Shattered Glass A Novel of Drama By Mitch Goth, A Book Review

The title is a true statement from the beginning of the book through to the end.

The story, at least I believed it was, revolved around the journey of an abused and neglected child and how she survived it. But toward the end of the book, it became about her partner and soul holder, and how he survives his trauma, which was totally unexpected.

This story made me cry. I’m not sure if it was just my usual reaction to any death or disturbing situation, or if it was from feeling the desperate cry of the characters. Either way, it was an emotionally heavy journey to read this story. I hated some things that happened, and cheered for others. I could also see this as a true story for many people, and that saddened and disturbed me, so it was draining, but I had to read it to the end. Not just to finish the book, but to see how it all turned out. I don’t like not knowing the outcome or resolution.

It was a shattering read, and sometimes a dark sadness, but knowing, sometimes, is just that. If you aren’t afraid to face a reality, which can be grim and disturbing at times, you won’t want to read this book. If you want to learn about some realities, grim or not, and hope it can help you grow and even help others in need, then read the book. I am glad I read the book, but it is not something I can read very often. It is a challenge to my mental strength.

Christmas in Crimson By Sandra Sookoo, A Book Review

 What a delightful and engaging story. I really enjoyed this for many reasons. Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

First, the story is about a widow who can’t seem to get past the grieving stage, but then encounters an interesting and, shall we say, challenging man. She engages with him, I think, just because it was a new venture from the last several years, and wanted to be intrigued. So the start brings in the fun it was written as in keeping with the time period it occurred. Like I said, it started out in a fun way, and it continued as such throughout. I loved that.

Second, the play of the characters was enveloping. They wrapped their personalities around your mind and kept you intent on what they were going to think and do next. Some stories have characters that do dumb things. I assume these authors believe it livens up the plot,  and I always think that it ruins the whole thing. That, thankfully, was not present here and solidified my thorough enjoyment of the whole book. When you root for characters, you are totally involved in the story, and that is exactly what you get here.

Third, the story itself was fun, interesting, and kept you wondering from start to finish. I was happy. I wanted to keep reading. I needed and loved finding a sweet, simple yet engaging story that took my mind to another time and place with peace and contentment that makes you want to stay there.. There is some heightened drama in the book, but it does not overlay the basic sense of pleasant, fun entertainment.

There are more reasons I liked this story, but I won't bore you to tears with my dribble. If you like romance, intrigue, and a great story, you will enjoy this book from beginning to end.

A Flicker In The Dark By Stacy Willingham, A Book Review

 

Surprisingly, this novel was not what I expected. I actually thought it would be like a documentary-type read of what happened, from the daughter's point of view. Instead, I found a page turner, a get the next clue, a discover the next answer, story, to find out how it ends. It has many twists and turns, each making you question what really happened, and if the truth is really that, and what the end will be.

I was drawn to this book because I like puzzles. Literally, and in stories. Who did it, what did they do, why did it happen, you know, all the questions you can ask. Trying to figure out where the story is going and answering all those questions is fun for me.

The only part unrealistic to me in they types of stories is when the characters enter perilous situations, as if they are invincible, or way more courageous than they need to be. I stage them as foolish people, and it is hard to read those parts because you know miraculously, they are going to come out unscathed, or minorly injured, ready for the next irrational move. There are a few of those in this book, but they aren’t flagrant or impossible to bear, so they don’t wreck the story.

Even with things I didn’t care for, this book was a good read. I read it in a few hours because I couldn’t stop. I had to know what happened. I’m pretty sure you will do the same thing. Read it. You will be glad you did if you like to figure out clues.

The Fall (Caught Off Guard #1) By L. Sommers, A Book Review

 

Romance. This story is literally about romance, subtle and bold.

The characters are strong, yet they show their vulnerabilities. One of the leads, Liam, is very strong, very sexy, and yet has his vulnerable moments, too. These may be elusive to some readers who are more absorbed in his physical attributes, but are shown as real, tangible feelings that are exposed but not exploited by the author.  The other lead character, Desiree, has a secret. A painful one that intrudes on her present life and connections, including with Liam.

It is a romance that is written with not just dialogue, but sensual details. Most of the romance books today are heavy into the sexual details. This is not. This story flirts with the concepts and senses, but doesn’t grind out all the details to the end. It leaves you wringing the rest out in your mind, so you can move on, or not. It makes for a good book to ponder. For the imagination.

I enjoyed the story and the characters, especially Liam. He is quite interesting. And sexy, which doesn’t hurt either. I didn’t realize when I selected this book that there was a sequel to these two characters. So now I am on to finding the second book because you know I can’t stop without a formal ending. There are 4 books in this series, and all but the last, I think, are about Desiree. Even if I had read that before I got the book, I would have still purchased it to read. I love series.

If romance is your genre pick, or you just want a romance read to interrupt your normal purview, then this is a good selection. The characters are relatable and fun, and you will appreciate the sweet and realistic story.

Downfall By S.R. Kent, A Book Review

 

Any time an angel falls, a new reality emerges. This story is just that. A new reality that most can’t comprehend, nor do they want to. It defies the known ideology that they have identified with since childhood. So, is this a possible reality? It doesn’t matter because it is still a fun and lively story to enjoy.

Marijana is an angel who fell to a human status, for the love of her life. As we know, angels are selfless, so this was neither surprising nor shocking, but certainly endearing. Others fell too, which, in turn, created an enjoyable story with characters who didn’t disappoint in catching and holding your heart and your page-turning fingers.

If you enjoy fallen angel tragedies and love stories, you will enjoy this one. There could actually be a sequel, but I don’t know if one is planned.

The Scribe by Liam R. Mullen, A Book Review

 This story, in its entirety, is as relevant today as it was in its time. Christians are still pursued, and if caught, still persecuted today all over the world. Reading this book was an eye-opening exploration, driving the reader into the yesteryear (world) of the scribes in the Bible. Due to the extent of time the book traverses, there is a lot to digest for more than one character, which I feel dilutes the story of Luke, the scribe. Had the story stuck to just Luke and interspersed the other facts necessary without the other characters’ cumbersome and time-consuming details, I would have loved the story. As it is, I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. That is a personal preference and not something that may hinder others, and should not deter anyone from reading this book, which would be a true miss.

Luke is a scribe of the bible; a story no one really talks in depth about until now. It is a researched and creative book that is written to place you back in that time, and you will enjoy being there. Witnessing the events and characters you recognize is fun. Living the stories of that time can be entertaining and traumatizing, but it will definitely be unforgettable. You will most likely recall details of a story or stories you may have read in the bible or elsewhere about the other characters besides Luke. The details of that time and those characters may now put a scene in your mind that you can live and will most certainly remember.

The story of Jesus and his followers is a never-ending and soul-touching encounter that most people will thoroughly enjoy. The gut-wrenching events, such as the crucifixion, may dampen your spirits and hurt your heart a bit, but the overall picture is heart-warming, spirit-elevating, and love-enveloping. It is a story that no matter how many times it is told, you’re always ready to hear it again.

This book is for anyone with a quest for knowledge who loves stories of the bible and wants to experience the time of the bible through the writing and dialogue of this author. It is an enjoyable and fascinating read.

Forgive Me Not By Lacynda Mathes, A Book Review

Forgive Me Not is a murder mystery that goes down such and winding, twisting path, I had a hard time following it. That’s what you want, though, right? I thought I had it figured out, but the story kept me going to find out I didn’t have a clue. I guessed a few times at the conclusion, actually, but I was wrong each time.

Deb is a mother, a divorcee, and a girlfriend, asking herself if she should be, questioning who she is, and what kind of person she has become. She is better friends with her ex-husband now than she was when they were married. And she likes his new wife and is happy for him. She has what appears to be a tumultuous relationship with her mother and questions things, but pushes those thoughts to herself or her mother being irrational, so it’s better to just leave things alone. Not rock the boat, so to speak.

There wasn’t enough reasonable thought as to who would be trying to hurt her, or her mother, or her ex-husband's new wife, Miranda. Trying to figure that out was perplexing for her. In Deb's search and the state police, Gavin's search, she never expected to hear some truths about her family. Reading it felt like bouncing off a brick wall. So unexpected.

The writing style was short sentences, to the point, and directed you to the main character's thoughts and intentions without delving too deep. I don’t know if that was intentional to keep you guessing what happened and who did it, or not. It worked, though. Unfortunately for me, I did have trouble keeping all the characters straight. There are quite a few of them in the whole story, so I had to slow down in my reading to get it right, only so I could hopefully figure out who did it and why.

For a murder mystery, it was compelling. The characters were interesting, and kept you wondering about their full story, always wanting to know more so you had more ammunition for your own conclusion. Unfortunately, I didn’t solve it correctly before the author did.

Overall, it was a good story with good pacing for a quick read with only 190 pages. If you like murder mysteries, with a lot of characters to sort through to determine who did it and why, you will like this book. I think the story could have been enhanced and enriched with heightened anticipation and discovery had the characters been more developed and explored. That may have made the character sort and understanding a little easier.  For that reason, I gave this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.