{Review} FAILED MOMENTS by A. Robert Allen

ISBN #: 978-1505814675

Page Count: 244

Copyright: February 5, 2015

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Description:

(Taken from back cover)

What do a biracial plantation owner, an Irish street fighter, and a daydreaming stock trader have in common? A first name? Or, perhaps, the ability to make catastrophic mistakes?

History is chock-full of failed moments, but what if, to fix your own mistakes, you had to right the wrongs of two other men long dead?

Tackling race relations from a unique perspective, Failed Moments, is a thought-provoking adventure through four centuries that questions the measure of a man not by his decision to do no harm, but his willingness to act on what is right.

Charlene's Review:

Patrick’s story begins in a hotel lobby as he waits for a date. Unbeknownst to him, he is actually in a coma and his date is his deceased aunt. As she explains the complexities of their reunion, Patrick is guided back in time to his former lives, where we follow him as he faces societal and racial discriminations. Patrick learns he must right the wrongs of those before him in order to move on to his final reward.

Reminiscent of Dickens' Christmas Carol, Mr. Allen reminds the reader that every action and decision we make causes a ripple effect on the future. Dealing with issues such as racism, social class , and reincarnation, Failed Moments is a sad testament to the worst of mankind, but also to the ability of man to undo the damage by choice and action.

This was a slower read for me, as it unfolds in stages, and I occasionally had to look back to make connections, but it definitely leaves the reader to soulfully question their own connection to the past. Failed Moments is a highly detailed, historically complex novel worthy of recognition.


*A physical copy of the novel was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} THE APOLLINE SIBYL (APOCALYPSE SIGNS, BOOK 2) by Dave Becker

ISBN #: 978-0985365363

Page Count: 310

Copyright: September 30, 2014

Publisher: Dave Becker

Book Summary:

(Taken from Goodreads)

Fiery tornadoes cut through quiet forests. Balls of lightning burn everything in their paths. Earthquakes open chasms that swallow vehicles whole. Clement is reeling from a new onslaught of curses, and it all started the day a mysterious, giant woman arrived at Jenna's school.

Jenna Hamilton was just hoping for a normal sophomore year of high school. Instead she finds herself trapped in the middle of devastating plagues, mythical creatures, and a satanic plot to destroy the people she loves most. As she struggles to make sense of her little corner of the world, Jenna learns that the rest of the planet is dying and she may be the key to its survival.

Kathy's Review:

I reviewed the first book in this series, The Faustian Host, almost three years ago. So the details of the first book were a little foggy for me. This is a continuation, but it’s the next year, and this book centers around Jenna, who I don’t even remember from book one, to be perfectly honest. Jenna is part of the group of friends that figured prominently in TFH, most notably Tony.

Like the first book, the second one is fast-paced, chock-full of action, and also packed with literary and historical references that prove to be useful in the kids saving the world at the end, as it were. Some things don’t quite make sense to the reader, but I think for YA fare, the plot holes might be overlooked or simply forgiven because the story is so good. The author is clearly very well read, and his knowledge of history, as well as mythology, feeds well into this book.

At the end, there are more questions than answers, once again leaving the door wide open for the third book. The evil cult that just walks around the town harassing people is still out there and isn’t really neutralized at the end (sorry, spoiler alert). What will they cook up to try to destroy the world in book three? I guess we’ll have to wait and see. If the formula holds true, book three will feature another one of the group of friends as its main character. Who will it be?


*A physical copy of the novel was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} THE DUCHESS QUEST, JORDINIA: BOOK 1 by C.K. Brooke

ISBN #: 978-1937546342

Page Count: 412

Copyright: October 3, 2014

Publisher: 48fourteen

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

Love is destined to find her...
                 
Dainy doesn't know that she is the lost Duchess of Jordinia, believed to have been assassinated fifteen years ago. Nor does she know that her uncle has implemented an illegal contest to seek her, offering her marriage hand as the reward!

Though at odds, three clashing rivals - including a noble giant, a forest dweller and a thieving rake - voyage together by woodland, prairie and sea to recover the lost royal, notwithstanding the assassins and spies at their tail. Soon, young Dainy is swept into a comically complex romantic quadrangle as each suitor competes to capture her heart.

Charmingly romantic and bursting with political intrigue, startling twists and vivid characters, readers of romance and fantasy alike will adore this original yet timeless tale of swashbuckling adventure and unlikely love.

Shelley's Review:

This book was confusing to say the least.  It was like Moses meets Anastasia Romanof.  Although the book is said by the author to be a timeless story, it was a hard read.  The swashbuckling part and the fact that it involved royalty and castles seemed as though it was in early times.  But the story of the lock that could only be opened by royal blood seemed beyond the time frame of the whole book. I was very disappointed by the whole book and if there is a Book 2, I would not purchase it.


*A physical copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} CATCH US IF YOU CAN by Marc Feinstein

ISBN #: 978-0991515318

Page Count: 474

Copyright: September 14, 2014

Publisher: Oldbrook Books

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

Catch Us If You Can is a coming-of-age tale of small town but urban youth growing up in the late 1960s trying to untangle the answer to Bruce Springsteen's haunting question: "Is a dream a lie if it don't come true or is it something worse?"

It is 1967. In Oldbrook, where basketball is a religion and making the high school team is a confirmation, Gene Gennaro is sailing through his freshman year, blown along by the steady prevailing innocent winds of the time — sports, girls, and Rock & Roll. When a tragedy thrusts him into a new world forever rocked by the fateful day, he begins a journey through the berserk times. For Gene, the Summer of Love is a summer of healing, buoyed by The Beatles and basketball. The next three frenetic years of high school are a lifeline as unbreakable as the fidelity of his friendships with five basketball teammates; most of all, Reuben, his best buddy since before kindergarten, whose lifeline at times turns into the rope for a tug-of-war between fate and will, testing their classically loyal friendship.

Mandy's Review:

In the beginning we see that Gene has come back for his 40-year high school reunion. He and Reuben, Gene's best childhood friend, are walking through the old neighborhood reminiscing. Some memories are good and some are ... well ... not so good. It's one of these not-so-good memories that draws the reader into the novel. As the reader continues their exploration into Gene's memories of his high school years, it's expected that the story is building up to the climax of Gene's not-so-good memory that compels the reader to continue. And, while the climax is climatic in its own way, it's not really what I was expecting.

After I finished reading the novel, I sat and contemplated it for a day or so trying to figure out what the purpose of telling Gene's story was. It's not a light read that you can finish in an afternoon. It's focused around basketball, but Gene's not a main player. He mostly sits on the bench. What could be learned from this novel are two things: 1.) things are not always as they appear and 2.) life keeps moving on regardless of what happens.

Gene thought he knew his friends pretty well, especially Reuben. Reuben was portrayed as being everyone's conscious. He always fought for what was right. Reuben never participated in anything shady. Then, after a basketball game one day, Reuben goes berserk and Gene finds out that Reuben took a pill from one of their friends before the game. Gene believed Reuben to be the one friend that he had a relationship with where there were no secrets between them. Finding out that Reuben was hiding something was a wake-up call and growing moment for Gene. He realized, as we all do at some point in our lives, that even friends don't always reveal everything about themselves to others. Maybe it's because they're afraid of being judged or they feel guilty. Whatever the reason, nobody is 100% completely, openly honest with any other human and Gene learned that late in high school.

The personal tragedy that Gene went through was life-altering. To have so much ripped away from you in one moment was heart-wrenching. I'm not going to say that Gene dealt with that situation the best possible way, but he did deal with it a lot better than I would have expected him to.

Catch Us If You Can isn't one of those novels that you can rave about right away. Rather, it's a novel that needs to be thought about and discussed to contemplate the deeper meanings behind the story. I enjoyed this novel for that very reason.


*A physical copy of this novel was provided by the publicist in exchange for an honest review.

First Line Friday #12

First lines of novels can capture your attention, give you a clue to the character's past or present, set the stage for the entire novel, or more. First lines are extremely important and have a great responsibility. With that in mind, we'd like to welcome you to First Line Friday.

Lupe's Read

A crowd of thousands shifted nervously on the great lawn in front of Wentworth House, waiting for the coffin to be brought out. It was the winter of 1902.

Charlene's Read

"No picture. No name. No background," he whispered to himself as he realized none of this missing information mattered.