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Best 5 Books For February 2024

Best 5 Books For February 2024 of the 13 I’ve read. These are three reviews by me and two by other people.

Best 5 Books For February 2024 – The First

My Review

Andy Zach

Author 10 books

94 followers

February 2, 2024

David Weber continues his ‘Out of the Dark’ series with this fine entry. Humanity finally goes to Shongar, the planetary system that sent out Thirkirk, the admiral who attacked Earth and killed more than half the world’s population in the first book.

Humanity, with the help of another intelligent species, had been able to defeat the Shongari invaders and take over their ships and technology. They freed another race who had been subjugated by the Shongari.

Studying Shongari history, humanity realized they too were manipulated by the galaxy-spanning Hegemony. They classified all races by vegetarian, carnivorous, or omnivore.

Humanity intended to break the mold.

Best 5 Books For February 2024- The Second

Outstanding humorous progressive fantasy

I finally finished the published chapters, but it was a labor of love. Osborne, Ozzy, the main character grew from a wily gamester to a dominant force within the game.

But the complex plot with never-ending challenges is just half of the joy. There are a plethora of delightful characters, including Suzette, who’s famous for her crepes and her magical abilities. She’s part of Ozzy’s gamer team who take on the new game in town, The Genesis Engine. Ben and Rolly are the other two characters on the team. and they’re totally wacky too.

It’s great they got to be the first players in the game. It’s not so great that they were given nerfed characters locked into a 5-year contract with an evil corporation. But they work within the game’s rules and outfox everyone.

You see, the Genesis Engine responds to players’ efforts. And no one works harder than Ozzy’s team.

Click to read for free!

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Third

Delightful, creative, scifi/rpg/fantasy story

The Tunnel Rat cover
5 Books for February

I’ve enjoyed every chapter so far. Walrus has the ability to make wonderful characters and give them limitless challenges to overcome. Start reading it now!

Just when you think he can’t top himself, he adds more characters or another race of villains or heroes to the mix. Each person, or rat, or spider is unique and worth reading about.

Author Andy Zach

Again, you get to read this one for free on RoyalRoad.com. Click here!

Best 5 Books For February – The Fourth

Get Your Zombie Turkeys Laughter
5 Books for February
Zombie Turkeys front cover. Click to get a copy!

Tony Fecteau

1,229 reviews

5 followers

January 5, 2024

This book was a crazy ride. Imaging if you will a flock of turkeys which are unstoppable! Of course, they can be stopped if you know the secret way to kill a zombie turkey. The various scenes had me laughing. The scene with Obama and family was quite entertaining. The various traps and way to kill the turkeys had my imagination going. A fun read.

Best 5 Books For February – The Fifth

Secret Supers audiobook cover
5 Books for February
Secret Supers audiobook

odedo1 Audio book worm.

772 reviews

5 followers

January 24, 2024

Comic in words.

This is the first time for me with this genre.

As a first timer it really took me by surprise so it took me a while to understand that even so that it sounds like a children’s book, it’s the moral which counts in the story.

Narration by Luke Castle is beautifully done for each of the characters in this creation.

If you are into comics then I do recommend !

Oded Ostfeld.

What Can Top 5 Books for February? A Bonus Book!

And not only a bonus book, but one on sale for .99, starting Sunday February 18th. Check this out:

Andy Zach Newsletter
5 Books for February
Oops! audiobook cover


Janalyn Prude

2,967 reviews

86 followers

February 10, 2023

can I have some more sir? This book is so good!

A Phoenix that cannot be tranquilized pickles injected with turkey DNA, a hamster that can read… This is just three of the great stories you get in this book.

It makes me wonder what does Andy Zak think while sitting around at his house he must have a vivid, vivid imagination! I’m just glad he shares his madness with the world.

I do want to say I didn’t read the last three stories because it said they were spoilers for his superhero books that I plan on reading next but I absolutely love the author six or seven stories in this anthology and highly recommend them.

Once again the narration was great the stories were entertaining and they had lots of LOL moments! I thoroughly enjoyed this authors books and cannot get enough. I do want to say the talking mouse story is a spoiler for the superhero books so when I say the last three stories or spoilers I mean the absolute last three in the anthology.

The rest or safe to read unless you’ve already read the superhero books. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Tell Me What You Like Best

Are reviews the best? Do you like my short stories? Is it my excerpts? Or do you like other authors’ books? Contact me here or at [email protected] and let me know. I’ll give you a free ebook!

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Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year 2024

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year 2024 of the 11 I’ve read.

I won’t put them in any order. I don’t have a favorite book among these. Do you? Let me know.

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The First

My Review

Andy Zach

Author 10 books94 followers

January 27, 2024

This was a fun and creative twist on the Battle Mage Farmer series. After saving the world where they lived, John and Ellie go on their honeymoon, into the chaotic void. They’re transported by their faithful super-bull Ferdinand and guided by Ellie’s prescient sense of direction.

Eventually, they end up in a confusing cluster of planets where there is a nest of vicious void beasts.

What a start to a honeymoon!

This creativity continues for the rest of the book.

Enjoy!

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Second

My Review

Read This Year

Andy Zach

Author 10 books

94 followers

January 28, 2024

This progressive fantasy continues with our protagonists Matt and Liz highly trained after years of ascending the path to Level 10.

Now they’ll compete with other Pathers at that level and the problem isn’t they aren’t strong enough, but that they’re too strong! You see, promising Pathers are assassination targets for the other Great Powers who do not want to face the in war.

So they adopt three false identities each and play under their ‘real’ identities, but using only a limited amount of power.

They want to walk a delicate balance. They want to hide their real powers and still qualify for high rewards within the tournament.

Meanwhile, we learn that spies from every government are seeking out their true identities by any means possible.

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Third

My Review

Read This Year

Andy Zach

Author 10 books

94 followers

January 28, 2024

What a cool book! I knew nothing about globemaking beyond gores; now I know a whole lot more, both of the multiple crafts involved and of its history.

But what makes the book great is the author’s personal story, telling how he went from making a handmade globe for his father’s 80th birthday to starting a bespoke globe company with a worldwide audience and customer base.

It’s a review of both the history of globemaking and of our recent history from 2008 to now.

I recommend this book to anyone with an ounce of curiosity.

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Fourth

My Review

Read This Year

Andy Zach

Author 10 books

94 followers

January 27, 2024

What a wonderful explanation of basic Christian principles! Author Miles Stanford explains both the theory and practice of Christian living and growth.

He begins with the cross and explains that trying hard to overcome sin is not enough. We must totally die to sin and realize our death daily. But our death leads to our resurrection in Christ. Having Christ live in us is how we triumph.

How can this miracle be achieved? Not by us. But Christ has already done it. It is up to us to believe and to claim His life and to live it through faith and perseverance.

Mr. Stanford draws from a wide range of respected Christian authors and teachers as well as many quotes from the Bible to prove his points.

I recommend this book most highly to anyone who wishes to learn about Christianity.

This fourth time around, I was writing my own fantasy novel/series and I looked at how Pratchett started out his series. It was a ripping good start, with unending action and interesting characters from the beginning. Who doesn’t like Death as an animated skeleton and a lugubrious voice?

We come to my first favorite SciFi novel and it’s a goody.

My Review

Best 5 Books I’ve Read This Year – The Fifth

Read This Year
Review of On Basilisk Station

Andy Zach

Author 10 books

94 followers

January 3, 2024

My first book of the year! It’s a fantasy, with familiars who are intelligent badgers, owls, hamsters, and prairie dogs. Enjoy a dash of humor with your fantasy.

Familiars enhance and magnify your magic, but they come with troubles of their own. They’re just people, who are animals.

What Can Top The Best 5 Books?

Free gifts! I gave away literary gifts from December 1 to December 25 to celebrate Advent 2023. These include free books and free excerpts. Enjoy them below. Don’t forget to get free audiobooks from me by clicking here.

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Welcome 2024! 12 Gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas

Zombie Turkeys Laughter 2021 Reviews

Welcome 2024! 12 Gifts for the 12 Days of Christmas. I’m author Andy Zach and I’ve got the latest reviews, free, and discounted books for you! Let’s start with the reviews!

You may be familiar with the 12 days of Christmas song. The actual 12 day festival ran from December 25th to January 6th, also known as Epiphany, when Christians celebrated the appearance of the wise men or magi from the east.

Here’s the song:

12 Days of Christmas

Welcome 2023 – A Partridge in a Pear Tree

What is my writing is like a Partridge in a Pear Tree? How about a turkey in a tree? This excerpt from Zombie Turkeys.

First Draft Complete
Welcome 2024
Zombie Turkeys fly to escape to Zombie Turkey hunters

“Come back for more?  Eat fire and die!”  She sprayed napalm ferociously. It didn’t ignite. The spark ignition failed. Without thinking, she leapt toward the nearest tree, shedding the useless tank with a shrug of her shoulders. In case she needed any additional motivation, the turkeys pecked her butt all the way up.

The turkeys did not give up trying to get her in the tree. They kept flying up and attacking her. She wielded her Bowie knife. That was Rulon’s gift to her. He had it inscribed “To Lashon, from Rulon.” After about ten minutes of fighting them off, her arm was getting tired. She switched to her left arm. She wasn’t particularly dexterous with her left, but she didn’t have to be. Twenty pound turkeys who flew straight at you didn’t require much precision to strike. The most disheartening thing was, she’d stab one through the heart, have it drop fifteen to the ground with a satisfying “Thud!”, and then have it stagger to its feet five minutes later and fly back up fifteen minutes later.

Welcome 2024 – Two Turtledoves

Did you enjoy our free excerpt? Great!

But where can I find two turtledoves in my writing? I don’t have any. But I have two chipmunks from my villain in My Undead Mother-in-law

SciFi Story Fuel My Undead Mother-in-law
Welcome 2024
My Undead Mother-in-law cover.

Hundreds of miles away, Vik Staskas smiled to himself. Nothing like bringing his objects of interest directly into his reach. Vik was not a sentimental man, but he had a fondness for his cyborg chipmunks since they were his first cyborg animals he had created for his Ph.D. A computer chip listened, saw, and transmitted via 4G cell phone network to his cell or the nearest computer screen in his network. While one chipmunk listened above their office, another had chewed a hole in the ceiling and watched them and Lisa’s large computer screen. Vik whimsically named them Alvin and Theodore.

But this free excerpt is not your only gift: Have a free copy of My Undead Mother-in-law! Just click here.

All I ask is that you review the book after you’re done.

And here’s a review for you:
Brad Secrest
 61 reviews

November 21, 2023

Great story! This is a hilarious Superhero Zombie bit of fun. All of the characters are fantastic. You’ll fall in love with at least 10 of them. 🙂 Highly recommended for the humorous sci-fi zombie lover.

Welcome 2024 – Three French Hens

Zombie Detective cover
Zombie Detective cover.

I don’t have three French hens for you either. But I have three detectives in my Zombie Detective novel. And they’re in New York City, so that’s like the ‘French Connection’.

Sorry, that’s the best I can do!

Check out the excerpt:

“I’ll have you meet the detectives on the case.” He pressed his comm. “Tammy? Send in Boxer and Poodles.”

“Your detectives are named Boxer and Poodles?”

“Boxer is his real name. Ted Boxer. ‘Poodles’ is a nickname for Penelope Palmer.”

“I’d think she’d go by ‘Penny.’”

“She hates Penny. Don’t ask her why. Wait till you see her.”

The pair entered. Ted Boxer was a smiling, handsome man in his forties with short blond hair combed back from his forehead. Penelope, or Poodles, was half a head taller than Ted, with long legs and arms and curly hair englobing her head in a sphere of ringlets.

“Boxer, Poodles, this is Sam Melvin. I told you he’d be helping.”

“Pleased to meet you, Sam.” Ted pumped his hand vigorously.

“Likewise.”

Sam looked to Poodles. She had an attractive brown face with a serious, almost stern look.

“I don’t do glad-handing. I don’t like people in general.”

“Uh, OK. So I should call you Poodles?”

“That’s my name.” She looked reproachfully at Sam, like he should know better.

Your other two gifts? Get two discounted books for .99 Zombie Turkeys and Secret Supers

Welcome 2024 – Four Calling Birds

I’ve got four calling birds for you–and a lot more.

In Paranormal Privateers, my zombie turkeys have been weaponized by the undead mother-in-law and used–well, you’ll see in the following excerpt.

SciFi Fuel Paranormal Privateers
The cover of my third novel Paranormal Privateers. Click to get yours.

Looking at Lulu and Sharon, I said, “I’ll take half the animals and go to the left around the main base. You go the other way. Try not to kill anyone unless it’s absolutely necessary. You know how pro-life we are.”

The zombie animals all obeyed human zombies, but not much else. They could follow simple commands: “This way,” “Stop,” “Left,” “Right.” The corgis were the most obedient, the turkeys the least. They knew not to eat people without permission—barely. The bulls followed heel and leg direction like horses—eventually.

The corgis and bulls raced around the compound with us. The zombie turkeys milled outside the walls, eating anyone who sought to flee. As we caught people, I directed them to lay down on the ground and I tied them up with the zip ties I had picked up in the garage. I encountered steady gunfire, but after it proved completely ineffective against us zombies, people just started running. I pursued.

What else do I have for you? How about free audiobooks. Click to get any or all of Zombie Detective, My Undead Mother-in-law, Paranormal Privateers. The offer is good until I run out of free codes for you.

Welcome 2024 – Five Gold Rings!

Do I have five gold rings for you? No, but I have several billion dollars stolen by my criminals in Secret Supers in Space.

Read a little about it in this excerpt:

Welcome 2023

We arrived at the top. “Time to ship out the Supers.” Papa Smith hauled out Aubrey and Jeremy. I unloaded Kayla and Dan. We lined them up on the floor.

“It’d be so easy to eliminate them here.”

“Yes, Loretta, but the consequences will follow us. And there’s no money in it. Think of each of them as a billion dollars.”

“Nice idea, Papa.”

There’s four more gifts with this one!

You can get your free review copy by clicking here.

Get your discounted signed copy by clicking here. Free shipping from the author.

How about a free audiobook or two? Get your Secret Supers in Space by clicking here!! You might as well pick up your free Villain’s Vacation while you’re at it.

Welcome 2024 – Six Geese a-laying!

You might guess that I don’t have geese a-laying, any number. But I do have zombie turkeys laying eggs. In fact, I have a whole sub-plot devoted to it–int two different books.

Let’s give you the Zombie Turkeys excerpt:

“Approximately one hundred fifty thousand domestic turkeys have gone zombie, and approximately one hundred thousand wild turkeys. The National Turkey Institute has bred zombie turkeys and discovered their growth cycle is vastly accelerated. The eggs hatch faster, the poults grow faster and are dangerous within three weeks. There are an estimated one hundred thousand new zombie turkeys added to the flocks ravaging Illinois since the plague began at the beginning of November.

“Furthermore, not only are the zombie turkeys resistant to damage, and not only do they regenerate quickly, but once regenerated, they are two to three times stronger than normal turkeys.

“Citizens are advised to stay within their homes.  Those with bunkers or air raid shelters should stay in them until further notice. Those on the road to Illinois are advised to stop and return home. The Federal government has stopped all road, sea, and air traffic to Illinois. The US Army, Marines and Air Force are currently conducting operations against the zombie turkeys and expect to eliminate them within a week.

Four more gifts Below

Aside from the free excerpt, you can listen to Zombie Turkeys, Zombie Detective, My Undead Mother-in-law, Paranormal Privateers, and Oops! on Audible for free. Be sure to check out my great voice actors, Phil Blechman and others. There’s a link to Audible by each book cover.


Your Thirteenth Literary Gift Andy Zach Newsletter Zombie Detective Audiobook
Audiobook cover – click to listen.

Then we have:

My Undead Mother-in-law


July Joy My Undead Mother-in-law
Click to listen to My Undead Mother-in-law


Welcome 2023
More Good Things

Welcome 2023
Andy Zach Newsletter
Oops! audiobook cover Click to listen now.

Next is Paranormal Privateers Click to listen

After that, you’ve got Oops! Tales of the Zombie Turkey Apocalypse

Six More Days of Gifts to Come

I’ll make another post for the last twelve days of Christmas by Sunday, January 7th, 2024. I have a lot more gifts and discounts for you!

If you have any questions or comments for me, leaven them here.

Buy any of my books directly from me at my store. Click here.

Or buy them from my Square site. Click here.

Finally, you can go to Amazon and get them.