Tag: reading

An Epic Western Featuring a Female Gunslinger

This is a Leonberger blog but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I want to promote. This is another one of those. I recently read “The Broken And The Foolish” Paperback – by Sara Kjeldsen. It was a book that I loved and therefore want to promote. Naturally I rated it five stars. I should mention that in my review below I am referencing the movie “Once upon a Time in the West”. That is because I saw some similarities between the stories. They are both suspenseful revenge stories and the main characters are both traumatized gunslingers and both stories are epic. However, they are completely different stories otherwise. This story is from a feminine perspective.

Picture of a young woman with a forest in the background.
Front cover of  The Broken And The Foolish. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

Some outlaws kill for the rush.

Mary just wants to survive.

Fed up with the saloon life and her abusive boss, Mary flees in the middle of the night to travel the open road, nearly losing her life several times as she encounters bullies, seasoned outlaws, and natural predators. She also meets a few people – and animals – who make their mark on her heart in ways she never imagined.

There were many female outlaws who existed in America’s Old West. This is Mary’s story.

This is my Amazon review of The Broken And The Foolish by Sara Kjeldsen

Once Upon a Time in the West Life Was Cruel To One Woman and She Fought Back Hard

To help her family avoid the cruel fate of starvation Mary takes a job as a so-called saloon girl and so begins her journey into hell. Her boss Max is an evil and cruel man but one day she escapes, and she kills a man in the process. As an outlaw she encounters several evil bullies who try to take advantage of her, and she must kill again. Her life is not only misery. She enjoys the beautiful nature in the Ozarks. Then she discovers that Max has killed her sister and mother just to get back at her and so begins her quest for revenge. The story may seem simple enough so far, but life throws her a few curve balls that I did not expect. There’s romance, betrayal, shoot-outs, and more cruel bullies. It seems like she is not getting any breaks, but she is a survivor and a great gunslinger who knows how to take care of herself.

One section of the book, related to a medicine woman, or so-called witch, might be uncomfortable to some readers, but I thought the implicit commentary on society, religion, philosophy was brilliant and powerful, and it forced me to think about the issue(s) in a way I have not done before. Mary is no angel, but she is not a bad person either. Life was cruel to her, and she did not always make the best decisions trying to survive. She is a killer, and she seeks revenge, but all the men she kills are bad guys, and she makes sense as a desperate and traumatized female outlaw. My thoughts went to Harmonica in “Once Upon a Time in the West”. He was an outlaw and a sad, traumatized, perhaps even pitiful soul whose purpose in life was revenge, and yet he is probably the most iconic character in the history of Wild West movies. I saw a number of parallels between Harmonica and Mary. Max would then correspond to Frank. Don’t get me wrong, it is a totally different story.

This book is suspenseful, dramatic, romantic, emotional, cruel, sad, beautiful, and action packed. It has everything you want in a western, but the main character is a woman. I think you can say it is a feminist perspective. Everyone may not be ready for that, but I thought it was a great book. This book certainly made an impression on me. I highly recommend it.

Photo of Sara Flower Kjeldsen and the text of the Amazon description of the book.
Back cover of  The Broken And The Foolish. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the kindle version of the book.

I am also adding another review of a short story by Sara Kjeldsen that I recently read. It was an intense and fun quick read called Eve and Adam. I rated it five stars. I should mention that I got the story on kindle as part of free one day promotion that she had. I wrote a review, but Amazon is taking its jolly time to post it, so I am not including a link to my review right now. I will update later.

  • Paperback –  September 16, 2015, ISBN-10 : 1517362385, ISBN-13 : 978-1517362386, 72 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.84 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.98 x 0.15 x 9.02 inches, it cost $9.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – September 17, 2015, ASIN : B015IN12TG, 37 pages. It is currently $3.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Title, author name and a bunch of balloons on a blue background.
Front cover of  Eve & Adam. Click here or the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the paperback version of the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

Adam meets Eve, a girl who lives in a cult village, on the afternoon he plans to kill himself. Her whimsical charm pulls him away from his suicidal ideations, but he soon learns that she holds a world of darkness that rivals his own. They long to escape their suppressive backgrounds, but there are people in Adam’s town who already have other plans for him.

Eve & Adam is the story of two young free thinkers and the harmful outcomes of prejudice and hate.

This is my Amazon review of Eve & Adam by Sara Kjeldsen

Two Outcasts from Two Oppressive Worlds

Eve lives in a cult village that she is trying to escape. She is unhappy with the backwards religious beliefs and an arranged marriage she is being forced into. She meets Adam a suicidal young man who finds the intolerance of the people in the town he lives in insufferable. Other than their oppression they don’t seem to have a lot in common. Together they try to escape their respective situations, but this turns out to be quite difficult and dangerous.

I read the kindle version. It was a quick one (or two) hour intense read that made my evening. The dialogue was captivating and enlightening. The story was suspenseful and unpredictable and there was something interesting and unexpected happening on essentially every page. Despite being tragic the story was very enjoyable and entertaining, and when I was done it left me pondering on life and the role of belief systems in our various cultures. I highly recommend this short story.

About the Author

Sara is a Canadian multi-genre author who loves tea and adventures. This is a list of her published books https://saraflower.ca/my-published-books/

Prehistoric Refugees

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I want to promote. This is another one of those. I read Survival of the Fittest (Book 1 of Crossroads trilogy) the Paperback version – March 2, 2019, by Jacqui Murray. It is another of Jacqui Murray’s wonderful prehistoric novels and I loved it. It exists in three formats on Amazon.

  • Paperback –  Publisher : Structured Learning LLC (March 2, 2019), ISBN-10: 194210135X, ISBN-13: 978-1942101352, 311 pages, Item Weight : 1.01 pounds, Dimensions : 6 x 0.78 x 9 inches, it cost $14.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Hardback –  Publisher : Structured Learning LLC (February 28, 2021), ISBN-10: 1942101708, ISBN-13: 978-1942101703, 328 pages, Item Weight : 1.24 pounds, dimensions : 6 x 0.93 x 9 inches, it cost $24.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle –  Publisher : Structured Learning LLC (March 6, 2019), ASIN: B07NKM58GB, it costs $3.99 on US Amazon, it is free with Kindle unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover feature title and author name and a picture of a wolf and a tall prehistoric girl holding a spear.
Front cover of  Survival of the Fittest. Click here or on the picture to visit the Amazon.com page for the book. Picture is scanned from the book.

Amazon’s description of the book

Five tribes. One leader. A treacherous journey across three continents in search of a new home. Written in the spirit of Jean Auel, Survival of the Fittest is an unforgettable saga of hardship and determination, conflict and passion. Chased by a ruthless enemy, Xhosa leads her People on a grueling journey through unknown and dangerous lands following a path laid out decades before by her father, to be followed only as a last resort. She is joined by other fleeing tribes from Indonesia, China, South Africa, East Africa, and the Levant, all similarly forced by timeless events to find new lives. As they struggle to overcome treachery, lies, tragedy, secrets, and Nature itself, Xhosa is forced to face the reality that her enemy doesn’t want to ruin her People. It wants to ruin her. The story is set 850,000 years ago, a time in prehistory when man populated most of Eurasia, where ‘survival of the fittest’ was not a slogan. It was a destiny. Xhosa’s People were from a violent species, one fully capable of addressing the many hardships that threatened their lives except for one: future man, a smarter version of themselves, one destined to obliterate all those who came before.

This is my Amazon review of Survival of the Fittest by Jacqui Murray

The Survival Story of Prehistoric Refugees

What does survival of the fittest mean? The most fit are not necessarily the strongest or the fastest but the ones who are the most adaptable to change. The survival of prehistoric man was helped by so many aspects of skills, health, intelligence, making tools, the ability to cooperate and the willingness to change, as well as empathy. In this book we follow a few tribes of Homo Erectus who are forced to relocate due to the encroachment and attacks of the so called “Big Heads”.

Xhosa is a Homo Erectus woman who becomes the leader of her people as well as other tribes who join them on their trip through north Africa and into the Middle East. She is a powerful, resourceful, and ruthless warrior and hunter but at the same time she is kindhearted, intelligent, and open minded. Other important characters are Nightshade, Rainbow, Zvi, Seeker, Pan-Do, Lyta and the Hawk People. These tribes are pre-historic refugees if you will. This is the first book in a series of three about her and her tribe(s).

When I was young, I read the novels written by Jean M. Auel, and I was fascinated by the suspenseful stories and the topic of prehistoric man. I’ve read so many science fiction novels set in the future as well as novels set in the past but during historic times. However, there is not much out there that takes place during pre-historic times, perhaps because we don’t know much about it. Jean M. Auel changed literature history with her novels taking place during prehistoric times.

More recently Jacqui Murray changed literature history once again by continuing this path and by writing suspenseful epic sagas taking place at different time periods. This book and the next two in the series take place 850,000 years ago. Now we know a lot more about prehistoric man and Jacqui Murray has certainly done her research. I can add that the three first books I read by Jacqui Murray was about a homo habilis woman who lived 1.8 million years ago. Her name was Lucy and there are some references to Lucy in this book through Xhosa’s dreams.

It seems like Jacqui loves to incorporate dogs or friendly wolves in her books. There was Lucy with her big dog Ump in the Dawn of Humanity series (Homo Habilis) and in this book we have a tame blue-eyed wolf, Pup later called Spirit and his rescuer and handler Zvi. I love this aspect of these books. The front cover of the paperback (what I read) shows a prehistoric woman and a wolf. The wolf is obviously Spirit, but I am not sure if the woman is Zvi or Xhosa.

The adventures recounted in this book are intense and gritty and feature a lot of violence, suffering, and cruelty but that was the reality back then. There are cannibals, crocodiles eating people, various beasts attacking people, and attacks by other tribes. Prehistoric times were cruel and violent. You had to learn how to survive. This book is filled with action-packed adventures and interesting subplots. You never know what is going to happen next and you just must find out. It is a real page turner. Without giving anything else away I can say that the book ends on a happy note after a long arduous and dangerous journey. In summary, I loved this book. It is enjoyable, fun, and action packed. The stories are creative and fascinating, and the book is very well written. I highly recommend this book.

The back cover feature a photo of Jacqui Murray, an author description and the description of the book. The text is white and the background is black.
Back cover of  Survival of the Fittest (scanned from book).

About the Author

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, and a contributor to NEA Today.

You can find her resources at Structured Learning. Read Jacqui’s tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days here on Amazon Kindle. Also, read her new series, Man vs. Nature, starting with Born in a Treacherous Time–also on Kindle.

Finally, links to the Dawn of Humanity series. Book on Amazon on the left, and my review on the right.

Neema the Misfit Giraffe by Robbie Cheadle

This is a Leonberger blog but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that I love and want to promote. This is another one of those. I bought this book for the children (3 and 5 years old) of friends of ours but first I read it myself to make sure it was right for them, which it was. The book is Neema the Misfit Giraffe (Southern African Safari Adventures) Paperback. I bought the paperback version but there is a kindle version as well.

  • Paperback –  Publisher : South African National Library (November 15, 2023), ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0796121966, ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0796121967, Reading age 2 – 9 years, 41 pages, Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.21 ounces, dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.1 x 9 inches, it cost $ 10.50 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
  • Kindle – Publisher : Robbie and Michael Cheadle (November 15, 2023), ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CMCZ7G93, Reading age 2 – 9 years, 41 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
The front cover of the book "Neema the Misfit Giraffe by Robbie Cheadle" feature a big and small giraffe standing by a river in the twilight.
Front cover of the Neema the Misfit Giraffe by Robbie Cheadle. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback.

Amazon’s description of the book

Neema is different from her fellow giraffes. Their lack of understanding make her feel unwelcome. Neema sets off on a journey to find a new friends.

Includes illustrations, photographs, and links to video footage of giraffes, as well as fun giraffe facts.

My Amazon Review of Neema the Misfit Giraffe. Click here to visit the actual Amazon review.

A Giraffe Searching for Happiness

Neema is a giraffe with a dark-colored hide, and she is different from the other giraffes. She can’t find a mate and the other giraffes are being mean to her. Therefore, she leaves her home in search of a place where she can find a sense of belonging, somewhere where she can find love and acceptance. Her mother was the only one who would grieve for her leaving.

This book features a beautiful story that tugs on your heartstrings, and it has an important message about not giving up, and about having the courage to move on from what is a hopeless situation. Some giraffes are kind and accepting while others are not. The book is also a great way to teach kids the importance of accepting those that are different.

The story was beautifully written in verse and with rhymes. The book was filled with beautiful photos of giraffes as well as art. There are also six short fun YouTube videos of giraffes in which you can hear the authors talking. For the paperback version you naturally have to type in the path. Towards the end of the book there are a few pages of giraffe facts. I did not know there were four distinct species of giraffe in Africa. I also did not know that they only sleep five to 30 minutes per day.

I bought this book for the children of friends of ours, but I read it first to make sure it was right for them, which it was. I can highly recommend this fun and informative book for all children below the age of 10. Reading this book to your children is also a fun way for adults to learn about giraffes.

If you would like to watch some of the videos, click on the links below.

video1, video2, video3, video4, video5, video6

About the Author

Photo of Robbie Cheadle the author of Neema the Misfit Giraffe

Left: Robbie Cheadle the author of Neema the Misfit Giraffe

Award-winning, bestselling author, Robbie Cheadle, has published fourteen children’s books and two poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

The ten Sir Chocolate children’s picture books, co-authored by Robbie and Michael Cheadle, are written in sweet, short rhymes which are easy for young children to follow and are illustrated with pictures of delicious cakes and cake decorations. Each book also includes simple recipes or biscuit art directions which children can make under adult supervision.

Robbie’s blog includes recipes, fondant and cake artwork, poetry, and book reviews.

Click here to visit is her website

Click here to visit is her Goodreads page

Click here to visit her TSL Publications Page

Click here to visit is her Twitter account

Click here to visit is her Facebook account

These are her published books on Amazon

Harbor Point Series The First Two Books

The books I review in this blog are typically Leonberger books but sometimes I review other kinds of books that I love and want to promote. I’ve come across a very good series of 8 books called the Harbor Point Series. There are a couple of them I haven’t read yet, but I am certain they will be great as well. I decided to review two Harbor Point books at a time starting with the first two:

The Price of Atonement

The Price of Atonement comes in one format, Kindle – September 26, 2023, ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CCW59D94, 117 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com (free with kindle unlimited). Click here to order it from Amazon.com.

Front cover of the book the Gift by Gwn M. Plano. It is grey, foggy, and a large cliff with a lighthouse.
The Price of Atonement by Mae Clair

This is Amazon’s description of the book.

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

Some hauntings come from within.

Leviticus Sinclair has been a broken man since the murders of his wife and brother. Burdened by personal failures the night they were killed, he occupies himself by crossing the country, searching out departed spirits unwilling to move from this world to the next. His dead brother’s Bible and a pocket watch—forever frozen at the precise moment of his wife’s death—serve as grim reminders of a past he cannot exorcise.

Accompanied by Wyatt Resnick, a paid employee who fills the role of researcher and hired muscle, Leviticus arrives at the Harbor Pointe Inn amid rumors of a vengeful ghost. A phantom who may be the single spirit he has long sought, one capable of freeing him from his torment.

Set in the remote Pacific Northwest of 1887, The Price of Atonement is a story of jealousy, guilt, and one man’s relentless quest for absolution.

This is my five-star Amazon Review of The Price of Atonement

An Angry Ghost and A Mysterious Ghost Hunter

The Price of Atonement is the first book in the Harbor Point series, a series of eight spooky books centered around the Harbor Point lighthouse and the Harbor Point Inn, the adjacent hotel or Inn. At the beginning of this book, we learn that the Harbor Point lighthouse was constructed in 1870 and was built by Isaac Hawthorne. This story takes place in 1887. The Harbor Point books can be read independently but I recommend that you read this one so that you know the background.

Leviticus Sinclair arrives at Harbor Point Inn with his assistant Wyatt Resnik. Harbor Point is haunted by an angry and powerful ghost, which has not been good for business. The current owner is August Hawthorne, the son of Isaac Hawthorne, and his wife Etta. One source of the haunting is believed to be the sinking of the June Pearl in 1876, in which 2/3 of crew died. Leviticus has powerful paranormal abilities due to his unusual situation, but he is also acting like a detective. Leviticus and his assistant Wyatt has to figure out what is going on, which is not easy since not everyone is willing to share what they know. They reminded me a bit of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. All I will divulge is that we are in for some big surprises and interesting revelations.

This is a scary ghost story that should satisfy any fan of paranormal horror. It is also an intriguing mystery and a detective story. Above all it is a good story that is very spooky and fun and full of surprises. A haunted lighthouse may seem like a typical ghost story, but it is not. It is a very unique story. The characters are well developed and believable and you empathize with them. It is very well written. I highly recommend The Price of Atonement.

About the Author

A member of the International Thriller Writers, Mae Clair is also a founding member and contributor to the award-winning writing blog, Story Empire. She has achieved bestseller status on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, with several of her novels chosen as book club selections.

Mae writes primarily in the mystery/suspense genre, flavoring her plots with elements of urban legend and folklore. Married to her high school sweetheart, she lives in Pennsylvania and is passionate about cryptozoology, old photographs, a good Maine lobster tail, and cats.

Discover more about Mae on her website and blog at MaeClair.com.

The Gift

The second book, The Gift also comes in one format, Kindle – October 17, 2023, ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CD15LV2Z, 85 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon.com (free with kindle unlimited). Click here to order it from Amazon.com.

Front cover of the book the Gift by Gwn M. Plano. It is grey, foggy, and a large cliff with a lighthouse.
The Gift by Gwen M. Plano

This is Amazon’s description of the book.

The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California’s cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it’s been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn’s secrets.

In an innocent 1958 American suburb, Shelly doesn’t know the power of a kiss. Or how it will change her entire life.

At sixteen years old, she falls in love with a young man. One night—just one night—they go too far. Months later, pregnant and shamed, Shelly’s parents banish her.

Alone and heavily pregnant, circumstances force Shelly to cross the country in an old pickup.

A mistaken turn leaves her lost in a forest amidst a severe snow storm and in labor.

In the dark of night. Shelly must get help for her new-born baby before they both perish. A light in the distance gives her the slimmest glimmer of hope.

After Shelly wraps the infant in her father’s old jacket, she trudges through the snow to a lighthouse keeper’s cottage. Snow half buries the squat stone building.

Will Shelly find shelter, or is it the beginning of the end?

This is my five-star Amazon Review of The Gift

A Christmas Miracle by the Lighthouse

This book is a little different from the others in the Harbor Point series in the sense that it is not a horror story or a spooky story. It features some mysteries, but it is more of a feel-good love story centered on the Harbor Point Lighthouse and the Harbor Point Inn. At the beginning of the story a 17-year-old pregnant girl named Shelly is sent away by her parents. They want nothing to do with her. Her father gives her his old truck and some money and off she goes. Bad things happen and her future looks grim but then things turn around. You could call it a Christmas miracle by the lighthouse.

It is a beautiful Christmas story, which I admit was not what I expected. It was pure coincidence that I read it on Christmas Day. I am writing this review on Christmas Day as well. Life is full of unexpected events, some of which may seem like miracles, and this story is about a Christmas miracle. A miracle, yes, but it is entirely believable. The author did a great job in making the reader feel good and the story was captivating, and the characters were believable and relatable. If you want to read a good story that makes you feel happier, read this story. I highly recommend it.

About the Author

Gwen M. Plano, aka Gwendolyn M. Plano, grew up in Southern California and spent most of her professional life in higher education. She taught and served as an administrator in colleges in Japan, New York, Connecticut, and California. Gwen’s academic background is in theology and counseling. Recently retired, she now lives in the high desert of Arizona, where she writes, gardens, and travels with her husband.

Gwen’s first book is an acclaimed memoir, Letting Go into Perfect Love. Her second book, The Contract between heaven and earth, is a thriller fiction novel, co-authored by John W. Howell. It has received multiple awards and is an Amazon Best Seller. The Choice, the unexpected heroes is the sequel to The Contract. It is also a thriller, involving the attempt of an unfriendly nation to take over the world. The third book in the series, The Culmination, a new beginning is an action-packed military thriller that spans the globe and involves multiple Heads of State and the threat of World War III. Only love can change the fate of humanity.

When Gwen is not writing, she’s often in the beautiful Red Rocks of Sedona, where she finds inspiration.