Currently Reading

This last week was a busy one. I spent much of the week going to doctor appointments and finishing up some crochets projects that have been lingering around the house. Over the weekend I was able to attend a local writer's conference. Not many speakers were listed, but the information they provided was exactly what I needed to give me a push in the right directions. I love learning and hope for more opportunities to make my writing better.

Speaking of writing, I am so happy that my fire's been rekindled. I still believe that NaNo2012 has promise. Rewriting has been difficult because the story didn't flow right from the first chapter. There was something off about it. That threw the rest of the story off. When I figured out how to fix my first chapter, it involved a complete revision and throwing out the old chapter entirely. Now the story feels right to me and reads better, according to the few who have read the bits I have completed. 


Next up for reading;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Mom on the Road: A Novel by Allyson Ochs Primack
The Bullet: A Novel by Mary Louise Kelly


Gone to greener pastures;
Shadow Ritual (Antoine Marcas #2) by Eric Giacometti, Jacques Ravenne


This week promises to be less busy, giving me more time to knock out some of that TBR list. I feel bad for the printed books lingering at the top. They've been there a little while. It's been difficult to get my hands to work with me long enough to finish them all at once. I will get them finished. I'm too stubborn to let them sit by the wayside forever. Do you ever find it hard to finish a book? Do you walk away from it or keep trying? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time,
Kay B

Woods Runner: Massacre at Schenectady 1690 by Rejean Giguere

Release Date: February 15, 2015
Publisher: Smashwords
Author Website: http://www.rejeangiguere.com/

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Before the countries of North America had their present boundaries, the lands and water between Canada and the US were under the control of the French and the English respectively during the late 17th century. Alongside these new settlers were the various Native American tribes, each with their own customs and ways of maintaining their territories. It was into this strange mix of old and new worlds that Jean Baptiste Giguere was born and raised to become a Woods Runner, or an explorer who'd help to shape the new worlds in the coming years.

Once a settlement on the French side was attacked, Jean Baptiste signed up to avenge the deaths of the innocent and followed a long line of soldiers, other woods runners and even Native Americans into battle on the land claimed by the English. But in the whirl of axes, clouds of gunsmoke and flashes of knives, he began to feel as though he made the wrong decision. The long march back home gave him plenty of opportunity to go over everything in his mind as the weather conspired to keep them on the road longer than anticipated with surprises along the way. Can the entire column reach before it's too late? Will Jean Baptiste be able to live with what he's done and seen?

Review:
I was contacted by the author and asked to read this book in order to give it a fair and honest review. Needless to say, his email intrigued me when he included a passage about the novel's inspiration being his research into his family tree. Combining two of my favorite ways to pass time into one book, I was hooked by the time I finished the end of the first chapter. I needed to know more about Jean Baptiste and why he was with a large column of people marching through winter to enact revenge. It seemed a stiff penalty for whatever the English had done to the French - which wasn't revealed until the end of the book.

Jean Baptiste was the main character of the book. He was joined by two Native Americans which he considered brothers. Kitchi was a member of the Algonquin tribe, while Okemos was from the Sault tribe. Jean Baptiste, or Etchemin as he was known by the Saults, came to know both of the tribes as he spent more than half a year with each during his training to become a Woods Runner. The first introductions and the first time Jean Baptiste stayed with the Natives were pretty comical, especially when he stumbled over certain traditions and competitions that the Algonquin held. There were also some funny moments when he joined the Sault tribe, but not as many once he noticed that both tribes shared similar traditions. Many secondary characters filled the ranks of friends, family and enemies. Each group had their own distinct way of working in the fields or taking care of their families based upon their different belief systems. Yet, the strange mix of people worked well together until they were put under the increasing amount of stress during the return home from a long march during the harsh winter storms.

The overall story is broken into three periods of time - becoming a woods runner, heading south and heading north. Each of these periods were mingled throughout the book, but denoted at the beginning of each section along with the date. Although these sections weave in and out of the timeline, the overall story flowed well from past to present and back again. The pace of the story started strong and stayed very steady until the last word. Plenty of action kept the soldiers, Natives and woods runners moving on their trek to the English territory and back home. At times I wasn't sure which of their enemies was the worst - the weather, the warring tribes on their trail or the marching men themselves. Despite the grimness of the march, the author layered scenic descriptions around the action which helped to ease the long walk home. Along with the flashbacks to Jean Baptiste's beginnings as a woods runner, the land and large bodies of water played as much a role in the book as the characters themselves.

I really enjoyed this book for a few reasons. I liked that the inspiration was the author's own ancestor and what that ancestor may have had to endure during his lifetime. From doing research into my own family tree, I know that after a certain point in history that records become scarce. A lot of details were lost when not passed down through oral or written tradition. The author was able to recreate what might have been through research, creating a believable, unexplored world with characters easy to relate to and root for. There were many times that I forgot I was reading fiction because the author did a great job making them come to life. I also thought the balance between action and adventure was near perfect. It was so easy to keep reading whenever I needed to stop because I wanted to know what was going to happen to the characters next. I will say one thing about the ending. I'm glad that there were some avenues left open. I'm excited to see what will be in store for Jean Baptiste and his exploration party. If you're looking for some historical fiction with plenty of action and adventure, then this is the book you need to get on your TBR list.

Woods Runner: Massacre at Schenectady 1690 by Rejean Giguere is currently available at many online retailers in either paperback and digital formats. The following link will take you to the book's page at Amazon.
Woods Runner: Massacre at Schenectady 1690 by Rejean Giguere

Too Close To Me by Dave Pelzer

Release Date: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Rosettabooks
Author Website:  http://www.davepelzer.com/

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Decades after being rescued from an abusive home, Dave Pelzer bravely came forward with the shocking truth about the most horrific accounts of child abuse that California was ever made to face. Time, patience and determination helped him fight many battles of his teen years to become a well-functioning member of society as an adult. But he was from the fairy tale ending that many believed him to possess. Though he worked hard, was married and had children, issues from his past began haunting him whenever doubt or problems arose within his relationships.

Now that his second marriage ended badly, Dave struggled to free himself from the remaining chains originating from his past. Pushing his body and mind to the brink of exhaustion failed to do anything other than make troubles appear worse. That all proved to him where the answers were all along. In order for him to move forward, he must relinquish the hold his past had on him. To do so would mean facing the decisions he made along the way.

Review:
Having read the first two books written by the author, I was excited to receive this book as a prize from a giveaway at Goodreads. Though I was familiar with the author's childhood through his previous works, this book also presented the history of his family and the abuse without reliving the entirety of what he went through as a child. It was revisited in certain sections of the author's story when necessary, but the book wasn't so much about all the details of what he went through. Instead it was about how coming forward and dealing with what happened affected his life, relationships and health as an adult in this world. The author opened the book with his thoughts and feelings about his second marriage failing. By doing things the opposite way he'd done them in his first marriage, his hope was to have a better relationship with his second wife. Unfortunately, the near-ceaseless drive that carried him through most of his life began to wear on him and his marriage.

As the demise of his marriage allowed him the protection of being alone, it also gave him more time than he wanted to explore all the avenues where he'd failed and the dark recesses of his mind where the grip of the past was still very tight. The author was very open and honest about everything that occurred in his life to date, including the failings of himself and others as he viewed them. It was hard to read through the parts of the book where he delved into the past, remembering all the horrible things he endured at the hands of his mother, but they were necessary to understanding how he still had the need to impress and the desire to appease everyone. This also included both his parents, even though each were long gone and each had hurt him in different ways. The weight of all his obligations, both real and imagined, took a toll on his mind and body after so many years. They left him with panic attacks, severe nausea and tremors that frightened him more than anything because he feared that was turning into her.

While the book maintained a fairly steady pace from the opening chapter, there were a few places where I felt it slowed almost to a crawl, but picked up again within a few scenes. Life can often be like that, so it didn't surprise me that the book would follow suit since it was about the author's own life. Though the book as a whole had an impact on me, two scenes really got to me. The first came in the middle of his dealing with the divorce of his second wife. Mr. Pelzer was asked to spend some time with wounded Marines. As he spent time with each one, he had a revelation about himself which allowed him to break some of the bonds the past had on him. The interactions between he and the soldiers were poignant and heart-breaking at the same time. The second moment which stuck out in my mind was near the end of the book when he finally understood what he'd needed to change in order to move forward with his life. It was a major part in his letting go of the past and therefore, somewhat of a spoiler. You'll have to read it to see what happened.

Overall, this book hit home in a few areas. Some of present day issues mirrored my own - the overwhelming need to appease everyone, the fear of being alone though I want to be alone, and the constant need for approval. To see how they weighed on him and drove him from one extreme to another opened my eyes to what could happen in my own life if I kept on the same path. Though our pasts were different, the author and I still needed to resolve similar issues. In a way it was good to see how he went about fixing some of those issues in himself. The book gave off a sense of hope and optimism in the later chapters, making me feel like anyone could break the chains of their childhood, whether similar to the author's or not. This book should be on your TBR list if you have followed Dave Pelzer's life story and want to see another stretch of it or if you need an inspirational book where the author took a real, hard, honest look at his own self to make changes.

Too Close to Me by Dave Pelzer is currently available at several retailers, both online and in local stores. It can be purchased in either hardcover or digital (Kindle) versions. Below is the book's page at Amazon.
Too Close to Me by Dave Pelzer

Currently Reading

Spring has brought back the chilly weather for the next few days. It's the perfect opportunity to snuggle down with a comfortable blanket, a cup of something warm to drink and a pile of books next to me. Unfortunately, that's not what I've been able to do here lately. So far the year has been living up to its name as a year of change.

I'm almost completely well from my surgery. Since I feel like a different person, I've been able to focus on my to-do and TBR lists a little more each day. I was even able to spend some time writing a few days last week. Then only downside that I've noticed is my endurance is lower than it used to be before the surgery. Time to work on that as I'm working on everything else. One step at a time, one book at a time.


Devouring these words one at a time;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Shadow Ritual (Antoine Marcas #2) by Eric Giacometti, Jacques Ravenne
Mom on the Road: A Novel by Allyson Ochs Primack


Feeling satisfied with these offerings;
Revival: A Novel by Stephen King 
Too Close to Me by Dave Pelzer
Woods Runner: Massacre at Schenectady 1690 by Rejean Giguere


With everything piling on my shoulders, it's sometimes hard to keep moving forward and stay in a positive frame of mind. Books help to take my mind from the troubles for a little while. That's exactly what I need to relax and recharge. How do books help you during troubled times?

Until next time,
Kay B

Revival: A Novel by Stephen King

Release Date: November 11, 2014
Publisher: Scribner
Author Website: www.stephenking.com

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Jamie Morton lived an uneventful childhood in a small, rural town in Maine until the moment his path crossed that of Charles Jacobs, a man whose faith was tested and his hobby turned into obsession. A cruel twist of fate launched them both down a dark path for many years until they reunited again in Tulsa. This time Jamie had a growing drug addiction and Charles had an electrical addiction. Little by little the secrets Charles harbored concerning his secret electricity trickled into Jamie's world, distorting and discoloring everything around him.

Years later after Charles led a revival show around the country and claimed to cure millions, Jamie realized there was something wrong with those miracle cures. The aftereffects became too much for many, putting fear into Jamie's own heart that he might be next. His devil's bargain with Charles came to bite him in the end as Charles needed Jamie for one last revival - one to know the secrets of the afterlife.

Review:
Given this book as a gift, I had to wait a little while to begin reading. Once I was able to crack it open, I knew that I would take every opportunity to delve into whatever world the author created in the pages. At first the world looked very much like the one in which you and I are currently wasting time. True to form the author threw in a twist or two, and the world was somehow completely different. He has a way of making me believe that what happened in the book took place in a parallel universe. Though many of the same events took place in the book as in the real world, there's always an undercurrent of something strange or otherworldly running through the world of whichever book I read.

From the very beginning the main character, Jamie Morton, divulged to the reader that the events he wrote about were his truth as he experienced them. The book became a biography of sorts for the Morton family, but particularly for the youngest son, Jamie. Jamie chronicled his life from early childhood until late adulthood, including several traumatic events that were punctuated by visits from what he called 'his fifth business', otherwise known as an agent of change in the form of Charles Jacobs. Each time that their paths crossed, something drastic happened to both of their lives. In the first third of the book, King used realistic situations in which to test the characters. For me this made the characters and their reactions genuine and real, especially in their reactions. I could understand how some of the traumatic events caused a few of the characters to self destruct, even though I'd never imagined one to go to the lengths he did in order to achieve his ultimate goal.

The fact that a large portion of the book dealt with circumstances and outcomes that very well could happen lulled me into a state of believing that the "Big Bad" in this book was going to be humankind itself. Oh, was I wrong. While humans and their poor decision making did play their parts as bad guys throughout the book, it was at the very end when the other shoe dropped and the real evil revealed itself. Not going to ruin the book for others, but I didn't really expect that type of ending after such an easy introduction into Jamie's world and steady descent into his personal version of Dante's Inferno. Once the tide began to turn against him, one thing after another had Jamie crawling back into Charles's clutches. Even when it was all said and done, there was a lasting hold that they had on each other which affected all those around them as well. No one was safe from the bad luck that followed either of the two characters.

All in all, I enjoyed the book from beginning to end. I was shocked by some parts because the depths the author visited to present the downfall of the characters was more than I expected at times. Just when I dared to hope that I'd seen the lowest Jamie or Charles could go, the next chapter brought something else to the table. I was easily sucked into the book by the second chapter. The grip didn't loosen until the last few moments of the final chapter. By the time I realized that some of the events were to fantastic to really happen, the trap had already sprung. I had to believe that it could happen in order for Jamie and his loved ones to survive. If you're a fan of Stephen King who relishes his depravity or simply a lover of books that twist and shape you with each cliff-hanger, then this is the book you should pick up next.

Revival: A Novel by Stephen King is currently available in many retailers, both online and stores where books are sold. It can be purchased in several formats including hardcover, paperback, audio-book and digital (Kindle). The following link is to the book's page at Amazon.
Revival: A Novel by Stephen King

Shadow Heart (Broken Bottle #1) by Pamela Taeuffer

Release Date: February 26, 2014
Publisher: Open Heart Press
Series: Broken Bottle series, Book 1
Author Website: www.pamelataeuffer.com/

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Dark secrets were found in many families, and Nicky's family was no different. Adapting to her father's condition, she and her sister adapted to the volatile ways of their home. Nicky became obsessed with her job of leaving home and attending Stanford, pushing aside all other distractions - especially boys. To help her application to Stanford look more enticing, she put together a business plan for the local baseball team to have a cheer squad. She worked hard to perfect the cheers, connect with the fans and hit each of the goals she'd put into the plan.

What she didn't count on was a popular player, Ryan Tilton. He kept his distance from her, guarding his own dark secrets and his feelings for her as much as she hid her own awakened desires. As they struggled with their respective demons, life kept bringing them into the path of the other. Nicky must make several decisions despite her confusion. Can she maintain a relationship with anyone and achieve her goal of attending Stanford? Will letting go destroy everything including her level of control on her life?

Review:
To be honest I might not have given this book a second glance if I hadn't received a promotional email from NetGalley. The romance genre wasn't always one I delved into, but I decided to take a chance to step out of my reading comfort zone and give them a chance when I read that the books were inspired by actual events from the author's life. From the very beginning scene, there was a raw grittiness to the memories of what the main character, Nicky, and her sister, Jenise, went through as children living in a home where alcohol reigned supreme. Not every scene was filled with the turbulence of home life as Nicky navigated the world while carrying the weight of her father's "condition" and wanting to achieve her lifelong goal of leaving the town behind by attending Stanford.

Written in first person point-of-view, the book followed Nicky through the strange, double-sided childhood that she and her sister endured before her junior year of high school. It was easy to understand how she could be such a conflicted character when it came to the way in which the world really worked. Her father was a severe alcoholic that didn't think twice about enforcing his version of discipline when he was drunk. Her mother struggled to work in order to provide for the family, protect her daughters when she was home, and find a way to endure her own hell with the man she married. Since you can't have a romance novel without romance, in walked Ryan Tilton, the ruggedly handsome baseball player, and Jerry, the boy she'd known for her entire childhood. Each of these guys made a dent in her walled-off heart, but Nicky struggled to choose between them. I think that stemmed from the duality of her home life as well because she tried to push them away whenever they attempted to break through the walls she put up around her heart.

A steady pace pushed the story from event to event, making this novel a fairly quick read. Though this was a romance novel, there wasn't an overabundance of sexual scenes. Many times the characters found themselves in compromising positions, but the author didn't cross the boundary into a sex scene. That allowed Nicky to retain her steadfast control on when, where and to whom she would delve into that world. Due to the father's battle with alcohol, or liquid candy as Nicky referred to it, domestic violence was commonplace in their home. Some of these scenes were very hard to read and I wanted to get through them as soon as I possibly could. Not only did these moments make the story darker, but they left lasting marks on the lives of everyone involved and led some down a dark path.

Overall, the book was pretty enjoyable despite the darker scenes that were sprinkled throughout it. The author did a good job balancing the cold, dark truth about growing up with a parent who fought with alcoholism and keeping comedic, light moments in between to lighten the book. At some points the dialogue between Nicky and Ryan seemed a little off to me, mostly from Ryan's side. I could understand why Nicky said and did the things she did, but things he said sometimes distracted me from the story itself. I was glad to read the book and definitely glad I stepped out of my comfort zone. If you're looking for coming of age story with a dash of romance or a book which explores how someone with a dysfunctial childhood finds her footing in the world, this is one series that does those two things and more.

Shadow Heart (Broken Bottle #1) by Pamela Taeuffer is currently available in either paperback or digital (Kindle) formats. It can be found at many online retailers including Barnes & Noble as well as Amazon. Below is a link to the book's page at Amazon.
Shadow Heart (Broken Bottle #1) by Pamela Taeuffer

Currently Reading

Let me begin this week by thanking the many authors who have graciously given me patience and understanding. With all the various health problems so far this year, I haven't been able to get the job done as fast as I'd hoped. Hopefully, this is the last of the surprises in that area for the year. At least, that's what I'm believing!

I've picked up the pace a bit with the reading and reviewing. Okay, that's mostly due to the fact I'm under restrictions until I see the surgeon and get clearance to resume daily tasks. I'll still take what I can get at this point. The great thing about the past few weeks is that it's allowed me to read a few books just for fun and not to dissect on the blog. Since the surgery took away the most of the overall sick feeling I've had as of late, my mind's been stuffed full of ideas for stories and novels. I snagged scraps of paper to jot them down. not exactly sure where they will end up, but I'm willing to ride them out and see where they take me.


Moving my way through these;
The Saeshell Book of Time, Part 1: The Death of Innocents (Children of Sophista #1) by Rusty Biesele
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Woods Runner: Massacre at Schenectady 1690 by Rejean Giguere
Shadow Ritual (Antoine Marcas #2) by Eric Giacometti, Jacques Ravenne


Reached the end of the following;
What Jennifer Saw by Hal Schweig
Shadow Heart (Broken Bottle #1) by Pamela Taeuffer


Now that Spring is finally here, I've been spending more time on my screened porch. Soaking up the sunshine and breathing in the fresh air seemed to stimulate my muse. Many more pages have been edited on NaNo2012 as well as some pages written on newer ideas. Where's the best place for you to write?

Until next time,
Kay B