Review of COLLECTIVE ILLUSIONS

COLLECTIVE ILLUSIONS

TODD ROSE

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

"How do you know what you know?" challenged Confucius. In COLLECTIVE ILLUSIONS, Mr. Rose provides insight into some of these reasons.

He uses personal and private stories to support his sociological/psychological thesis that we all fall prey to groupthink. Because of our associations with churches, the media, organizations, and political groups, we have a human propensity to follow the majority by keeping our opinions to ourselves.

We then fall into traps that take work to leave. If we speak up, the group may change, or we may be blackballed.  

Mr. Rose's arguments, pro and con situations, are compelling and worth reading. His conclusions about human behavior will appeal to everyone.

 

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

Review of NUCLEAR WAR, a Scenario

NUCLEAR WAR

A Scenario

ANNIE JACOBSEN

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

According to the author, there are seventy-two minutes until the end of the world as we know it. Many years later, the human race is back in the Stone Age—the book in a nutshell.

Under Annie Jacobsen's gripping and fast-paced nuclear scenario, the world hurtles toward oblivion from the first volley. However, this probability is flawed: the combatants—North Korea, the United States, and Russia—lack communication.

Communication is the biggest flaw in her fascinating term paper. Russia would have seen on its radar that the first volley came from North Korea, and cell phones with red lights would have lit up.

The first half of this factoid fiction is a heart-pounding drama that will make the reader think the human race is approaching extinction. It may be if deterrence continues at a lower level.

Fifty percent of the e-book is Index, Bibliography, and about the author. If your heart needs exercise, this NUCLEAR WAR scenario between the United States and Russia will get it going.

Read this novel like a well-written fiction-think after.

 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4cU6KZU

Pride and Prejudice

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Book or Movie?

JANE AUSTEN

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

If you want emotional entertainment, watch the excellent movie adaptation starring Keira Knightley. It differs from the novel in several ways, including the ending.

On the other hand, Jane Austen's writing in the novel offers a rich learning experience. It delves into the cultural nuances and individual characters' pride and prejudices of the 1800s. It is a literary journey that may be unfamiliar to most twenty-first-century readers but truly enlightening.

An Oxford dictionary can be a valuable companion on this journey. Kindle uses one.

The novel is simple: a wealthy man meets a woman of a lower class. She is prejudiced against him after hearing his proud comment at a ball. She refuses to dance with him, and his pride is hurt.

The situation infuriates both, and the romance begins. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy intermingle because of her sister's love affair with his friend. Their tit-for-tat communications lead to confusion and then to reality—they need each other.

The read is long but not tedious.

 

Purchase:  Book https://amzn.to/3JmuXdH

                         Movie https://amzn.to/3Ug80iW

 

DANNA

DANNA

JAN ROMES' 

Coffee & Dessert in

Key West Series Book 2

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Riley and Meg own the Coffee & Dessert Cafe in Key West, Florida, USA (Book 1), where they met and married. The cafe is a front for a matchmaking enterprise.

Meg is DANNA's friend. DANNA is a blond, outspoken dynamo who wants to get married and does not connect with Meg's matches.

It is comical how DANNA finds her match, who is not what he seems to be. The highs and lows of their commingling and their friends' participation and comments, especially Erin's and Jorge's, make up the romantic adventure.

Ms. Rome's prose and characters' conversations are fun to read, making readers want to turn those pages. It is not the first nor last of Ms. Romes's works I have read.

You should also. Have fun; read all three in the series.

 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4cH2rRI

SINS of the ANGELS

SINS of the ANGELS

The Grigori Legacy Book One

LYDIA M. HAWKE

Review by Author Roy Murry

This supernatural thriller is a spin on the Bible's Cain and Abel story. Caim and Aramel, brothers and angels, have a conflict that could end in a war between Heaven and Hell.

With demonic intervention, Caim escapes the limbo imposed by Aramel, embarks on a mission to find a woman, and begins a murderous rampage among mortals. Standing in his way is Detective Alexandra Jarvis, a formidable mortal he must eliminate to exact his revenge on Aramel.

A dysfunctional godly hierarchy controls this whole demonic story. The ONE is being deceived by an underling who put the coupe into action.

SINS has its sins. This thriller is fast-paced and has moments, but as the first book in a series, the characters' narratives are overly descriptive, making the book longer than needed.

A standout feature of SINS is its prose, which will undoubtedly engage and captivate readers of paranormal thrillers.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/49gcs5x

TWO A DAY

TWO A DAY

LAUREN BLAKELY

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

After meeting Drew on a beach under strange circumstances, Brooke takes him home for sex. These events continue into an erotic affair.

He is an American football team quarterback, and she is a corporate sports lawyer. Their work lives collide, and co-workers do not have sex without telling the Human Relations Department first.

Until their big boss wants them to 'Fake Date' because the team they work for needs good publicity - Brooke and Drew look cute together. Their passions lead to a problem of emotions.

Love wins. What do you want? It is a romance novel.

It's not one of the best I've read - too many detailed sex scenes.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3IIhQU7

Crushing on Doctor Grump

Crushing on Doctor Grump

BETTY BLISS

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

I describe CRUSHING as Blissfully over-cutesy. It is a SHE said, HE said romance novel with lines that make the reader think really.

Stacy owns a bookstore, and Blake is a heart surgeon—both quote children's books. They get together to promote a library for the hospital's children section by another doctor.

People of the small town think they are a couple because of the project. So, the two think it is wise to FAKE DATE - love is in the air.

This love feast is only interrupted by a problem Blake has. When all is done, a baby makes three.

Purchase for the fun prose and lovable dialog. https://amzn.to/49edTS1

 

BODY IN THE BOOKS

BODY IN THE BOOKS

A Nora Jones Mystery

HEATHER HUFFMAN

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

Nora inherits a bookstore, a house, a dog, and much more from an uncle she never met. She drives from California to St. Augustine, Florida, to investigate her claim.

It is the "Much More" that presents her problems—her uncle is murdered, is friends with the mob, owns a ship, and has left her millions. While settling in, she meets various colorful characters, including a detective who sparks her interest and helps him solve the case.

The murderer in the case is closer than one would think and solves itself. There are a few twists and turns, but Nora can handle anything.

The dialogue throughout the novel is funny, and the greyhound dog knows how to control things. The read is quick and an excellent lead into a series.

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

BLOOD MONEY

BLOOD MONEY

PETER SCHWEIZER

Review by Author Roy

The composition of this non-fiction is so well-developed that the reader will come away thinking - Wow, I did not know that. And, most likely, the reader is correct.

I am well-read and knew many of Schweitzer's topics just by the headline theme. Thank you, MSM and the press, for the information.

According to detailed information by the author, China is attacking our young through social media (TikTok), the motion picture industry, and video games. Using cut-outs, China has already killed Americans with drugs (Fentanyl derivatives) and did control their information about the COVID-19 pandemic.

This propaganda war by the CCP is, in some respect, payback for the Opium Wars - Please look it up. And the CCP believes that the West's, especially America's, decadence will destroy the world.

Schweitzer's narrative includes how our leaders do not pressure China, knowing they are doing what they are doing. This is a mind-boggling financial circle.

This book is what readers, my followers, consider a book for the INQUISITIVE MIND. It is a must-read if you care about your children and grandchildren.

 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3Vrs5DZ

 

FLIGHT OF THE SPARK

FLIGHT OF THE SPARK

Book 1 in The Outlawed Myth Series

EVELYN PUERTO

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Despotism vs. Freedom is the central theme of this award-winning Young Adult Fantasy. It is how the Villages and Riskers unite or stay apart; a Villager can never question it.

Iskra, a fifteen-year-old girl, is a resident of the Villages. A nail-biting event brings her into the Riskers' homeland, where people can ask questions and do as they wish - it is another world.

In the Riskers' camp, there are sparks between Iskra and Xico. However, she must go back home. It is the rules.

The risky adventure begins. The leader of the Villages knows and must stop for all the villagers' safety and fairness.

She returns many times, the sparks become love, and a deadly adventure begins. The twists and turns of this whole story will have the reader thinking about current events.

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

Cavaliered to Death

CAVALIERED TO DEATH

A Barkview Mystery

C.B. Wilson

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Catalina, CAT, is the only cat lover in the dog city of Barkview. She is the producer of her Aunt Char's Dog Show, an entertaining TV program that teaches people how to train their canines.

Everyone in Barkview has a dog, many with Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. A Champion dog competition has come to Barkview.

Two famous canines cannot be found, and the owner is dead. All indications say Aunt Char did the crime.

CAT is an investigation report in her past life; her new friend Russ is with the FBI, and Uncle G. is the sheriff with two dogs who follow him around.

The three's investigative skills are used in a long dog-days night crime wave, including a kennel burning. CAT's past explodes in the present with a deadly ending.

C.B. Wilson's writing is crisp and colorful but a little too detailed for me. However, if you love dogs, you will love CAVALIERED TO DEATH.

 

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

SLICE OF MURDER

SLICE OF MURDER

Rosie A. Point

Review by Author Roy Murry

SLICE is a fair setup for the series 'A Pizza Parlor Mystery Book 1.'  There needs to be more minor character development to make the story interesting.

However, the reader gets to know Gina, the main character, a bit. The author needs to be more in-depth in book 2 for the series to move on.

Gina returns home and fires the chef in her sick uncle's pizzeria after determining the place is mis-run. The next day, the chef is found dead in the closed shop with a piece of pizza in his hand.

Gina becomes a sleuth to no avail, finding a note and coming close with gossip. The participant in the crime unveils herself after her son confronts her about an explosive event.

A short read, 110 pages.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3Iopq6h

SEASONABLE DOUBT

SEASONABLE DOUBT

A Cass Leary Legal Thriller

ROBIN JAMES

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

This novel is a courtroom drama to prove that Santa did not do it. Cass is hoodwinked into a case to free a small town's favorite Santa Claus from spending years behind bars.

Santa is captured on video leaving the crime; he is fighting with the victim a few minutes prior, and the victim's government committee will take away his life's enjoyment.

Lastly, the case is tried two weeks before Christmas, with only those weeks for Cass to prepare a defense. Everything happens so fast that the reader will not put down the book.

The ending surprises Cass, the authorities, the client, the town, and the reader.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/4bGupwd

Hope in Hot Chocolate

The HOPE in HOT CHOCOLATE

Poppy Creek Novel

RACHEL BLOOME

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

CHOCOLATE is a typical romance - boy and girl do not initially like each other's lifestyle or philosophy. Sadie makes chocolate candies and loves the process.  Landon is a wealthy young man who is an anti-sugar crusader for personal and business reasons - his mother is ill, and he is starting a new sugar-free food venture.

He is opening a business next door to Sadie's shop. They compete in a town food fair and must share a booth directed by the mayor. 

The battles begin and end unusually. It is meant to be.

Each story stands alone in this Poppy Creek series, as this cute one does. The banter between Sadie and Landon is well-written and sometimes funny.

In one sitting, a romance lover will read.

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

MELUSINE

MELUSINE

Book two of

The Heirs of Anarchy

 

G. LAWRENCE

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

"It mattered not my birth, experience, or my intelligence. What mattered was that I was less than them because I was a woman, not a man." Matilda, Lady of the English, 1135 AD. The Lady's Journey continues from Book One, which I read in 2020.

G. Lawrence's prose flows with these little nuggets throughout this novel of King Henry the First Daughter's battle to be Queen of England. In her mid-twenties, her father directs her to marry a newly knighted fifteen-year-old for political reasons - she is property, and her son is heir.

Matilda's fictional words include historical drama. Her psychological development moves into philosophy, which is sometimes wordy.

The novel is long but worth the historical adventure read.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3SQ5wXy

Can't Judge a Book by Its Murder

Can't Judge a Book by Its Murder

A Main Street Book Club Mystery

Amy Lillard

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

I have read many cozy mysteries, and this one hit some of the right buttons. However, the Book Club concept members will not continue in my readings.

Arlo owns a bookstore and receives a call that a man died in front of her establishment. The man committed suicide, or was it murdered, says the local police.

Chloe, Arlo's friend and partner in the bookstore, is arrested - all clues lead to her being the killer, says the police chief. Arlo and the club members go about investigating the crime.

Small-town relations go amuck and conflict with the dead man's wife and assistant. These quarrels and investigations lead to a tongue slip, revealing the unlikely killer to Arlo.

Ms. Lillard's writing is good, but I needed a timeline I could follow. Also, the characters of the book club needed more depth for Book #1 in the series.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/49nGbdf

Great Delusion

THE GREAT DELUSION

Liberal Dreams and

International Realities

JOHN J. MEARSHEIMER

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

Mr. Mearsheimer gives a clear and fluid explanation of Liberalism, Nationalism, and Realism in this thesis on how countries use them to place themself in the world hierarchy. The United States has been promoting liberal homogeny for years as its foreign policy, and it's not working.

Mearsheimer's arguments against liberal foreign policies are compelling. Reality needs to change how a unipolar power like the United States involves itself in other countries' business, which is how I read his hypothesis.

This dissertation goes into multipolar examples, which include China's and Russia's participation in global power struggles. The reader can decide whether the status quo of the United States's spreading liberal homogeny should remain.

Lastly, Obama and Trump bucked the foreign elites on the matter, but Hilary Clinton and Biden followed the elites' playbook. Obama gave in. Trump is still fighting for Nationalism in the country and Realism in foreign policy.

John J. Mearsheimer has written an engrossing description of how the modern-day political world evolves. GREAT DELUSION is a vital read you should notice if you care about the USA.

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

 

AMNESIA on NANTUCKET

AMNESIA on NANTUCKET

TARYN DANIELS

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Melanie and Adam go on their honeymoon to Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Pleasant is their love feast until Melanie has a life-changing accident that sends her mind back five years.

Who is this man, Adam? She asks this and many other questions that she cannot answer without faith and love. The story between them goes back and forth with little twists and turns of humor.

When Melanie comes to terms with her fate, the story turns for the best. AMNESTIA is a cute love story.

 

Purchase: https://amzn.to/3O9pvh8

Madame Pommery

MADAME POMMERY:

Creator of Brut Champagne

Rebecca Rosenberg

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

Ms. Rosenberg does an excellent job of using facts and fiction to bring a remarkable woman to life. Pommery crossed into a world in the 1850s that few had - male domination in war, peace, and wine development.

The male world placed conflict after conflict before Pommery, but she found the strength to reach her vision. Ultimately, her beliefs and desire to produce the Brut brand, a dryer, less sweet champagne, succeeded.

This story, written by Rebecca Rosenberg, is inspiring and well-developed. The twists and turns keep the pages moving.

I recommend it to everyone, especially young college and high-school-age women.

Purchase: https://amzn.to/48NdjL2

Poppy Perkins in BOOKED for MURDER

BOOKED for MURDER

Jasmine Webb

 

Review by Author Roy Murry

 

This is a Poppy Perkins Mystery book #1, where we learn the background story for her next adventures. Her famous legal family has disowned her, and she learns something about her best friend. A man dies after Poppy fights with him, and she loses her job in a donut shop.

The video of Poppy fighting with the man went viral, and the police believe this was the motive. In walks Ophelia to save the day, she and Poppy begin their investigation.

The duo's search goes around in circles, looking into the victim's background until one gets an epiphany. The finality leads to many changes in Poppy's life, which is the pull-in to read book #2.

MURDER was a fun read with extended conversations, which the lady readers will enjoy.

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