Review of BITTERSWEET MEMORIES

BITTERSWEET MEMORIES

ERIKA M SZABO

Reviewed by Author Roy Murry

Short, romantic, and emotional. A child, Elana Smith, given the name in a hospital, grows up in the social service system of foster families after being abandoned.

That unfortunate situation leads to others until she joins a boy in foster home care. More psychological pressure enters her mind at the age of thirteen.

However, loving people on her life's journey help her adjust into a beautiful, intelligent woman. Then, at a traditional memory place, another trauma takes place.

When this happens, the reader will have a hard time stopping the tears.

The story is a small ninety-minute rollercoaster ride that will keep you pinned to your Kindle.

Purchase:  https://amzn.to/37moKcK

Review of Bound

BOUND

Book One in the

Witches of Doyle

Trilogy

KIRSTEN WEISS

Review by Author Roy Murry

Fairies were even less believable than vampires...Karin, the witch narrator of this Cozy Mystery series, mused.  I guess if you believe in fairies and vampires, you believe in witches.

There is a murder in one of the sister's coffeeshop that starts a whirl-wind of a mystery, both about three sister witches and a couple of other events. Karin, the logical witch, tries to unravel the illogical to save her sister from jail.

On the road to understanding the mystery, love, and death approaches when a vital clue comes to light. A spell is a crucial solution if it doesn't backfire on Karin. 

There are highs and lows to this exciting story of how three witches overcome generations of curses. If you believe in witches, you'll enjoy this adventure into fantasy.

It was a fun read, both genres I love to read - witches and a mystery rolled into one. Have some fun; spells are included.

Purchase Bound https://amzn.to/34LYhUk

Review of UNFREEDOM OF THE PRESS

UNFREEDOM OF THE PRESS

MARK R. LEVIN

Review by Roy Murry, Author

I have paraphrased Matthew Pressman on a history of reporting, Chapter 1: Workaday reporters (Should) had to stick to the four W's and one H; who, what, when, where, and how.  The 'why' question (Should be) was beyond their purview. I put in (Should) because I, like many non-party-aligned voting Americans, feel that way.

In our world today, this is not the modus operandi of our Main Stream Media, according to what I have taken from Mr. Levin's expose of the current reporting the news. Too many progressive ideas are embedded in news content these days.

He goes into detail as to how media treats President Donald J. Trump vs. recent past presidents, giving the pros and cons of those endeavors. Also presented in the pages of his book are some ways in which other presidents used and abused the press, leaving the reader with the thought that President Trump has not abused his power against the media.

Mr. Levin's intelligent read was sometimes above my comprehension, but educating me as I followed along. His explanations are one of the reasons I recommend UNFREEDOM OF THE PRESS to you, a free-thinking human, and particularly college students of journalism for the insight into that profession.

Purchase:  Unfreedom https://amzn.to/2ShS543

Review of STUPID WARS

STUPID WARS:

A Citizen's Guide to Botched Putsches, Failed Coups, Inane

Invasions, and Ridiculous Revolutions

Ed Strosser and Michael Prince

Review by Roy Murry, Author

The title tells it all. I will add that humans do not understand history, or they would not continue to make the same mistake over and over again.  However, some humans, no, many humans, are just stupid and or vicious.

Mr. Strosser and Prince give a precise historical evaluation of wars that should not have happened, and others that leaders should have thought out before going ahead. Some conflicts are diabolically stupid.

I will not explain each nutty endeavor. I will say: I laughed and cried at the explanations the authors gave for humans murdered for ego, pride, and territory - confounding to an intelligent person.

The read is clear, to the point, and enjoyable. I will reread each chapter.

You should read it once to remind yourself that we are all human.

Purchase Stupid Wars https://amzn.to/2sRR5ZB

Review of THEN

CAROL MARRS PHIPPS

     & TOM PHIPPS

Review by Roy Murry, Author

I loved WHAM, the first book in this series. See my review of that http://bit.ly/2riA6it. In WHAM, two worlds collide, the Fairy's world versus the Elite controlling one. The contrast is brought alive in the Phipps' vivid and sometimes dark prose.

In THEN, the saga - Good vs. evil continues dramatically. Tess, a fairy, with trolls, wizards, and humans are trying to take back the ruling of the world from a despotic queen. The queen's powers have increased because of witchcraft tools.

Tess and her Underground friends proceed on their quest. And the queen goes about destroying their world and trying to find them.

It is a simple story, but the antics (Tess travels back in time), multicultural characters, and the fantasy backdrop (The world above and below) gives a whole new meaning to the word WOW.

What is real and what is not, is left to the reader's imagination.

After reading 'THEN,' your imagination will expand. That is the main reason I read books 1 and 2 of this series, which I never do - read a series. I may go on the read 3.

I recommend starting the series with WHAM. However, THEN, as a fantasy, stands on its own.

Purchase @ Amazon https://amzn.to/2MlXqDD

Review of WITH ALL DUE RESPECT

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT

Defending America with

         Grit and Grace

NIKKI R. HALEY

FORMER AMBASSADOR

Review by Roy Murry, Author

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, if you don't read this novel, you will be missing a historical look into President Donald J. Trump's foreign policy by the former United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Her story is compelling, controversial, and believable, putting politics aside.

Ambassador Haley, an Indian woman, who was Governor of South Carolina, with no experience in world politics shines on the world stage where men have ruled for a millennium. It is her true grit and inner abilities that helped her navigate through the world political conflicts the USA has encountered for years. 

These struggles of ideas, in everyday language, she writes with contention, grace, and dignity professing America's morals to the world is the critical theme I took from this reading. This story will have you cheering and bewildered at the same time.

World views are different, but we must come to a common ground is the backbone of her philosophy. 'I agree' is the reason for placing it here. ,

You will have to read WITH ALL DUE RESPECT to understand why President Donald J. Trump picked Kikki Haley to be Ambassador. She has John Wayne's TRUE GRIT.  Youngsters and foreigners may have to Google it.

Purchase:   

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT https://amzn.to/2Qe31gn

Review of THE WAY I HEARD IT

THE WAY I HEAR IT

MIKE ROWE

Review by Roy Murry, Author

Mr. Rowe has put together short stories that will have you laughing, crying, and thinking at the same time. Interwoven are his semi-biographical anecdote of each tale that transcends your understanding into gratefulness having read them.

The pace is fast and exciting, so much so, the reader will want to stop and savor the moment after each section - remembering one's life incident that complete Mr. Rowe's narratives.

The book is chuck full of human relationships. Each distinctly enjoyable on its own.

Well done.

Purchase: THE WAY I HEARD IT https://amzn.to/372uqIG