I’m Doing It; I Am Leaving A Bad Book Review…

Angela4 Comments

Second Chances (Sequel to Over You) – Christine Kersey

Second Chances cover image

I really wanted to like this book as much as I loved the first story, “Over You”. This story picked right up where the first book left off, literally a couple of days later. That made for a nice transition, but then the story became irritating. Or at least Jessica became irritating.

I have never heard one character in a story whine and complain as much as she was doing right from the beginning of “Second Chances”. And I have 4 daughters, so that is really saying something! Maybe it wouldn’t have been so off-putting if that was how she behaved in the first story, but it was not. Not even close.

She loves Kyle; she doesn’t trust Kyle. Maybe she should keep Alex waiting in the wings in case if things with Kyle don’t work out? She loves Kyle so much; she cannot trust Kyle. I know I am repeating myself here, but this is literally how every single chapter seemed to go. In one paragraph, she was so in love with Kyle and would do anything to keep him. The very next paragraph had her whining because she was so jealous of his former girlfriend. And it seemed like every paragraph of every chapter went back and forth like this.

It is like watching a tennis match when you don’t like tennis, don’t understand it, and could not care less who may win. I was beginning to not care who would end up with Kyle. Or how this story was going to end, for that matter.

Other than that, the saving grace of the story was the mystery that was sprinkled in concerning Jessica being threatened. Was it Kyle’s former girlfriend? Maybe it was her former boyfriend Alex? Or it could be the son of the man who was sent to prison for trying to kill her at the end of “Over You”. Some disturbing events quickly changed into odd and scary things happening to and around Jessica.

Unfortunately this part of the story also takes a perilous turn towards the ridiculous. I know I do not normally drop so many spoilers into a book review, but honestly, I am just trying to make sure you do not make the same mistake I made and buy this book.

Someone breaks into Jessica’s home in the middle of the night, holds a knife to her throat and threatens to kill her family if she does not go to the detective and tell them she lied about Mr. Harrington trying to kill her and Kyle. Oh, and tell the detective that it was actually Kyle who attacked Mr. Harrington, because he thought Jessica and he were having an affair.

And then he gets her to promise she will do this, and he leaves her home. And she goes to the police station the next day and tells them she may have been mistaken in what happened, etc. etc. etc and I cannot even go on with this.

Trust me; it is much worse if you read it for yourself. So just please don’t.

But in the end, they all live happily ever after.

Now, with all of that being said, I am not giving up on this author yet. There is also a new book coming out about Kyle’s ex-girlfriend and her young daughter. I may give this story a try, if it only costs me a couple of dollars. I really do have a vested interest in these characters, because the first story was written that well. The fact that Jessica was like a completely different person in character, thoughts, and actions in the second book made it very hard for me to read it. I kept asking myself what in the world happened to the Jessica from the first book.

Ah, well. It was only a few hours of my life that I will never get back.

The Boss Killers – Keith Gillison

Angela1 Comment

You have to read this book! I cannot remember the last time I read a story that had me not only laughing out loud, but also anxious to turn the page and see what was about to happen. Excellent book! You will laugh, and hold your breath waiting to see what happens next. A fun read that you will not want to put down!

The Boss Killers Cover Image

Ross Ackerman is obsessed with getting rid of his boss, Mr. Charles Belvedere. Chief Inspector Harry Christmas is not only tired of the jokes he listens to during the holiday season, he is the only one who sees a connection with the fact that more business executives seem to die from “accidents” during the holiday season than at any other time.

With a full cast of characters, you will never get bored with this story. When Ross cannot take it one more day, he reaches out to his friend that he absolutely needs to kill his boss. His friend, ever concerned about Ross, devises a better idea.

Let him think he is killing his boss, via computer graphics, 3-D, real life video game. If only he knew what he had just stumbled upon. It is almost like opening Pandora’s box.

I would love to give you all the details on this story, but it truly is one you need to read for yourself. I challenge anyone to read this book and tell me they did not enjoy it!

It’s Time To Change Things Up; Again!

Angela4 Comments

Or at least I am going to try to get some things changed on this site. The last time I tried to move over to Bluehost, I lost all of my followers, my posts; pretty much everything.

So I was thrilled to see that WordPress has a business site that means I do not need to move my domain and blog.

Okay, it is a bit pricey per year, but after the stress I went through when I tried this the last time, I am more than willing to hand over the cash to save me any headaches I would again cause myself by attempting to do this on my own.

I used to be computer-savvy: not any more.

So do you use WordPress.com/business? I hope if you do, you have wonderful things to say about it 🙂

I will likely be spending some time this weekend getting things set up exactly how I want, and with a 2 week free trial period, I can’t go wrong. If I don’t like the way it works, I can just go back to what I am doing now until I find something else. I am going to have to change my theme (which I really like!) because it will not support the menus and pages I want to add. So you will be seeing a new, polished Books & Opinions page very soon!

To Kill a Mockingbird T-Shirt; Quote!

Angela4 Comments
To Kill a Mockingbird T-shirt
To Kill a Mockingbird T-shirt

I have a t-shirt forthcoming from Teespring, and I will show it to you as soon as it arrives 🙂 Which leads me to the reason I received an email about the T-shirt above, and I am sure I will continue receiving these emails until I figure out how to get myself removed from their mailing list. With that being said, I love “To Kill a Mockingbird“, and I adore this quote from Atticus Finch. The t-shirt I am waiting for is also based on “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

Teespring is a site where you can design and have your t-shirts made. You can check them out here: http://teespring.com/

Dreams and Shadows: The Aylosian Chronicles – Jeffrey Collyer

Angela3 Comments

A young man, Michael, has had a less than ideal childhood. The only thing he is aware of in his short 19 years of life, is that his mother abandoned him, his foster mother died when he was 5 years old, and his foster father, Rob, was so absorbed in his own grief that Michael was basically on his own from that very young age.

dreams-and-shadows-ebook-only

A dream that seemed too real to be ignored started Michael on a journey that would change his life. Although he would have some questions answered, many more would come to mind as he learned things about a world he had no idea existed. A world that he was taken out of, and where he finally managed to find his way back.

Going back to the world he came from is just as difficult as you would expect it to be. He knew no one, he did not understand their traditions, some of the things they said, and many of the things they did. While he made a couple friends, there were others who were still wary of him, and questioned why he just suddenly showed up in their land.

A journey of epic proportions is in store for Michael. It is his chance to find out about his mother, as well as how he may have come to be in such a strange and wondrous land. Although others seemed to understand, would Michael come to terms with who he really is, and why he is needed in this new land?

With brilliant writing, well-developed characters, and a fantastic storyline, I could not put this story down. I tend to avoid Dystopian type novels as of late, but this was a great surprise and a breath of fresh air for finding a whole new world that you want to know everything about.

Sorry, but you know my policy (at least 99% of the time); no spoilers.

To find out more about Jeffrey Collyer, please visit his website here:  www.jeffreycollyer.com

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L Frank Baum

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Those of you who have been following my blog for a while know that “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” holds a special place in my heart! First published in May of 1900, the book is celebrating its 115th anniversary.

photo courtesy of history.com
photo courtesy of history.com

The movie adaption was released in 1939, and is a timeless classic, also thought to have been viewed more than any other movie released to date (history.com). I have read the book enough, and watched the movie enough, that yes; I can recite the movie from beginning to end.

photo courtesy of history.com
photo courtesy of history.com

I have read all of the books in the series, but never enjoyed any of the others as much as I love “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” For a book to be 115 years old, and still read anew by young readers is a testament to the wonderful quality of this story. It really does reach hearts both young and old alike.

Wizard of Oz Books 11-18-2013 020

Over You – Christine Kersey

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This was a fun, quick read that I really enjoyed. Labeled as a romance/suspense novel, it delivered as promised.

Over You cover image

Jessica Stevens has just broken up with her boyfriend Alex, after he was seen out to dinner and kissing another woman. Needing to get away, she goes and stays at her favorite Aunt’s house. Running into Kyle, her ex-fiancé, was the last thing she had expected, or wanted. Having him remodeling her Aunt’s house had her seeing him much more than she wanted to.

Kyle seems to have a girlfriend, and Alex can’t stay away from Jessica. He knows he made a mistake, and wants to make it right. Not being able to figure out her own personal life and feelings, Jessica begins investigating a mystery that seems to have taken place in her Aunt’s house. 50 year old love letters start Jessica on a hunt for answers that may come with a price she doesn’t want to pay.

I do not want to give away any spoilers to this story, but I certainly recommend you read this if you like romance or suspenseful stories. Free of profanity and sexual content, there are no worries here about having to struggle through awkward sex scenes that seem to be very difficult for anyone to get right.

There is a sequel to this story, called Second Chances. which I have purchased. Over You is free where e-books are sold. I am currently reading another story, and have another one I will be starting today as well. The review for second chances will be posted in the near future.

Second Chances cover image

Have you read Christine Kersey before? Let me know what you thought. She has several novels and I will be choosing some of her other works as well.

For more information on Christine and purchasing her books, please visit her website here: http://christinekersey.com/

The Life & Times of an Incorrigible – G.M. Roberts

Angela14 Comments

GM Roberts Cover ImageG.M. Roberts tells a straight-forward story of his life, in the first-person, from his birth, his lack of enthusiasm for learning, school, or being to what to do, to his Military career, his marriage, and what he did after he was once again a civilian.

I’ve not heard very many people say they wanted to go to Vietnam during the war. Okay, I have never heard of anyone saying that. G.M. was most comfortable in the Military. He may not have always been able to have the job or position he wanted, but it was certainly the career he was meant to have.

Civilian life was not all it is cracked up to be for G.M. He had a career, and people contacting him to work and teach for them, but after losing his Emy to cancer, nothing was important anymore.

This story had me laughing out loud, and feeling great sadness. The story about the sloth still has me cracking a smile. The descriptions of the rappel demonstrations will not soon be forgotten. G.M. certainly knew how to have fun no matter what he was required to do.

Life lessons are shared throughout the story, and are lessons that can fit anyone, in any situation. They are not cliché, or redundant, or untimely. They are important. G.M. questions the influence he had on the many troops who he trained, mentored, taught, and watched both come and go in the Army. I think it is safe to say he likely influenced and helped more people than he could ever realize.

This was a very smooth, easy read for me. It was like talking to a relative, and listening to their stories of what their life was like, the things they experienced, and how it helped shape their life. I highly recommend this story, especially if you are a veteran, currently serve in the Military, or are somehow connected to someone who is.