Quest of the Demon by M.L. Sawyer

Living the life of an average teen always seems like a challenge in itself. Becoming engaged in basketball and excelling at the sport, Darci can feel a burst in confidence. This is something she is good at. After spending the day with one of her friends, she returns home only to find her parents gone for the evening. Leaving a message to let Darci know that they expect to return after midnight, she settles in for the evening. When she does finally retire for the evening, her parents have not yet returned, so she is not at all surprised when a sudden noise wakes her up. Leaving her bed, she becomes concerned when she finds they have not returned. Fear replaces her initial surprise as she picks up her hockey stick as a weapon while she searches for the origin of the noise.


As she enters the main room, she sees light and motion behind a curtain. As she swallows her fear, she darts forward with her weapon only to find a strange vortex behind the curtain. Having ventured too close, she is sucked into the swirling mass, and finds herself deposited in a strange new world.

Suddenly, Darci realizes her whole life has changed. Rescued by a young Wizards apprentice, Taslessian, she quickly finds that all is not well in this strange, new world. Not only that, but she has been selected for a quest to rid this world of evil, before it finds a way into her own. Unaware of why she is chosen, she is afraid. Somehow, the evil presence of Domati is aware she is in the world and is now interested in finding her and learning the secrets of her own world. She is in over her head.

This world is full of magic, elves, wizards, warriors and dragons as well as the evil and twisted creatures that come from the darkness of evil. Her own world would not survive the presence of such perverted and twisted evil. When Taslessian’s mentor dies in battle, it is up to both Taslessian and Darci to find the means to defeat this evil. She cannot return to her own world, the magic is not available for such a feat, and she must follow her path. Chosen for a reason, she cannot fathom what she can bring to the fight.

As this young pair continues their quest with the help of a dragon, they began to gather a small group of heroes. Known as the five of light, they are informed that weapons will be awarded to help them meet the challenge. To begin their quest they must first find their courage, and then their way to the lair of the dragon that holds the weapons. Each step of their journey they must fight for their lives and that of their friends, as they begin to learn more about themselves and each other. Can they really be the ones to drive evil from the land, and save the universe, and all its worlds from the darkness?

M.L Sawyer has written a great story and while it tends to drag a bit through the middle, it picks up a head of steam and the flow evens out as the heroes begin their quest. I found grammatical errors throughout the book that tend to bog the story down, but the story and characters are quite superb.

Sawyer has set the stage for a follow up story, and I truly look forward to seeing what she does to continue her epic saga. She has done a great job with character enhancement; you can picture them quite well in your mind as you follow in their journey. Each has to overcome different flaws to become what they are capable of, and the quest is well written. Sawyer has put some thought into this work and a good grammatical edit would do wonders to put this work in the mainstream.

This story would be a great find for the YA reader; it has all the elements of a courageous and epic journey. Told with a view to the flaws and feeling often addressed by young teens, the journey that each travels helps builds their esteem as well as their courage. This is a fun and adventuress read.

Rating 3/5

This book was received as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson

Article first published as Book Review: The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson on Blogcritics.

Long term relationships need trust and communication to continue growing. Secrets and small lies by omission can create thoughts of the worst kind, and can change the dynamic of a relationship.

In The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson, we are transported to the provincial countryside, and ensconced into the old and beautiful Les Genevriers, a turn of the century farms house. Eve is enchanted with her budding romantic relationship with an older man of means. Dom is kind and caring, full of charm and as their love grows, she finds a happiness she did not expect existed. Finding and moving to this beautiful home is an experience of dreamlike proportions. The romance fills her and she slowly loses contact with her family and friends. She needs only Dom to fill her needs. He is encouraging and loving suggesting she take this time to work on a project she loves, writing. His suggestion meets with more approval as she becomes more deeply entranced with him.

Exploring and setting about repairs on this beautiful old home becomes an adventure as they find hidden rooms and small treasures. As they explore the here and now, we are also being given a glimpse into the life of the prior owner of the home, Benedicte Lincel, a young woman who leads a life of beauty due to the area she lives, and yet endures much heartbreak and tragedy. The stories are told conjointly and yet separately.

As Eve ventures into the writing arena she meets many of the townspeople. As she continues in her attempts, she begins to stumble on questions about the man she loves. He seems to be known in the area, yet he attempts to hide the fact. As she begins to ask questions she is only met with silence or even worse, refusal of discussion. As her perfect life begins to erode, a body is found on the property, causing further damage to their once idyllic days. And even as Eve tries to dig further, she begins to see a woman in the gardens, and smell enchanting smells that draw her. Has Dom become a stranger to her, or did she ever really know him? Is her life in danger, and who is the strange woman in her garden?

Lawrenson has weaved an intricate tale of life and love. As you follow Eve on her journey, you also find a ghostly presence of Benedicte as she lives her life in the same home, yet on a different plane of existence. As you read and if you have any sensitivity to those who have gone before, you can feel the faint shadowing of the two different time lines interconnecting in a strange and fascinating way. Almost like the shadowy presence of the lives of those who lived before and yet being enacted even as Eve tries to understand the life she is now leading, which has become shrouded in danger. Full of lies and secrets, it almost seems as though her pain draws those from the past to the present, as young Benedicte too meets her demons.

The characters and enhancements are well done, and the mystery draws you in, pulling you into a strange and eerie world where secrets and lies have damaged the lives of those who want nothing more than happiness.

I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to the light romance fan, as well as those who enjoy suspense. While somewhat historical, it lacks the actual historical education involved in many fictions, although the light sprinkling of history is certainly interesting. This would be a great find for a book club or reading group. The questions engendered would create some interesting dialogue on what we need to know about the past of those close to us. This would be an interesting book for discussion.

Rating 4/5
 
This book was received free from the the publisher. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Deflated Generation by Christopher S. Bell

I find books that deal with the end of the world somewhat ironic. Obviously it has not ended or we would not be engaged in reading a story about the aftermath. Many do however; deal with the end of the word as we know it, which is an altogether different thing. In The Deflated Generation by Christopher S. Bell we follow the lives of two different groups who have somehow managed connect with others for short amounts of time, often to ill effect.

Each set of characters is looking for a way to make sense in a world, mostly empty of adult guidance and an oddly energized yet laid back existence. Coming of age in such an empty world is difficult and deciding to move and find others offers a ray of hope. Each faction is aware of their own mortality, the aftermath of the destruction left them all with damages, those small invisible forces working from the inside and on chromosomes, leaving damages no one else could see. Knowledge of the damage and resulting aftermath creates a dangerous place to those who still maintain their sanity and care about living and moving.

Maggie Strayer is trying to patch her life together, and she is as amazed as the rest of the town when Mitchell Graft, one of the older residents, just ups and leaves without telling anyone. It is scary and out of the norm. Not everyone remembers the war, or the horrible things that happened after, but Mitchell was one of the survivors. We follow the life of these two survivors separately as they try to find purchase in a world torn apart.

Waiting at all times for something further to happen, alcohol and drugs including marijuana is the choice to help most of those left, through the day. Even those forms of refuge do not offer them any feeling of safety. After Mitchell leaves, some of the others decide to take a chance to see what else is out there, if there is a better place, with more hope. Rumors of other pockets of population are rife. Can Maggie and her friends find a new hope in a different city? And will they ever find out what happened to Mitchell?

I have read Christopher’s work before and found his humor to be quite amazing. I, however, struggled through this story. I had difficulty deciphering which group was interacting at the time, the changeover often happened a little too abruptly. I did not really get the gist of the story and found it to be a bit depressing. Murder, theft, drugs and alcohol seemed to be involved throughout. While hooking up and dating are common in our society, and will always be, it seemed a bit more desperate and oddly uninspiring in a world where most of the inhabitants lived under a cloud. Both of continued possibilities of further damage and the actual cloud of being high seemed way more eventful.

Danger was found just about everywhere, life did not seem to have much meaning. I could see where this could become a possible cult type of fiction, after all I did not really get Pulp Fiction either, but this was not the book for me.

Rating 2/5
 
This book was received as a free copy from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

A Short History of a Tall Jew by Dennis Danziger

Article first published as Book Review:A Short History of a Tall Jew by Dennis Danziger on Blogcritics.

Life is often difficult with the decisions and directions we choose to follow. When our choices become attached to us through divorce and shared custody it is often a dramatic, angry, funny, sad and disparate ride through life.

In A Short History of a Tall Jew by Dennis Danziger, we are both charmed and dismayed by the unique and often funny, but serious quirks encountered by Phillip Lachman as he begins the search for a second wife, the perfect mother for his teenage children.

As with most children there is drama, kindness, fun and irritation, yet through it all Phillip maintains his sense of humor and fun. When others would be overwhelmed he allows himself very little if any self-pity, and the process he begins as he decides to find a bride is not always well thought out, and very self-depreciating. Though the entire process, Phillip maintains an unhealthy and depressive relationship with the court system, brought on through continued summons from his ex-wife. In a continued effort to make him suffer and to gain custody of the kids, she finds every detail she can to return to court, and Phillip finds the system does not have much sympathy for either him or his plight. Can he keep his promise to both himself and his children to find a wife by the following Valentine’s Day, or is he living in a dream world?

Danziger has a wonderful sense of the comedic and can seem to turn what appear to be depressive incidents into humorous and interesting dialogue. The by play between Phillip and his children is heartfelt, and yet you can see the realism of what you see every day in teenagers everywhere. Phillip has such a unique way of dealing with the daily drama you can’t help but be amused. His characters are bright and alive, creating visuals that bring them to life. His interaction with both his ex-wife and the court system can be felt in detail through the telling, and the way Danziger takes the scene from dismay to humor and insight keeps the pages turning.

The comedy and drama are well woven creating such an interesting contrast the book is hard to put down. This is a wonderful well told tale of life as we live it. I know of many people these days in such circumstances, and if those we know were able to handle the circumstances and situations with such aplomb and ease there would be much less depression in the world.

If you love the drama of a somewhat over the top life, and enjoy the creativity of humoristic interludes you will enjoy the sometimes serious and most times humorous tale told in this story.

I would recommend this book for a book club or reading group. It is full of life and interesting choices, and in the end it all comes together with the real heroes of the book. The story takes on the challenges and shadows created in our world today, bringing them to the fore and spreading them before us in a smorgasbord of decisions, impacting our own future and those around us. The humor is spot on and the flow is impressive.

Rating 5/5

This book was recieved free though a publicist. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

Article first published as Book Review: The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson on Blogcritics.

Can a family survive their own peculiarities, those that can affect the outcome of their lives forever? In The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson, we follow the lives of a family trough a strange and bizarre set of circumstances. The Fangs are known for their art, a strange and natural form, where anything and everything can be pulled in to develop an art form of their own choosing. Having met and fallen in love, Caleb and Camille dedicate their lives to finding their art in every action and response, catching the very act of reaction and playing it into the representation itself.

When Camille finds herself pregnant, at first they are concerned, can true art exist with a child present. Caleb and Camille set out to prove that it can, and once their second child comes along they have incorporated both children into the fold somehow convincing others that what they do is the real thing. Annie and Buster are raised to be involved in this strangely mischievous form of discipline. The more reaction the better, as each strange and unlikely occurrence is photographed or taped for posterity. Many of the stunts are wild but would attract crowds like locust. They are often arrested for the disturbances they cause.

As Annie and Buster grew they found themselves ready to break away. This is exactly what they did. Buster began with writing, and Annie became an actress. Yet their lives are not easy. Annie has done well but is not sure of her abilities. Buster has moved on, and done some news stories, and when he is chosen to do a story on a group in Idaho that has developed a potato gun, he is interested. He finds himself with an interesting group, willing to pull out the stops to show off their hardware. After several practice sessions on each other, they finally convince Buster to hold the target on his head. Finally agreeing he is amazed at how he feels when the stunt works. Making himself available for one last time, the blast is the last thing he remembers before waking up in the hospital.

It is this accident that brings both he and Annie back into the family fold. Things are still the same, but now the actions and art seem a bit lamer. Their parents do not seem to have the same panache. When Camille and Caleb disappear without warning, both Annie and Buster believe they are up to their old tricks, just another form of art. They will show up with the pictures to post in their gallery. But when the police contact Annie and let her know they have found their vehicle surrounded by blood, Annie and Buster begin to wonder. Can they truly be dead? Or is this one more of their crazy stunts, their unique and odd form of art? How will Annie know the truth of this odd twist of fortune?

Wilson has put together an interesting form of comedic tragedy. He has structured the life of his characters around art, with all parts of their lives a form of the canvas itself. The interplay was interesting and how the children developed based off the early years seemed to be a bit of tragedy. I understand the book to be a bit of comedy and yet I could not see the comedy, only the sadness of the situation.

I found the book a bit of a struggle to get through although it was written quite well. I found the premise a bit over the top and a little unbelievable, but I felt a certain pain for the children. It seemed as though they were never really children at all but parts of a chess set, made to move and destroy at will, and I found certain sadness in that.

If you find a bit of comedy and tragedy intertwined to create an intricate piece of art, you might enjoy this work. It was entertaining to a degree, but I found it to be strongly in a place of its own. The characters were certainly well written, and I found myself admiring those bits of themselves they were able to salvage from their childhood.

A book club would enjoy such a work, the intricacies of the tale would give them discussion and dissembling both for argument and agreement.

Rating 3/5

I received this Book as an ARC. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Strength of a Giant by Tony Passarelli

In the never ending war of good and evil, often the fighting is here on this earth or in an earthly realm of some type. In The Strength of a Giant, a novella by Tony Passarelli, he chooses to set his final battle in the stars and heavens amongst the planets and galaxies that surround us. Giving us a complex and disingenuous character with great intelligence in the form of Emanuel, who chooses to involve himself in the battle along with one of the most fearsome of the angels, the Arch Angel Raphael.
The evil comes in the form of a character known as Jovian, the amalgamation of fallen Angels, carrying both their strengths and weakness, along with any good or bad features. Utilizing these characteristics he has strength and agility that could very well bring about death and destruction. Will Emanuel and Raph as he is known, be able to stop him in time and save the solar system and our way of life forever?

Not only must Raph fight this battle he must also protect Emanuel from Jovian and possibly even from his own intricate ways of dealing with problems as he sees them. As this strangely intense battle reaches epic proportions, who will be the victor?

Passarelli has given us an interesting look at the heavens and its characters. He does a great job of creating a certain amount of flaws that make them easier to relate to and given the amount of danger involved he delivers a bit of human element. Yet there is no doubt that the battle is between titans of amazing abilities and proportions. The battle is well written the story quite bold.

If you are looking for an interesting and slightly off kilter look at the characters we know from religious and spiritual texts, you will find this an interesting twist.

Rating 3/5

This Novella was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Ding Dong the Diva's Dead by Cat Melodia

Article first published as Book Review: Ding Dong the Diva's Dead by Cat Melodia on Blogcritics.

Jealousy and greed are often harbingers of danger and destruction. When sex and the love of money are not enough, jealousy will often do the trick to tip a level head over the edge. In Ding Dong the Diva’s Dead by Cat Melodia, we follow an interesting case of mayhem where the characters are not– well to put it lightly, level headed. We follow Deborah de Lille, an opera singer, on a fast paced and wickedly fun journey of deadly exploits interspaced with glimmering bits of humor.

Debbie has been offered the position after the first choice of diva dies in a strange auto accident, and as she makes her way to this small town to become part of a group of characters that have sang together many times before, she goes with only slightly high hopes . Being the odd man out she finds that someone does not want her there. She has been bombed with smoke bombs as well as ghostly visitors and strange booby traps. No one is what they seem and she is not sure who she can trust.

The egos and machinations of those that surround her are somewhat outlandish, and the singers are brutal and catty to one another. When one of the original members does not show for practice, they find she has left unexpectedly to go home. Having this new part added to her responsibility she starts working on that song as well. As she begins her practice in earnest, the accidents and strange happenings increase. Her part in both cases is only minor, what it is about this opera that puts her at risk? On top of that, what really happened to the diva originally cast to this part?

As Debbie delves further into the mysteries, she finds herself quite attracted to the owner of the company, and it seems he is intent on rescuing her at every turn. Since he has been the one on the spot directly after several of the occurrences to offer her safety, due to the time and the nature of the accidents, he has seen her in the buff more than is acceptable. Embarrassment has been her only cover during these rescues and yet he handles the situation as though nothing is out of place. Will the life of an opera star be her destiny or will it be her last repose?

Cat Melodia has written an excellent back stage opera mystery as only someone in the know could do. She takes you to the recesses of the theater open only to the cast and crew and makes you feel part of the action. Her characters are quite peculiar and egotistical and pass around gossip between themselves as well as the underground magazines. Persnickety and spoiled they are at the top of their game when it comes to the real action.

Debbie is quite unique with her interesting agent and friends. Her mother keeps close tabs through her readings, and lets Debbie know when the cards show danger, which is quite often during this particular juncture. She is not really used to all the cattiness and back-stabbing nor is she interested in being passed around which is part of the circuit. Caught in the nude in several of the dangerous circumstances she holds her cool and does not waver. She handles it all with aplomb.

The staging and setting of the story adds a quintessential charm to the matter of mystery. The quirky and inimical characters are the icing on the cake, taking the story into convolutions of depth and vulnerabilities unimagined.

I would recommend this story for mystery and humor fans. There is something wickedly zany and yet mysterious about the entire situation. The pace keeps you reading and the story keeps you engaged. It would be a great book for a book club, full of interesting characters and possibilities.

Blog Tour web site:
http://dingdongdiva.blogspot.com/
Cat Melodia's blog:
http://dingdongdiva.camelpress.com/

Cat Melodia's Bio:

Cat Melodia is the nom de plume of a Seattle-based mezzo soprano and voice teacher. Like her heroine, she often wears the pants on stage. Three of her opera adaptations/translations have been performed at community colleges. She has a Bachelor’s Degree cum laude in German Literature from Princeton and a Master’s in Music.


Ding Dong The Diva's Dead Description:

A Debbie de Lille Murder Mystery

Deborah de Lille is an opera singer—in the least grand sense. Debbie doesn’t foresee a future beyond Handel Messiahs and low-budget tours ... until her agent finagles her a minor role with a small-town company. Offenbach’s spooky opera, Tales of Hoffmann, features three leading ladies. The cast is all too well-acquainted, and familiarity has bred contempt. Debbie is the outsider, and someone is hell-bent on driving her out with smoke bombs, ghostly visitations, and booby-traps. Will opening night mean "curtains" for Debbie?

Ding Dong The Diva's Dead YouTube video book trailer embed code:




Hardcover
Price: $24.95
ISBN: 9781603818087
Pages: 246
Release: January 30, 2011

Paperback
Price: $16.95
ISBN: 9781603818070
Pages: 246
Release: January 30, 2011

Hardcover buy links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Paperback buy links:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble


eBook buy links:
Kindle - $4.95
Nook - $4.95
Smashwords - $4.95

Hide & Seek: A Murder Mystery by Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield

Article first published as Book Review: Hide & Seek: A Murder Mystery by Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield on Blogcritics.

I’ve heard it said that given the right circumstances anyone is capable of murder. If so how does the person who is basically kind and good deal with the aftermath of such a decision? In Hide & Seek by Thomas Kaplan-Maxfield, we follow a story of a murder and the life of a man and his family.

Falling in love with Melanie Carson, a young actress is not at all in David Drapers plan. The real problem was that Melanie loved men, she loved attention and she created a jealousy in him that was not at all a part of who he was. As David becomes even more concerned and jealous, and finding Melanie with another, David waits until the assignation is done and murders Melanie in a fit of rage. While covering his tracks seems to have put him in the clear, the internal makings of David keep it in constant turmoil. His family including his
Aunt Grace and his sister Dorothy (Dots) are quite concerned about him. They are worried at the changes that the murder of his girlfriend have wrought in him. His Aunt Grace has made friends with the Detective in charge of the case, and has continued to help him investigate.

In their way they look for a way to pull David out of his doldrums. When they have an invite and a fun getaway planed they invite David to go with them. It is a Murder Mystery Weekend at an old courthouse located on a small island just of the coast of the Cape. While David reluctantly agrees he becomes alarmed with the group of guests that are also invited to attend this fun sleuthing weekend. His alarm turns to suspicion as his worst fears come to fruition. Each guest appears to have some form of background relating to the murdered Melanie Carson. As each clue turns up for the fake murder more clues also unfold for the real murder.

David is now convinced that he is being played and that someone knows the real truth of what happened the night Melanie was murdered. Should he stay and maintain his innocence, or should he cut and run? Knowing if he runs he will become an immediate suspect he remains cautious. Can he win in this strange and twisted game being played out?

This is a fun and unique whodunit, one where you know the murderer from the beginning. There is humor and familial obligations, and it is difficult not to like David regardless of his memory of the murder. He is a connoisseur of women; he loves them to distraction, and yet somehow gets caught up in an unimaginable situation that is totally outside the realm of his experience. He feels guilt and is at a point where he feels the need to come clean about his part.

His sister and aunt are wonderful. While David certainly has no alibi and seems guilty, they just do not believe him capable. The same is true of the detective handling the case. It is such a disingenuous situation with the Murder Mystery Weekend thrown in it keeps you guessing what will happen next.

Kaplan-Maxfield has done a great job with red herrings, twisting and curling the truth into such a string of happenings you begin to get dizzy with the threads. The characters are fun and exciting with just a hint of mystery and fun, and the story flows like chocolate, smooth and dreamy. Even knowing much of what is happening the author delivers a stunning surprise, one I wondered at and yet did not see coming.

This would be a great book for the mystery and suspense aficionado. It is well written and begins with the mystery solved–well sort off. This would be a great read for a book club or a nice book for a reading group. It is entertaining and fun.

Rating 4/5

This book was received free from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.

Dael And The Painted People by Allan Richard Shickman

Article first published as Book Review:Dael And The Painted People by Allan Richard Shickman on Blogcritics.

Background and nurture often have an impact on personality, which is extremely difficult to overcome. In life though, challenges and continual change often have an impact little imagined by others. In Dael and the Painted People, Allan Richard Shickman has given us an intensely satisfying story that does an amazing job of rounding out his Zan-Gah series.

Dael is a tortured individual, the brother of Zan-Gah, kidnapped at youth and both tortured and abused by his captors the Noi. Having killed an elderly woman, a Shaman of the tribe, his entire is life turned upside down. Anger rules him and has finally set him on a course to leave his family and his beloved brother. The anger makes Dael a different man, his dreams and visions make him Shaman to a large group of followers and yet a pariah to his own family. After an egregious fight Dael chooses to leave his own tribe and move on.

Followed from his home by another who did not fit he finds the young woman Sparrow has become his companion. Not capable of speech she is quiet and shy and yet determined. While she does not care for Dael, she too must make her way to a different life. Held together by danger and cold they have no choice but to interact, and thereby form a sort of bond. When they reach their final destination, Dael has found his anger has begun to burn away. They are both accepted readily by the Children of the Earth and indoctrinated into their group. Here begins the story of the rehabilitation of a man and woman, both outcasts and the amazing journey that remakes their lives.

Dael is such an interesting character, so like his well respected brother in many ways and yet so set apart by his experiences. You can see the good simmer below the surface and in some of his interactions, but it is so hidden by the anger and the seizures that it becomes difficult to like him. Following his story is so uplifting and his life becomes so remarkable you find yourself cheering as each change occurs and his life moves into mysterious paths. There is a great deal to learn from such a character and his development.

Sparrow is finally in a place where she can excel. She has evinced a great deal of courage in following a man she does not really know, and does not care for. Yet she understands her life must change. Just the very fact that she made this decision to move from a caring family into the unknown gives you an alternate view of this young woman. She is strong and brave, and is willing to face grueling challenges to become whole. Unaware of how or where she will end up, her life become a testament to that courage and she reaps the rewards with joy.

Shickman has given us a story set at a time of great upheaval; the time of the caveman, and through his precise writing he has built a world of both danger and beauty. The time and place is believable and you can picture the both beauty and savagery through the insightful prose.

I would recommend this for the young adult reader, as well as those young at heart. The adventure is strong and the background interesting. The challenges can certainly be related to the very same encountered today, at least those requiring decisions and courage. The dangers are different and yet we know they still exist. This would be a great book for your child’s library.

Rating 5/5

This book was received free through EarthShaker Books. All opinons are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material.