reviews

Constructed of Magic: (Poetry) – Louis Alan Swartz

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Constructed of Magic and Other Poems on the Immortality of the Human Spirit by Louis Alan Swartz has a variety of chapters on subjects we can all probably relate to, such as death, love and marriage, children, sanctity, and hope, among others. I do not usually read very much poetry, but when I find poetry that I like, it tends to stay with me.

Such is the case with this book.  It is filled with moving poetry that you can relate to, and understand, and truly feel. An excerpt from a poem titled “You Should Have Been Here Tonight”:

You should have been here tonight.

In truth you were here.

In the last light of sunset

There was a laughing presence

Unmistakable at the gardens edge.

Filled with beautiful imagery and positive energy, these poems paint a picture in the mind’s eye of the way things used to be, the way things could be, and the way things should be.  You will easily find comfort from the poems on these pages.

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.

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!

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.

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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 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.

Waking Up Married – Mira Lyn Kelly

Angela2 Comments

Megan Scott and Conner Reed are both in less than stellar moods when they happen to bump into each other at a bar in Las Vegas. Both recently out of relationships, and swearing off love and everything it brings with it, they are married before morning hits. Megan remembers none of it, and Conner remembers every minute of it.

Waking Up Married Cover

Asking for a 3-month trial before she files for divorce, they both try to begin to trust again, especially in such a difficult situation as they find themselves in.

This was a really fun read for me, and I enjoying it a lot. I am not usually a reader of romance books in general, but I am glad I gave this one a try.

It was a light read, filled in a few hours for me this weekend, and I did not want to put it down, or reach the end of it. There is some steamy scenes to this story, but nothing overly graphic or just ridiculous in how it is written. Mira has a great style of writing and this will not be the last book of hers I pick up.

God Forbid – Alyssa Rabil

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I love reading books about religion. Factual, fiction, speculative, and pretty much everything in between. This is the first in a two-book series. This story is unlike any religious stories I have read so far.

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Completely fictional, this story focuses on the major players in the religious stories you are likely familiar with; Jesus, Lucifer, Gabriel, and other key players.

This story moves between Nabil and Albert and the people they interact with. Nabil seems to be stalked non-stop by Cannon, with some friends, or maybe they aren’t friends, who seem overly interested in his every move.

Albert has made a name for himself due to his numerous, up-to-this-point-unsuccessful, suicide attempts. Known as Suicide Man, he has managed to gain quite a following of people, his own website, and numerous viral videos.

So how would Jesus, and Lucifer, function living in our world today? A more important question is how would they function when they are not 100% aware of who exactly they are, and their importance to life for millions of people.

I am looking forward to the release of this second novel, and you can find more information on Alyssa’s website, found here: http://captainlilybob.com/books/

Chill Run – Russell Brooks

AngelaLeave a comment

This was a fast-paced read, with a lot of twists and turns. This is the second book I have read by Russell Brooks, and this one had a completely different feel to it. The whole style of writing seemed different than “The Demeter Code”, and it was spot-on for this story.

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When Eddie has no one who believes in him and his dream of becoming a published author, his two friends convince him to try a publicity stunt to end all publicity stunts. Everyone knows it is a lot easier to sell your first novel when people have heard of you.

Eddie should have stuck to writing, and hired someone to get his name out to the public. What seemed like a harmless stunt turned into an unsuspecting, albeit sketchy, Governor being murdered. And the bodies seemed to pile up from there. With next to nobody believing in his innocent, Eddie and his friends begin a journey to clear all of their names. They manage to uncover corruption of the deepest kind while they are at it, while learning what they are truly made of.

I liked this story a lot, and highly recommend it. It has action, suspense, romance, and a couple laugh-out-loud moments as well.

To learn more a bout Russell and his stories, be sure to visit his website at: http://russellparkway.com  

Mr. Mercedes – Stephen King

Angela11 Comments

I absolutely loved this book! I can honestly say this is one of my favorites by Stephen King. I have not read all of his stories, but I have read most of them. I still think my all-time favorite of his is “From a Buick 8”. Have you read it? If not, you need to go to your local library and check it out (pun intended)! From what I understand, this is not the only story we will be seeing involving Bill Hodges. That makes me a very happy reader!

photo courtesy of www.liljas-library.com
photo courtesy of http://www.liljas-library.com

Bill Hodges is a retired detective, not coping well with sitting at home. When the perp (perk if you’ve read the story) decides to send him a letter, it gives Bill a new sense of purpose. This is one that he cannot let go, nor turn over to his former partner.

He goes back over everything he did involving this case, and the things he ignored that he shouldn’t have. You get to see Bill come to terms with the mistakes he has made, both at work and in his personal life. He tries to right the wrongs, when he can.

Brady Hartsfield (the jacket sleeve said Brady Hartfield, the spelling error surprised me. On the sleeve? Really?) is a brilliant mind from a troubled childhood. Still living at home with his alcoholic mother, he works two jobs while planning his next big kill.

Bill has two unlikely people working with him, which makes this story even more interesting. It is full of suspense, mystery, and even a few laugh out loud moments. I was literally holding my breath more than once while reading this! There were a couple spots where Mr. King mentioned two of his previous books; it fit right in with the story and was a nice touch.

If you haven’t read this, I highly recommend it. If you have, I would love to hear what you thought about it!

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