Review of The Highlander

The Highlander, The Rise of the Aztecs 

Series Book 1

Author Zoe Saadia

Reviewed by R. Murry

The Highlander is a well thought out historical novel that portrays real people doing what their nation-tribes have done for years.  The main characters are young leaders breaking out into their own predetermined   adventures.

The elders are determined to control their situations in the world.  The young people (Coyotl, Kuini, and Izrac) rebel that world in their own way to change it for others and themselves.

Ms. Saadia brings this out in detailed conversations and confrontations that propels this intriguing developed story forward, keeping the reader’s attention.  The reader will not be bored with historical data. 

The young people are the future and the only names that are important: Coyotle, the emperor’s first born son, wants to change the way things are done – social reform.  Kuini, the great warlord’s son, wants to change breakdown bearers between peoples.  Iztac, the princess, wants to liberate herself and others from their bondage to the way men think.

     
Zoe Saadia makes their points clear, using well developed conversations.  Although these young people are not Aztecs, they see common ground in others, where the elders don’t.  Especially Kuini, The Highlander, in his confrontations and communal exchanges with the only Aztec – The Aztec Warlord.  To a point, the Aztec influences Kuini’s decisions. Against the Aztec and his father’s wishes, Kuini becomes a warrior in Coyotl’s father’s army – their enemy.

     
In this end is a new beginning for Coyotl and Kuini, which may include princess Iztac. Fate will determine that end.

     

Saadia’s novel is an excellent lead in to the next chapter of the lives of these three young leaders.  I for one will continue to read the series, because of the enjoyable read of book #1.  Will you?   

Purchase at:  http://amzn.to/1mFgI6t

Review of The Affect of Red

The Affect of Red                                         
By Phil Davis

Reviewed by R. Murry

Love at first sight is a minor theme of this gripping novel.  Yes, the adventure starts with the encounter of two attractive professionals, Camille in a sexy red dress, but there the story takes a turn for the worst.  Robert and Camille meet again and are put in a whirlwind.

Camille is involved in an international project that endeavors to save young women from what they most fear - slavery to man’s deranged sexual needs.  This entanglement produces negative results.

Mr. Davis’ characters are well developed.  He has them intelligently move through highs and lows of a detailed adventure – they are pitted against an evil group of highly motivated gangsters, who care little for human begins, enslaving and killing them for their pleasure and monetary gain.

All doesn’t go well in Robert and Camille Jordan’s journey as lovers, which is told with a tear jerking love – hate fest.  Having a Kleenex box nearby, is a must.  The government is on their side as protectors with lapses in security that leads to some heart breaking blows to all involved.

Phil Davis’ novel will keep you on your toes and have you moving forward with anticipation, leading toward a conclusion that will have you asking – why?

In the end, its Robert and Camille’s daughter, Sophia, who will carry the torch against the same evil that they had fought for twenty years.    To what end, only fate can change the outcome, which I feel is fruitless – evil always prevails in some area of humanity.

Mr. Davis book is one a Romantic will enjoy, waiting for good to win over evil.  He does an excellent job of telling this story, where one may believe that the faithful will be victorious.

It’s a good read that I recommend. 

There are links below Phil Davis:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B006N97VPE

Both ebooks and paperbacks are available at this site.

My blog: http://padaarch.blogspot.com/ (there are samples here)

A Novel Obsession

A Novel Obsession

Written by Jeff Joseph

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

We have all been obsessed with something in our lives, but I hope not with a person. In Jeff Joseph’s A Novel Obsession, you will be surprised with who is obsessed with whom.

Abby, the main character, has a crush on Daniel, who is a world renowned romance writer. She sends a fan letter to him inviting him to speak at her school.

The letter was so overwhelming to Daniel that he had to meet her. It conveyed to him the woman, who wrote it, was so insightful into why he wrote what he wrote. He wanted to know her.

As in all good books and movies, romances aren’t always peaches and cream. Mr. Joseph puts compelling and thrilling events in to action that you wonder if the two will ever meet.

This read will keep your attention. The ending will leave you hanging wanting more. When you do reach the climax, you will be surprised.

A must read for Romantics: http://amzn.to/1qzMbYF

Review of First Date.

FIRST DATE

Love & Regrets
Written by Vanessa Wester

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry


I remember my first date with the most beautiful redhead I have ever met and dated up to and including our High School Prom. Later in college, she found her soul mate and married him, while I was fighting a war in Vietnam.

Vanessa’s FIRST DATE brought back memories of my first time, and it will work for you.  The book is two romantic short stories in one. It is free on Amazon.com today.

Ms. Wester does an excellent job of setting you up for what you would think would happen on a first date. The tension is there between the two participants: the holding of the hands for the first time, the opening of the door by the male, and the inquisitive conversation – He cares for me?

Then Vanessa throws in a factor that changes the dynamic of the first date – another man. Only by reading this quick moving love story will you get the answer.

Purchase at Amazon: http://amzn.to/1m2hgUM
  

How Bridge McCoy Learned How to Say I Love You

How Bridge Mccoy

Learned to Say I Love You

Written by Robert K. Swisher Jr.

Reviewed by Roy Murry, author

If you walked two steps forward and one step backwards, as you strolled through life, would you feel complete? Bridge McCoy did until events changed his perspective of life.

                              

An author living in a small town and his life embedded in a small art district, Bridge finds himself in an uncomfortable position. He has fallen in love with the 185 pound hippie coffee shop owner, Vivian.  She and all who have befriended Bridge know him as an author who drinks his coffee BLACK and his beer in a cold glass with lime.

This is how he lives his life without additives, complications, or popular entertainment. He is a straight forward sarcastic and friendly drinker who writes for his pleasure, but is published and sells his books and other’s art in his shop where he feels complete.

When falling in love with his angel Vivian, he has one minor problem. Even though he is a writer of words: verbs, adverbs, nouns, etc., he can’t say the important ones to Vivian:  I I I I Lo Lo…, which is the center of this off center novel.

Make certain your funny bone is in shape, because if it isn't you’ll be hurting after many lines, chapters, and verses. I am still thinking about a line. I’ll let you find your personal best line and not give you mine.

I relate to Bridge’s predicaments and diversions, because I am an author of like kind. However, any reader with an inquiring mind will enjoy this read and laugh on and on, while reading the Dark Love Story.

          

Purchase at Amazon: http://amzn.to/1rFXzmS

  

Review of Pigeon River Blues

Pigeon River Blues

Written by Wayne Zurl

Reviewed by Roy Murry, author

A small country town in Tennessee, USA, has a celebrity C.J. Profitt who sings the Blues to her hometown friend the mayor. She is being harassed by some people that don’t like her life style; and she has asked the mayor for protection.

The mayor volunteers a non-Volunteer, ex New York City detective now Chief of Police, Sam Jenkins to be her security while she is in town and doing a gig up the road at Dollywood for charity.  Sam is unlike a Robert Downey, Jr.’s Sherlock Holmes.

He is sociable and charming.  Using deductive thinking, compiling information from his contacts in the FBI, military, and media, he pieces together the - who, what, when, why, and how an event will literally blow up the charity at Dollywood.   

C.J. Profitt’s history as a Country Western Singer is the center of why this event was nurtured, festered, and put into motion. Sometimes it’s the people you hurt that comes back to haunt you, as it is in this novel.

Sam Jenkins police work is the propelling motion of this fast pace read. Sometimes comical and witty, his style works on the written page.

If you like police TV dramas, this book will be as intense but more enjoyable because of Wayne Zurl’s spiffy character Sam.  

Notes:

Tennessee is called The Volunteer State because they were the first volunteer in the War of 1812, another story.

Dollywood is in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and is the home to Dolly Parton’s Country & Western theme park.

Purchase at:  http://amzn.to/1sDSGHS

Breathless - Review

BREATHLESS (Blue Fire Saga)
Written by Scott Prussing

Reviewed by Roy Murry, Author

The world of the Vampire was opened up to the public with the novel written by an Englishman in the 1800s. See my +Bubblews article: Vampires are real? http://bit.ly/1u9vWj8

Breathless is one of those novels that if you are a believer in Vampires, you may learn something new. If you are not, you will have an enjoyable time reading about a world that has become a popular diversion from reality.

Leesa is a normal teenage girl going off to Weston College for her freshmen year. The only difference between her and others is her relationship with Vampires – ones with two fangs and ones with one fang. See notes below.

She has two suitors after a few weeks at college. One is a Vampire and the other is Volkaane. She falls for Rave the Volkanne. However, Stefan, the Vampire, has other desires for Leesa to full fill and has a trump card – Leesa’s brother Bradley is a feeder for another Vampire.

You know there is a predictable clash coming between Rave and Stefan to end the story. It is not what you or I would predict though. It’s something off the wall. I’ll just say it is Stefan who has the final say.

This novel is well written and does keep the reader’s attention – Believer or Not. Some twist and turns, but straight forward reading.

Notes:

Volkaane: a being that is full of Blue Fire. He is a Vampire hunter.
Grafhym: a one fang Vampire who is much weaker than a two fang one. His blood is tainted.

Feeder: a human who is used as a blood provider for a Vampire.

Funniest line in novel for me was: Leesa comes clean with her best friend Cali at college and says, “Stefan is beautiful but a little strange.” Cali replies, “Of course he is a bit strange – he’s a freaking Vampire!”