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Showing posts from November, 2015

Shop Small Today and Keep Local Book Shops in Your Community

  Hello, Fellow Bookworms!    I wanted to stop by and catch you before you go shopping today, and tell you about a wonderful thing in your community:   The Small Business   These amazing shops are in your communities, maybe on your Main Streets. They are run by members of your community that work hard to make a difference in your town or city. Do not overlook these shops. They offer a wide variety of amazing choices for you and your family! Plus many shops offer frequent buyer discounts, store events, and are active in the running of your community.    Shop small today and help make a difference in your community!   Because there is always time to read,   Xepherus3 Website: http://www.xepherusstudios.com/ At Twitter at: https://twitter.com/XepherusStudios At Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/XepherusStudios At Goodreads at: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11975160-xepherus3 All written content (c) Copyright 2015 by Thomas Bahr II   

Jackie Collins 1937-2015: A Classy Lady That Took Chances

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Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons ,   As many of you may have learned another literary legend has left us. Jackie Collins passed away on September 9, 2015 from breast cancer at the age of 77. She was to me the best damn author around who brought me to exotic places, and introduced me to amazing characters, like Lucky Santangelo.   She was a wonderful woman who always gave her all to her readers. I cannot remember a time when I did not look forward to her novels, and gobbled them up as if they were dishes of rich caviar. She wrote strong women who grabbed the world by balls and never apologized for it. She could write Hollywood like no one else. And when it came to sex, she made Harold Robbins novels look tame. She wrote long-hand in legal pads, sweeping her pen across the paper like a Goddess creating a universe of good and evil.   She never wrote a character that I did not like, even her villains were so entertaining I could not wait to see what they did next! In

Book Review: Star Wars: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig

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  Hello, Fellow Book Worms,  Star Wars: Aftermath is written by Chuck Wendig (the Heartland Trilogy), and is one of the many published pieces released that are part of Disney's "Journey to the Force Awakens" campaign. It is book one of a trilogy that takes place after the destruction of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi. It features some original trilogy characters, but mainly features the introduction of new characters and minor players.    In Aftermath we see the galaxy is welcoming the New Republic, as the Empire gathers at the outer rim planets to begin to strategize how they will deal with their Imperial Remnant. As of this book, the New Republic is fleshing out their forces, and removing Imperial installations from planets as they begin to free Imperial-held worlds. But it is a hard road toward galactic peace for the Rebels. Chancellor Mon Mothma plans to cut the military down drastically after the Imperial forces are taken care of (I personally

Book Review: Lost Stars by Claudia Gray

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  Hello, Fellow Bookworms and Star Wars Fans, Many Bothans died to bring you this review....   Star Wars: Lost Stars is written by Claudia Gray (A Thousand Pieces of You), and joins the many published pieces out there that are part of Disney's "Journey to the Force Awakens" campaign. Lost Stars presents us with the novel we have been waiting for: what happened after the Battle of Endor!  It is a unique book that tells the story of the beginnings of the Rebellion to the formation of the New Republic through the eyes of two characters, Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree.     Thane and Ciena meet as children eight years after the formation of the Empire on the mountain planet of Jelucan. They become friends as they bond over their love of flying and Imperial ships. One day Thane stops local boys from  bullying Ciena as they stand outside of a Lamda Class Shuttle. Both are approached by Grand Moff Tarkin, who seems to admire both of their bravery, and invites them aboa

The Thrifty Book Buyer: Newtown, Connecticut Book Fair, August 2015

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Hello, Fellow Bookworms! The following adventure took place in August of 2015. It was one of the blogs I lost while consolidating my blogspots. Enjoy! ************************************** As many of my friends and family know when I get into a hobby or new interest I can get a bit crazy.    Take for instance my renewed obsession with reading books. Lately I have been loving comics and novels, and have prided myself on getting amazing deals on used and new books. One day in July there were two words that over-took my Tuesday morning road trip to Newtown, Connecticut: BOOK SALE   As my bestie and I were traveling to Cave Comics to pick up a few issues, we saw red and white signs along the roadway advertising a book sale. This excited us, because we had had an amazing morning at the thrift shops finding crazy deals on books (I bought Stephen King's "Mr. Mercedes" in hardcover like new for $2.00!). We figured it could not hurt to check it out. For about

Xepherus Reads 2015/ 2016 Reading Challenge (Updated)

  Here is an update my modified version of the 2015 Pop Sugar Reading Challenge. It covers August 2015 to August 2016. Have fun with it. And feel free to use my list as a guide! Challenges Completed (14/55) Updated 11/24/15 Currently reading 1 book 1. A book with more than 500 pages: Doctor Sleep (The Shining 2)- Stephen King 2. A classic romance: This Rough Magic- Mary Stewart 3. A book that became (to become) a movie: The Queen of Tearling- Erika Johansen 4. A book published in 2015: Girl on a Train- Paula Hawkins 5. A book published in 2016: 6. A book with a number in the title: Six Years- Harlan Cobin 7. A book written by someone under 30: Cinder- Marissa Meyer 8. A book with nonhuman characters: A Court of Thorn and Roses- Sarah J Maas 9. A funny book: Yes Please- Amy Poehler 10. A book by a female author: Cold, Cold Heart- Tami Hoag 11. A mystery or thriller: Whispering Shadows (Rising Dragons Series #1)- Jan-Phillip Sendker 12. A book with a one word

Book Review: Lois Lane: Fall Out by Gwenda Bond

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       Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!   Lois Lane: Fallout is book number one in a new Young Adult series by Switch Press, written by Gwenda Bond (Girl on a Wire). It focuses on the adventures of a young Lois Lane who is just as tenacious as she will be as the Daily Planet’s star reporter.       First appearing in the pages of Action Comics in 1938, Lois Lane not only became a love interest of Superman, but also a major character of the DC Universe known the world over. She has survived for seventy seven years by being constantly reimagined for new generations. Just recently she was played on the big screen by actress Amy Adams in the Man of Steel. Prior to that Lois was a small screen heroine in Smallville, played by Erica Durance and in Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman played by Teri Hatcher (Desperate Housewives). She never passes up a story, and is always helping the underdog out for the betterment of society. This book is no different.    

Welcome to the New and Improved Xepherus Reads

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Hello, Fellow Bookworms! After a few days of consolidating (and losing) blogs, I have now come to the shiny new Blogspot that you are currently reading from. In addition to Xepherus Reads there will also be Xepherus Reviews and Xepherus Studios, which are attached to this account. I wanted to make this Blogspot a "one-stop" of all that I do.  I will be uploading backups of all blog posts lost as soon as humanly possibly.    I want to thank everyone who has supported all that Xepherus Studios does in our community. I have been a presence online since 1998, and I feel that the Web has so many wonderful things to offer. Meeting new people and being a part of their lives is one of the awesome perks!   Coming soon: Lost blogs reposted Next book review: Star Wars: Battlefront- Twilight Company Comics Pull List New Book Tags   I am off to read.   Xepherus3 All written content (c) Copyright 2015 by Thomas Bahr II