No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden by Mark Owen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book in one sitting. Couldn't put it down. It is a first person narrative that includes the narrator's personal history, how he had wanted to become a Navy Seal ever since he was a boy growing up in Alaska, and how after he joined the navy he worked his way up through the ranks, the rigorous training required to reach the high rank of group leader for SEAL Team Six. How he did not, could NOT, fail! How all these young military men had a can do attitude, all bond to each other, and commit to the purpose that lay before them in an extraordinary way. Including the personal background made the story more cohesive and entertaining.

I felt a personal interest since I have had the pleasure of meeting the man called Phill in Mark Owen's book. (The names are changed to protect the innocent). He is the one who told me to read it, and when I read it to try to pick out which SEAL in the book is him. It was so easy. He is Phil in the book. Phil got wounded in the reconnaissance mission trying to rescue Bergdahl in 2009, which ended his military career. He is the assault dog handler. His dog was killed the day he was wounded. I loved that he called his assault dog a "hair missile." He joined Leap Frogs, the Navy's parachute demonstration team. AND, he was the teams biggest prankster. That one I wouldn't have guessed. Guess he was on his best behavior when I met him at a friends house. I think about the coincidence of reading this book after the recent current event of Bowe Bergdahl gaining his freedom in exchange for the five Taliban prisoners release from Guantanamo Bay. I would love to get Mark Owen's and Phil's take on that.

I found it ironic that this author was criticized for telling this story. All security leaks came from Washington D.C., potentially endangering the members of the Navy SEALs' involved in this maneuver that took Osama Bin Laden out. Not from this author. What came from this author is a clearly written first hand account, an inside look, at the mission that killed the number one public enemy of the world. Thank you Mark Owen.

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The Shoulders of Giants by Jim Cliff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was surprised to find out this author is from Hertfordshire, England, since he wrote so authoritatively about Chicago, the setting of the story where “The Shoulders of Giants (A Jake Abraham Mystery)” took place. I am not surprise to find out that this is the first book in a series.
I really enjoyed the escapades of this gumshoe , Jake Abraham, as he sets out on the first case, for his first client, of his private investigating career. The perfect mixture of humor and suspense cooked up a fast paced mystery including missing person’s, murder, and romance. A very enjoyable/entertaining read. I will be looking for more of Jim Cliff’s work. I like his writing voice, and his writing skills are kind to the reader. I am anxiously waiting for the second in the “A Jake Abraham Mystery” Series. Get to work Mr. Cliff!

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Pieces of a Puzzle by Jenny Gill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I drank a lot of tea while reading this very relaxing, non-spectacular, yet companionable womans' story. I just love the English and their tea. I read 75% (gotta love ebooks) yesterday, a finished it today, and now I'm lonely. There are flashbacks, flashforwards, and flash-sideways, which didn't bother me a bit because all the snippets were consistent with enriching and familiarizing the main character, Alison. The details of her life unfolded unpretentiously. I like that this very reserved character, Alison, went through so much yet was steady on!

I love the qualities of Jenny Gill's unique storytelling abilities. Her layer upon layer of the story unfolds a satisfying read. I'm recommending this book to my friends.

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Frozen: Two Suspenseful Short Stories by Marcy Kennedy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The five stars are for Marcy Kennedy's writing skill. I get the feeling that she whips these little horror stories out with no effort at all. The subject matter is gory. I am more of a 'Little House on the Prairie' sort of guy, but as a want to be writer I read beyond my comfort zone. The first of these short stories was about a wife being betrayed by her husband and best friend by making her think she was crazy, and just before being locked away she sees what they had done but it was too late. Sort of a one flew over the cuckoo's nest sort of thing. A thriller, but I could take it. The second story is about a young girl with a history of mental disease, who is so psycho she murdered, then murdered to correct the first murders because she realized they were a mistake - huge thriller. I did not take this one well, and may have to go seek professional help to get over the trauma. If you like thriller's read Marcy Kennedy's books.

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Go to Hell and Make A U-Turn by Marci Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I purchased this book because I have met the author, briefly, a couple of times when I was housesitting in Tucson, Arizona. She happened to attend the church I went to while in Tucson. The members were so welcoming after the services, and embraced me in friendly conversation. When they inquired about what it was I did for a living I stated that I try to write. I was informed that one of the members of the church was a published author, and I should meet and talk to her. We were introduced. What a bundle of joy, and a sense of humor that won’t quit. I felt honored to have met her. Naturally, I sought out and purchased her books.

This book is about her son who suffered from drug and alcohol addiction. This is a true story about how he overcame these addictions through the enduring love of his family. Loving parents, and an older sister, whom he called “A Hell of a Woman”, because of her reaching out to him in a letter. A letter that helped him turn his life around, along with the unconditional love of his parents.

A must read for any family suffering through similar problems they might be having with a family member or troubled child. I was not prepared for the devastating ending of this story. I am prepared to accept the life lessons Marci Martin so courageously and clearly recorded in this book, GO TO HELL AND MAKE A U-TURN.

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Palmetto Poison by C. Hope Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

C. Hope Clark is a writer on fire. I liked LOWCOUNTRY BRIBE and TIDEWATER MURDER, but this third book in the Carolina Slade Mystery Series, PALMETTO POISON, is by far my favorite. This is a page turning thrill of a mystery. Just when I thought I had figured it out, I didn't. Can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series, and I know there will be one, because Slade still has the ring box her man Wayne gave her sitting on her bedroom dresser. This one is going to be hard to beat.

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