Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

My Review of ~ The Chemist

Intelligent protagonist evolves into a better person while facing death daily

I gave this book 5 stars.

An excellent story, written with a great pace and the narration was spot on. The female protagonist, Alex, evolves into a better survivor than she thought possible. The character is an original (ex-government operative who worked to retract information via a lab) and she (many aliases at first) kept on developing as the plot evolved.

Alex, her true identity, has unique skills but meets someone who can actually challenge her in ways she never thought possible. After a difficult past, Alex now faces a difficult romance which evolves after some unfortunate events. The characters accept the situation and move past issues, but that's only one side of the novel.

The danger piles on and the characters struggle to survive, both killers and nature. They move from place to place while on the run and meet unusual accomplices. The four-legged assistance is a nice addition to the character list.

This book is packed with twists, unexpected solutions showing off the character's strengths, and has a great ending. I may listen to it again, or perhaps read it this time. I'll be watching for more Alex stories.

If you've read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight books and think that she's only about teenage love, think again. Like in her book, The Host, The Chemist is a solid read, good writing with tension, developed characters, and compelling story. I highly recommend this book.

Add a copy to your library - the audio version was excellent. Available in other formats as well.

The Chemist Audiobook – Unabridged

Stephenie Meyer (Author),‎ Ellen Archer (Narrator),‎ Hachette Audio (Publisher)

In this gripping thriller, an ex-agent on the run from her former employers must take one more case to clear her name and save her life.

She used to work for the US government, but very few people ever knew that. An expert in her field, she was one of the darkest secrets of an agency so clandestine it doesn't even have a name. And when they decided she was a liability, they came for her without warning.

Now she rarely stays in the same place or uses the same name for long. They've killed the only other person she trusted, but something she knows still poses a threat. They want her dead, and soon.

When her former handler offers her a way out, she realizes it's her only chance to erase the giant target on her back. But it means taking one last job for her ex-employers. To her horror, the information she acquires only makes her situation more dangerous.

Resolving to meet the threat head-on, she prepares for the toughest fight of her life but finds herself falling for a man who can only complicate her likelihood of survival. As she sees her choices being rapidly whittled down, she must apply her unique talents in ways she never dreamed of.

In this tautly plotted novel, Meyer creates a fierce and fascinating new heroine with a very specialized skill set. And she shows once again why she's one of the world's best-selling authors.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Monsters Are Real - We Fool Ourselves

Human Monsters

The late morning sun was warm on my face, with closed eyes I drifted into rest,

Neighborhood dogs were barking, one trying to outdo the other, sounds growing louder.

The caws of birds and some squeaks in flight, then the buzz, of bees

Working diligently, going from one flower to the next,

Gathering the last of the blossom pollen to make their nectar.

We humans are part of this nature –

We too gather and toil away by shear instinct, when we allow.

Often we manifest ourselves with our intellect instead,

That part of us, We think, that ranks us above the rest of nature.

We use it to reason, to excuse and create, but sometimes it is the birthplace for the unthinkable.

It is a ruse, a screen, and a place to hide the hideous things we reason inside.

Our darkest thoughts are raised by it, turned into monsters and then we do the unnatural –

We hurt, war, kill and maim in the name of humanity.

We bring our rank down below the natural world; we turn ourselves into the devil.

Can we turn our dark to light, and bring thoughts forward to uplift?

Politicians are not the only users of the screen – we all use the words to hide.

So each day you choose your road – intellect or nature…. Do what is natural,

Be part of the earth, uplift each other and keep the monsters in the closets of the other’s mind.

Like an animal, watchful of danger, stay away from the human monsters.

Be an example of the goodness that comes when we follow our nature,

True human nature, which thrives on community and the spirit of friendship,

Creation for its own sake, for beauty to be shared,

And where monsters are make-believe, and

Not dreamt up to explain the horrors done, from man onto man.

Photography & Poem Created by Elisabeth Zguta ©

Keep reading - Keep writing!

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Curses - Haunted By Them - Or Thrilled?

Labor Day is over, school is back in session, and another autumn is upon us. The cooler fall evenings get me in the mood to cuddle up with a good horror book, or watch one of the old detective or monster films.

That's right - I am that person. I love the autumn, love Halloween, and love a good scary story.

That's the reason my first novel BREAKING CURSED BONDS was released for this fall. Usually it is better to wait until January and avoid being plunged in with the fall glutton of new books on the market, but I really think my story belongs in the darker days of autumn.

The main story begins with an ancient book that tells the tale of how an ancient curse befell the De Gourgues family - back in 1565! A spiritual ceremony went wrong when an evil element was added to the mix. A curse was created - causing a history of deadly consequences.

If you like the subject of curses and the spiritual realm, then you may like an interesting website The Mystica I discovered. There is a post explaining curses which listed some of the history about how possession, voodoo mystical spells and the paranormal magic and how
they were used in different cultures. Of course there is a lot more out there for those who dare dabble with the supernatural.

Soon Halloween will be upon us, and we will watch our thrillers and read about witches and spells - but be warned, there are many out there who believe in supernatural with all the revelry. So be careful and always keep an open mind.

http://vintageholidaycrafts.com/