The Phage by George Bachman

It seems like almost everyone on the planet has simply disappeared, with no explanation as to how or why. They are simply gone. There are only a few people left behind, who don’t understand what happened or where everyone else had vanished to. And to make matters worse, something seems to be hunting the two girls who appear to be the only ones left behind.

I received a review copy of this book, and to be honest, this book was just not for me. It seemed to start in the middle of the story, with no explanation as to how these events began or they were happening. I spent a large part of the beginning of this book feeling very confused as I tried to piece things together to try and understand it. And while I believe I have a decent vocabulary, I kept being pulled out of the story because I needed to look up the meanings of a number of words throughout the book.

This book also could have used another round with an editor. I believe that would have solved some of the issues I ran across as I read. Some of the actions of the characters didn’t seem possible to me. One of which involved the speed with which one of the two girls seemed to learn to speak an ancient Native American language after picking up a book in a library because the two of them had been joined by an ancient Native American who did not speak English. And unfortunately there were other issue I had with the plausibility of the actions taking place within the story.

Now, this isn’t to say that I found the book without value, for even as confused and distracted as I was by much of what was happening, there were parts of the story that I did enjoy reading, especially closer to the end of the story. While I still felt like I was missing something important, once I reached a point where I was beginning to understand what was happening, the story felt less problematic and made much more sense to me. Though I do wish the author had found a way to allow at least some of that information to begin to be or at least hinted at in the beginning of the book. It would have made it easier for me to get past what left me feeling very lost and confused for much of the book.

If I am honest, the beginning of the book was, for me at least, problematic and difficult enough to get through that it almost made me decide to quit reading. I am glad that I did keep reading to the end though, as had I stopped earlier, I would have always wondered what the book was actually about and never learned the answer. And yes, it does mostly get explained at the end of the story, though I do wish that there had been a bit more of an explanation earlier than we were given.

So while I still feel that this book was not for me, it was not entirely without merit. Anyone who enjoys Native American mythos and languages, combined with a sense of horror and the ancient past blending with the present might enjoy this book more than I did.

Dire Days: The Uncharted Horizon Serial by CR Buchanan and Jason Diamond

Humanity had long ago left a dying earth behind and moved to a planet known as Kep 4-b by its inhabitants. The problem was that the environment there began as little better than the one they had left behind, and now it too, is dying. Their only hope is that what remains of humanity can find a new home before it is too late.

McKayla Mason is an Armada pilot who cannot stand that an intelligent, humanoid species is being cruelly experimented on in an attempt to try and discover how they can manage to survive on a planet whose air would kill the humans without their ventilators to protect them. After having been identified as the one who had raided one of the facilities where the animals were being experimented on to free them, she knows that her career is over and she will be branded a traitor. But by turning herself in, maybe she can escape execution. She expects to spend most of her life behind bars. But something unexpected happens to grant her a second chance at a better life.

I read a review copy of this book and enjoyed it. It is rather complex, and the authors have created a complete language for a new world. I saw many similarities to what may happen here on Earth if things continue the way they seem to be going. And even on a new planet, there are references to “ancient Earth” and we are shown the remains of some recognizable landmarks.

For me, this story showed how often and how easy it is to repeat the mistakes of the past, as well as how hard it can be to avoid them. One of the main things I took away from this book is that not all may be as it seems, and sometimes one must look a little deeper and take a chance or a leap of faith if we are to have any hope of survival as a species.

I found this story fascinating, and found myself feeling sympathetic for several of the characters. I may not always have agreed with some of their actions, but I do understand that sometimes, not only can things go wrong easily, but that when we make an effort to try and correct our mistakes, forgiveness and acceptance might just save not only ourselves but many others as well.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

The Blind Mail Order Bride by Florence Linnington

Shortly after the birth of her son, Emily began losing her sight. Within a few years, she was completely blind, her husband dead at sea leaving her dependent on his parents for survival. But when they begin talking about marrying her off to a man of their choosing, she manages to escape by accepting a proposal from a farmer out west. She and her son Peter leave secretly, hoping to find a life of her choosing rather than one that is chosen for her. But when she arrives at his farm, she learns he had died the day before.

I read a review copy of this book, and as I always do, enjoyed reading it. I think what I enjoyed most about this story is the fact that Emily was determined to not be a burden on anyone, and instead to find a way to be more than just a “pretty wife” who must be taken care of by her husband. She is more than capable of taking care of herself and her son, as well as cooking, cleaning, and gardening, even if she is completely blind.

I enjoyed watching Emily prove to those around her that she wasn’t helpless, and in reality was extremely capable. And while she must face many difficulties, including  finding some way to go forward and find a home, given that the man she was supposed to marry is dead, his home burned to the ground, and his brother is determined to sell the land  so he can become a prospector for gold during the California Gold Rush, where so many men rushed to become prospectors who hoped to get rich were headed.

If you enjoy mail order bride stories, any of Ms. Linnington’s other books, stories involving hope, loss, and moving forward, then I think you will enjoy this one as well. It is a quick, but enjoyable book to read.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Wheels and Dirty Deals by Trixie Silvertale

Mitzy Moon and Erick Harper from are back for their next adventure in the town of Pin Cherry Harbor. After a boy is killed by someone seemingly deliberately hitting him with a van and driving off, Sheriff Paulson, as expected, arrests the wrong man, seeking only to close the case as quickly as possible with the least amount of work involved. But when her two biggest rivals get involved seeking to find the actual murderer, things always get interesting. In this case, it involves the well-known athletically-challenged Mitzi joining a roller-derby team to find the person behind the murder of a young man, as well as to learn why he was killed. And as you can guess, much more is discovered than was anticipated when the pair took the case.

I read an advance review copy of this book, and I enjoyed it a great deal, as I always do the books by this author. This series is fun, entertaining, and at times it includes some serious tugging of the heartstrings, as it did in this book. Mitzi is always an entertaining character, and paired with her husband Erick, who is often the more serious of the two, they make an amazing team. And reading about them always keeps me entertained.

This book—as are most of the ones in this series that I have read by Ms. Silvertale—is a quick read, and will keep you reading into the night so that you can find out “who done it and why” while enjoying the entertaining aspects of a good cozy mystery series. If you want to read something that is mostly lighthearted and fun (with a few more serious moments thrown in), then you should definitely check out this book, as well as the rest of this series. I think that you’ll likely enjoy them as much as I always do.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

The Adventures of Alex the Pirate: Treasure Island by Tom Oldaker

Alex is a young boy with a big imagination, Alex enjoys playing pirates. For him, this involves learning how to be a pirate, learning about ships and their parts, and discovering buried treasure. He has a lot of fun doing all of these things, and manages to learn while playing.

I received a review copy of this children’s book. And while it has been a very long time since there were young children in my household, I thought this was a very cute book with some interesting ideas. It includes games for the kids reading the book to play with their friends, while learning as they play.

One thing the reader does need to know about before trying to play the games is that the author is from the United Kingdom rather than the United States, and so when the book mentions football, it is referring to what we here in the US call soccer. It is something readers will want to keep in mind when setting up the games for energetic children to play as a group as if you call it “football” here in the US, the kids will think you are talking about a different sport involving a different type of ball than what they expect when hearing the same word in the UK.

Even though I do not have any young children in my household, I thought this book was cute and something that many parents who  have active children that possess an overabundance of energy will find to be a fun entertainment for their youngsters to engage in.

I do recommend, however, that this book be read either as a hard copy or on a color reading device. As my kindle is only capable of reading in black and white, some of the photos were a little on the dark side, making them sometimes a little difficult for me to see parts of the drawings for how to set up for the games. But I do think that younger children, who are likely not yet old enough for early chapter books, will find this book enjoyable, and the games a great deal of fun.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Future’s Dark Past by J.L. Yarrow

In the distant future, the Earth is largely unliveable. There are pockets of humanity still alive, but life is very difficult for the survivors. There is a settlement on Mars, where a number of genetically modified humans are working on finding a way to change history so that the event that led to Earth’s destruction doesn’t happen, and a few people are sometimes recruited from Earth to try joining this program. Unfortunately, very few manage to survive the genetic modification process that will allow them to become time agents. The process to alter the DNA of those who volunteer for the program is unsuccessful more often than not, leaving most who attempt it among the dead. Kristen is one of the lucky few to survive the process. And now, not only must she and the others succeed, they must do so while another group is determined to see them fail.

This was an interesting book involving time travel, historically–based events, and fictional ones. Some parts of the book are set in the future while others are in different parts of the past. There is quite a bit happening in this book., and the reader will be jumped back and forth in time, depending on when in time any given scene is taking place. 

I read a review copy of this book and enjoyed it. It covers a number of relevant issues that have been happening in the world today, any one of which has the potential to be a link in a chain of events that could lead to a catastrophic ending, or possibly, a new beginning. But one question remains, even with time travel, can the past be changed? Or has the future already been determined and will remain largely unchangeable in the end no matter which past events are altered? Only time will tell. 

This book makes one wonder about the fate of our own world and whether or not we are also doomed to near extinction, or if we as a society can change course enough to save ourselves. If you enjoy post-apocalyptic stories, stories involving time travel and attempts to change historical events, TV shows such as either version of Quantum Leap, Time Tunnel, or any number of other time travel books, TV shows, and movies then you will likely enjoy this book. I’m looking forward to learning what happens in the next book in this series, and whether or not those seeking to change their present by changing the past can succeed or not.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Wagon Train Mail Order Bride by Florence Linnington

Amelia has been living in an unhappy marriage for a long time when she learns that she is finally pregnant. She hopes that her husband will be happy, but with the two of them living in a very poor area of town and just barely surviving, having another mouth to feed is going to make things even more difficult. But much to her horror, she soon learns that her husband has been killed. Now she has no husband, no money for rent, and no way to earn a living on her own. And in about seven months she’ll be having a baby. So she winds up doing the only thing she can… she answers an advertisement for a mail-order bride to accompany a man looking to start a family on a wagon train to California.

If you have read any of Ms. Linnington’s other books, then you are likely aware of the pattern for her mail order bride stories, with a little variation in each of them here in there. This one follows much the same pattern, making it a quick and easy read. But it is still a nice, relaxing way to spend a stress free day, for we know that whatever difficulties that Amelia and Ben will face, in the end, everything will come together for them somehow.

Now you may think that my review is a bit short and light on the details, but that is deliberate. As I mentioned, it is likely that you are already familiar with the pattern that most mail-order bride stories follow. But I always enjoy reading them nonetheless. There is something comforting in knowing that no matter what trials and tribulations one might face, that everything will turn out okay in the end. And that is one of the things that I enjoy the most about Ms. Linnington’s books.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.