the watchmen of ephraim by gerard de marigny

Title: The Watchman of Ephraim
Author: Gerard de Marigny
Rating: 4/5
Cover Rating: 4/5
Summary (Goodreads):
Cris De Niro worked his way up to the top of the hedge fund world. Yet, all of his money couldn't protect him from losing his wife on 9/11. 10 years passed since the tragedy. De Niro and his sons relocated to a sprawling ranch near Las Vegas. Turning to his faith to overcome his anguish, De Niro now lives for a higher purpose. From a biblical passage, he reads about the "Watchman of Ephraim," a defender who kept watch over the land. De Niro decides to acquire a lackluster counter-terrorism agency in order to transform it into a modern-day version of The Watchman for the United States but there's not a moment to lose. Aref Sami Zamani is planning a terrorist attack on American soil - codenamed "Antioch," a plot to detonate a nuke over the city of Las Vegas. The Watchman uncovers a connection between Zamani and a Mexican drug cartel but their agent goes missing before they can learn more. That's because Zamani has a spy working for The Watchman. Strange events start to unfold near the Nogales border crossing. References are discovered to something the Mexicans are calling "Noche Del Espantada" ...Fright Night," but can it mean something else? September 11, 2011 and the sun hasn't risen yet in Las Vegas or Nogales. Antioch is in motion! At the border, Noche Del Espantada has begun and there are intruders at De Niro's ranch. De Niro has to protect his sons and someone new in his life, Dr. Moriah Stevens. She too, lost her spouse on 9/11. Moriah finds herself in love with De Niro but his devotion to his wife is proving too powerful for him, even after 10 years. It's the 10th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil and unless De Niro and his new team are successful, the day will be known as "The 2nd 9/11."

My 2 Cents:
I feel like the book is actually an imagination revenge towards the Muslim world. Why it must be someone with a name of a Muslim try to attack US for the second 9/11. It's not always the Middle East want to attack US. Maybe there would be other race and religion wants to attack US. That is the only thing that I feel it's quite a discrimination towards Muslim. Yes, I am Muslim, and I know I might be skeptical about it. Sorry.

Apart from that, yes, I think the author had his research on everything quite well. I's a plot-driven and I was totally immense in it. I know it's hard when you lost someone you love most and I understand why the character were hype up to prevent any terrorism towards the country. I also feel that the story is well plotted and well-developed until towards the end. The agency he creates is like a very original creations. He acted like he must do it to protect everyone and for that, I admire him. The book is actually quite enjoyable. It's recommended.

Note: I received a copy of the book for an exchange of an honest review.

enlightened by melissa lummis

Title: Enlightened:A Tale of Love and Light
Author: Melissa Lummis
Pages: 302
Genre: Paranormal

Summary: Loti Dupree fears that when her husband died, she lost her soul. Harboring a painful secret, she flees her life in a small Appalachian town for the ashram, the spiritual retreat where she trained to be a yogini. But she is running from more than grief. An ominous nightmare the night before she leaves sets her on a dangerous path of self-discovery that challenges everything she believes – and threatens her life.

While dodging psychic attacks from an unknown assailant, she struggles with her growing attraction to a broody, handsome and completely frustrating vampire. Loti races to understand who and what she is before her anonymous enemy catches up with her. Loti thought she couldn’t survive her husband’s death, but among healers, witches, and vampires, she discovers not only a future, but a family.

My 2 Cents:

I honestly love the book. I thought the book would be boring since the first sentence of her book summary start about her dead husband. I though maybe the character would whining about her grief. I also thought the summary kind of full messy storyline. Seems like there will be so many adventures and so many things she has to face.

Okay, maybe I was wrong. Half a day reading the book, I have nothing to complaint. Maybe I thought too much and forget to just read and embrace the whole story. Well, this book actually has the fun side of the story. I was surprised to read about love between the character and a creature of the night is somewhat very interesting.

The whole story is so fun to read. I cant wait to read the author's other book in future. Please take a while and read the book. I'm sure you'll agree with me.

About the Author

Melissa Lummis considers herself a truth seeker, a peaceful warrior, a paranormal and fantasy writer, an avid reader, a thru-hiker GAàME ’98, a wife, a mother, and a free thinker. She believes the universe conspires to help an adventurer. And if we live our lives as if it is a daring adventure (and it is!), then everything we need will find its way to us. The author lives in rural Virginia with her husband, two children, an Alaskan Malamute and a myriad of forest creatures. The nature of her mind dictates that she write to stay sane. Otherwise, her fertile imagination takes off on tangents of its own accord, creating scenarios and worlds that confuse the space-time continuum. Namaste, dear friends.

Follow Facebook fanpage http://www.facebook.com/MelissaLummis
Twitter https://twitter.com/melissalummis
Blog www.melissalummis.blogspot.com
Buy on Amazon / Smashwords

Credit: I got the copy of the book for the exchange of my review. Receiving a copy will not influence my opinion of the book.

guest post: Author Daniel Friedmann

To become an engineer I studied engineering physics, which had a large physics and cosmology component. I am also a student of the origin of the universe and life on earth both from the scientific and biblical perspectives. Why look at both sources of knowledge? Doesn't science have all the answers?

I initially came to think that science books answered everything. Yet, by my fourth year at university, some fundamental questions concerning our origins began to re-appear. In discussion with my nephews (14 to 20 years of age) I realized they were asking the same questions I had asked at their age and like me, not getting satisfactory answers.

Concurrently I saw an approach to the problem developed 800 years ago, that looked like it had promise – which pointed me to a reconciliation of science and religion answers on our origins. This was exciting and fresh and I was encouraged to write a book, The Genesis One Code, sharing what I had found.

As described by a reviewer Those who struggle to balance faith and science regarding earth's origins will want to read The Genesis One Code, which explores intriguing possibilities that reconcile these two divergent perspectives. The author has conducted significant research into the pertinent religious texts and scientific theories to determine that a relationship between the two is not only possible, but likely.

I hope we will come closer to ending the 200-year “origins debate” and enter into more cooperation between scientists, theologians to lead to a better and better understanding of our origins. Best of all as a family you can spend quality time having a discussion about science, religion and the meaning and purpose of life.

About the Book

Were the heavens and the Earth created 6,000 years ago, as the Bible suggests? Or did the universe expand into existence nearly fourteen billion years ago from a spontaneous "big bang"? Both dates cannot be right…or can they? Imagine medieval manuscripts, written some 800 years ago, that could help us decipher Genesis and thereby pinpoint exactly when the universe began – an instant squaring, moreover, with our most up-to-date cosmological theories. 

The Genesis One Code carefully examines the relationship between scientific theory and biblical teachings. The book approaches the origins debate from a fresh perspective informed by both scientific and spiritual research. Daniel Friedmann lays out the connection between God's creation and modern-day science in his book The Genesis One Code. 

About the Author

Daniel Friedmann is CEO of MDA Corp., specializing in robotics. He has a master's in engineering physics and 30 years' experience in the space industry. He has published more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific papers on space industry topics. He is also a long time student of cosmology and religion. The Genesis One Code is currently available on Amazon.com.

Website: http://danielfriedmannbooks.com/.