Spies Among Us An Alex Boyd Thriller by Mel Harrison; The Warrior Strong Manifesto by Karen Bentley; Flamingo Express by Kenneth D. Michaels

 

Spies Among Us (An Alex Boyd Thriller) by Mel Harrison; The Warrior Strong Manifesto: The Path to Power Based on The Ancient Shamanic Strategy of Life Energy Conservation by Karen Bentley 

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spies Among Us (An Alex Boyd Thriller) by Mel Harrison 

This review is a summary. The full review is on LitPick. 

Spies Among Us is a tight well constructed spy thriller with fascinating characters, particularly the main protagonists and antagonists. It's great for readers who are looking for an action novel to keep their blood pumping in suspense during hot summer days.

Alex Boyd, senior special agent with the Diplomatic Security Service and his wife Rachel Smith are assigned to London because of her job as a political officer with the State Department and the U.S. Embassy. Unfortunately, all is not well as anomalies, misinformation, inconsistencies, and leaked news occur. 

Alex and Rachel believe that an insider is passing highly confidential information to Russian spies. However their investigations reveal that the informants and the spies are closer than they thought and those revelations could put them in danger.

The main spy thriller plot is well organized and carries the usual transfer of information, secret messages, surprise allegiances, dubious identities, plot twists, deception, cliffhangers, dangerous situations, betrayal, and fractured relationships when the truth is found out. 

This is a two character narrative. Alex and Rachel are a happily married couple that use their intelligence and expertise in Special Services and the State Department to solve this crisis.Their contributions to different facets of the case are augmented by their repartee and romantic life. 

 Thanks to the characters' relationship, Spies Among Us is both an action thriller and a love story. 

The WarriorSTRONG Manifesto: The Path to Power Based on The Ancient Lost Shamanic Strategy of Life Energy Conservation by Karen Bentley 

Karen Bentley’s personal development book is a written declaration to create strategic beliefs and life force energy-saving principles exclusive to warriors. This approach is so readers can find their own inner strength and fight their personal struggles by unleashing their inner warrior.

The book encourages readers to open up the warrior's strategy by saving life energy and opening up personal power. Bentley provides tips on how one can discover and use their personal power through actions like journaling, maintaining awareness, and developing inner, emotional, and physical/nutritional strengths. 

Chapters include information on the Warrior's Strategy, Mission, and Mindset, The WarriorSTRONG Advantage, Stop Wasting Your Life, Become Harmless, Calm Yourself Down, Eliminate What You Don't Want, Solve Your Problem, Ask For It, A New Forgiveness, Use the Warriorsdailycode to Discipline Yourself, and Do You Hear The Warrior's Call?

This book emphasizes taking action, living in moderation, being in emotional control, facing adversity and hardships, opening communication, atoning for mistakes, making clear plans, and having the determination and fortitude to succeed. 

Flamingo Express (A Nick and Norm Gay Detective Series Book) by Kenneth D. Michaels

This is a summary. The entire review is on Reader Views.

If ever there was a book written this year that is more perfect for summertime beach reading than Kenneth D. Michaels’ Flamingo Express, part of his Nick and Norm Gay Detective Series, then they had better have the sun shining from every page. 

Nick and Norm, detective partners, are recovering from their last case. They go to visit their friends, Jojo and Lola, in Key West, Florida. They are recruited to solve a string of fentanyl overdose deaths and the kidnapping of two flamingos, Lucy and Desi who are the star attractions at The Bird House.

The book has many excellent qualities and one of them is the Key West setting. Like authors of other murder mysteries where the protagonists are in a new location, Michaels takes great care in turning Key West into a character itself.

The setting isn't the only bright spot in the book. The mystery plot is pretty straightforward with the usual clues, interviews with witnesses and suspects, cliffhangers, suspense, plot twists, and resolution. 

The book sparkles with plenty of wit and charm from the cast of characters. Nick and Norm are more than just dedicated mystery solvers and a witty comedy duo. They are loyal friends. Nick has a serious subplot which involves trauma from previous cases and Norm tries to help him through.

Flamingo Express is perfect for adult mystery fans to read during hot summer nights, in airplanes, in hotels and vacation spots, or just sitting at home in an air conditioned house. It's witty, comical, warm, touching, suspenseful, and has plenty of fun and sunshine. 

Sympathy for The Devil (The Ballad of Fallen Angels) by Alex Stevens; Please Allow Me To Introduce Him, A Man of Blood and Death

 Sympathy for The Devil (The Ballad of Fallen Angels) by Alex Stevens; Please Allow Me To Introduce Him, A Man of Blood and Death

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: With apologies to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards there was no other way to begin this review.

Alex Stevens’ Sympathy for the Devil walks a very strange and distinct line by being both literal action and metaphorical dark fantasy, a Paranormal Military Thriller if you will. It's about a man whose family is Death in both a military ops sense and a Grim Reaper sense.

Tyler Graveson is the adopted son of Lee Graveson, who leads a powerful ruthless army and trained Tyler and his younger adopted son, Jack to join. Tyler inherits an ancient sword called The Black Muramasa that has a thirst for blood and controls the wielder. As they shed blood, they become intertwined with the weapon. The Murasmasa's presence and a promotion to be one of the Four Horsemen cause Tyler to be haunted by visions of violence and betrayal. He realizes that he has to confront his family's legacy and fight his own demons within.

The most interesting thing about this book is the strange dichotomy between Military Thriller and Dark Fantasy. I am of two minds at this approach. On the one hand the writing is uneven as Stevens tries to do one thing and then another when it could have been an easier read to choose one specific path.

On the other hand, it actually works because Stevens goes all in on this double writing. Every chapter and passage presents two different possibilities for the Graveson family that gives them both a real and fantastic approach.

The Gravesons are written as either a family of immortal demons heralding death through curses and magic swords or a rigid and uncompromising military human family that delivers death by bombs, guns, and strategy. The fascinating thing is Stevens suggests that they can go either way: a realistic human family that brings death by their actions or a demonic family that brings death by their presence.

When Lee commands Tyler to follow orders, he is acting as both a stern general in front of his troops and Satan, or another God of Death, lecturing his Army of Dark Demons. When Tyler weighs his father's orders, he is doing it as both a junior lieutenant not wanting to obey unjust orders and a demon son not wanting to add to the centuries of curses and bloodlust. When Jack is added to the family, he is both a wide eyed cadet and a newly dead being shown the ropes.

In fact one of the strongest relationships in the book, the heart of the book, and fills both narratives is the relationship between Tyler and Jack. Tyler is used to his upbringing by Lee and follows orders until he sees the training through another's eyes. 

This innocence in Tyler is slowly disappearing. The use of The Black Muramasa and the Horsemen's responsibilities consume him. He is becoming as ruthless and addicted to spreading Death as his father and the other demons around him. Jack is the only counter to that addiction. 

Through Jack, Tyler sees the young rookie that once existed within him. The one who questioned everything, had doubts, and wasn't afraid to challenge the authority over him. Jack opens a brotherly almost paternal instinct in Tyler that wants to protect him from the family's destructive nature.

 Tyler wants to preserve the life that exists within Jack before he is consumed by death like him and Lee.