Thursday, March 27, 2025

Subtle Art of Not Giving a FUCK




The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

MARK MANSON

Review by Author Roy Murry




Does profanity provoke you? If it doesn't, Manson is a provocative writer. In SUBTLE, Manson gives the reader many definitions for using FUCK.

His verbosity may rattle the reader's cage. However, he provides a clear explanation of why one should or should not care based on psychology, which comes through loud and clear.

The reader may discover something about themselves that is negative.

Mr. Manson does not leave you hanging. He provides solutions using biological narratives to engage the reader in one way or another.

This is not a self-help book.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3XAsZy9

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Expresso Shots & Murder Plots 1




Expresso Shots & Murder Plots

AUDREY ALDEN

Review by Author Roy Murry




As with most cozy mysteries, EXPRESSO is a main character-driven novel. Lila, a coffee shop and bookstore co-owner, is a journalist-type sleuth.

After a wealthy man gives a festival speech, he dies in the crowd. Only Lila believes that the event is murder.

Lila naively questions and upends her friends and the police chief to the point of getting herself arrested. In the end, Lila is correct, but she becomes a target.

Amy, Lila's friend and co-owner of the shop, and Lila's dog, Finn, are coconspirators in her shenanigans. From the ending events of this novel, Lila's friends will help her solve a crime in the next book of this series - they are all well-defined characters.

This cozy mystery is a quick read for the mystery buff.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/41ZsoHr

Friday, March 14, 2025

DON'T TRUST ME




DON'T TRUST ME

Hamlet Book One

JESSICA LYNCH


Review by Author Roy Murry



The theme of love and betrayal is at the heart of DON'T TRUST ME, a story that will leave you emotionally invested and questioning the lengths one would go for love.

Tessa Sullivan and her husband Jack's marriage is in turmoil, so they decide to go on a second honeymoon. They find themselves in the small town of Hamlet's Inn instead of their resort's destination.

After a heated argument, Tessa leaves the room for a drink, only to return the next morning to a shocking discovery- Jack is dead. She was in jail for DUI.

The story starts here when the sheriff gets involved. However, the crime a little woman like Tessa could not have committed sends the town of two hundred into a spin.

If not her, who killed Jack? The sheriff believes Tess did it. But how? The sheriff is talking with Tess and Maria about a renegade deputy who is in love with Tessa when a shot is fired. 

The twists and turns of this novel keep the reader engaged. When the end comes, one will be amazed.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3DEohZs

Thursday, March 6, 2025

THINK AGAIN




THINK AGAIN:

The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

ADAM GRANT

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

The author, Adam Grant, is a professor of Organizational Psychology at Wharton. I graduated from the JFK Psychological Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, NC 1968.

Now that you have our credentials, I understand why Mr. Grant has a bestseller here. Although his writing and discourse on the human psyche are understandable to someone like me, unschooled psychology readers may find this read boring.

However, if you are inquisitive, learning to manage people, or want to know what you don't, this book will point you in the right direction. Mr. Grant motivates the reader to excel in their endeavors.

'How do you know what you know?' is another question.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3QMeC5V

Thursday, February 27, 2025

the good guy




THE GOOD GUY

DEAN KOONTZ

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 


Tim, the good guy, has chosen to save a life. Linda, the person he has decided to save, is in the crosshairs of the evil guy, a paid assassin.

Tim and the assassin play cat and mouse through various mishaps, trying to decide who controls Linda's fate. The reader knows who the evil one is, but Tim is just a mason, right?

NYT Best-Selling author Koontz writes excellently. He sets the stage for a thriller. However, this being my first read of his novels, I found it lacking something. Also, it had too many of the evil person's digressions.

Overall, this thriller has exciting moments that keep the reader involved, but the ending is not one of them.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3CZ57x7

Sunday, February 23, 2025

Amish Herbal Secrets




AMISH HERBAL SECRETS

The Modern Heritage 2025 Edition

Miriam Yoder

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

I found this jewel of a book that was free on Kindle for a short period. You should buy the paperback so you can better mark the portions you need.

The Amish have a holistic way of living that will help the average American to live ten percent longer than the public. I am at their average life span of 75.

There are herbal teas for almost every illness or human deficiency. Some of their brews include green and ginseng teas for energy, detox teas, and peppermint tea for digestion.

This kind of book always recommends eating veggies, exercising, and living healthily. The Amish do it all from scratch: they grow their herbs and vegetables, prepare their brews, and store them for use later.

I highly recommend this book to young people (25 - 45). Go live a better life.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3Xhb5Am

Thursday, February 20, 2025

IRISH BOOKSHOP MURDER




AN IRISH BOOKSHOP MURDER

LUCY CONNELLY

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 


Mercy and Lizzy inherit a house and a bookshop in Ireland from a grandfather they never met. After a welcome party for the two at the bookshop, a person from their cottage court dies in Mercy's arms, calling her a murderer.

From this first-day event, Mercy, a mystery writer, snoops into everyone in the cottage court's life. This small town's lone handsome detective keeps arresting Mercy for whatever reason with cause - she snoops in the wrong places.

Mercy and Lizzy's adventure ends with a surprising ending, clearing Mercy of wrongdoings. However, she did snoop illegally, and her M.O. will continue in the series.

Key elements of this series are sisterly love, diversity of characters, the start of a relationship, and close community involvement. IRISH BOOKSHOP meets all the requirements of an excellent series.

 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3EWfG4l