Power ofYour Mind by Aaron Powell

110. At the Mouth of a Canonby Kevin Annett

111. Thomas Wildus and theBook of Sorrows by J. M. Bergen

112. Octavio and the Lotusby N. Pojk

113. A Bloody Book by ChrisBowen

114. The Watchmaker’s Doctorby G.M.T. Schuilling

115. The Uprising by MarcRemus

116. I Can See Peace by Julie Penshorn

117. The Woodspeople by Marc Remus

118. Of Zots and Xoodles by Zarqnon the Embarrassed

If you want to add your book on next year’s list, you may CLICK HERE. The blog author, however, reserves the right to refuse books that are beyond her field of expertise.  

Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows by J. M. Bergen

Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows is an exciting young adult fantasy novel and the first book in the Elandrian Chronicles written by J. M. Bergen.  

Thomas Wildus is turning thirteen. He is a fine boy who loves books, chess, doodle-wars with his best friend Enrique, hanging out with his mother, and magic. It might sound stupid but Thomas believes magic is real. That’s what his father said anyway, before he disappeared seven years ago.

So, when Thomas discovers a strange bookshop downtown, he is so thrilled to be offered an ancient and mysterious book, The Book of Sorrows, by an equally mysterious man. Borrowing the book, however, comes with a set of rules which include absolute secrecy. Consumed by an inexplicable desire to read the book, Thomas willingly agrees.

As soon as he reads the book, however, strange things begin to happen. Thomas is pulled into a strange new world and learns something about his family. And this is just the beginning.

This is an exciting book about magic, family, and friendship. The story begins by presenting Thomas as a serious but fun-loving student, affectionate son, and a great friend. Then, mystery starts piling up as the plot thickens and the readers are sucked into the story. Scenes are described in meticulous detail particularly Thomas’s escape scheme somewhere in the middle of the book. Dialogues between characters, especially between Thomas and Enrique, are funny and realistic for boys their age and the closeness they share.

In addition to the interesting plot and exciting scenes are endearing characters, first of them, naturally, is Thomas. He is a smart and kind boy who is willing to stand up for others, a loving and reliable son, and a student of magic with admirable persistence and unwavering determination. Equally endearing are his best friend Enrique and the magician Squattapus. Finally, though this book is part of a series, the ending is satisfactorily conclusive.

Needless to say, I enjoyed this book immensely. However, I would have appreciated additional details on John Wildus, though I strongly believe there would be more about him in the next books.

Congratulations to J. M. Bergen (@JMBergen1) on such a great book!

Voyage of Pearl of the Seas by Ruth Finnegan

Voyage of Pearl ofthe Seas is an adventure book for preteens written by Ruth Finnegan. It is the prequel to the author’s award-winning epic romance ‘Black Inked Pearl.’

Best friends Chris and Kate, with Kate’s dog Holly, magically make a ship out of a log they found buried under the sand. Though Chris, who plans to fly the ship around the world, wants to name her Dragon, Kate successfully names her Pearl of the Seas.

However, when the time comes to sail, Kate changes her mind and turns her back leaving Chris and Holly to sail without her. Alone and regretful, Kate meets and helps an old man who helps her back in return.

This is a magical story of friendship and adventure. It features a boy and a girl who meet and learn from the kind and wise king called The King of Many Names. While the part I like most is their homecoming which reunites them to their families, the most important part of the book for me is Chris’ sacrifice in order to save Holly. It depicts how friendship is supposed to be.

However, I find the plot of the book somehow convoluted and might be difficult for young readers to follow, while the lessons imparted seem too profound for the same young readers to appreciate. Moreover, several sentences are abruptly stopped and discontinued leaving the readers to finish the sentence themselves. Also, the author seems to have a penchant for one-word sentences that some paragraphs look like a series of sentence fragments. Furthermore, I found the characters under-developed, therefore, not easy to connect with. In addition, the style of writing is not much to my liking (ex. Tumbling whirl skirl fall maul, flapping hair tumbling eyes open shutting fear what now terror hell?) Finally, I noticed some errors within the entire book (like What are holding in your hand? and they shed they burdens in peace).

Still, other readers may find it enjoyable especially those who read Black Inked Pearl.

Congratulations to Ruth Finnegan (@ruth_finnegan) on such a nice book. For more books by the author, click HERE.

Voyage of Pearl of the Seas was OnlineBookClub.org Book of the Day on May 29^th 2018. You may check it out at OnlineBookClub.