MY BOOK REVIEWS

Book Review – Shadow And Light By Carol Koris

About the Author

Carol Koris’ mind loves to imagine; It spins out of control thinking of “what could/would happen if…”

She was born in Clifton, New Jersey, where family and friends left indelible marks on her imaginative mind. In her first career as a Registered Nurse, she was educated to care for people, both their bodies and minds, at Mountainside Hospital School of Nursing.

Carol honed her craft of writing at Florida International University, where she received an MFA in Creative Writing.

Carol now calls South Florida her home, where she lives with her husband Dave, and, happily, close to her daughters and grandsons.

She recently retired from Johnson & Wales University as a Full Professor, as well as the Chair of the College of Arts & Sciences.

The Synopsis of the Book

Shadow and Light is a novel about a photographer who loses her eight-year-old daughter in a tragic accident then chances across an opportunity to help another parent save her own daughter.
With her marriage strained and her business on the verge of failure, the novel’s protagonist, thirty-four-year-old Maggie Miller, seeks emotional refuge from the death of her daughter in the solitary activity of taking pictures of families at rest stops on the Florida Turnpike. When she finds she has inadvertently taken a picture of a missing child, Maggie’s near-obsessional quest to find the missing girl further imperils her marriage, her business, and, to the concern of those closest to her, her already-fragile psyche.

Her decisions and the actions that follow her search could save or endanger the child’s life, and Maggie realizes she has been attempting to do what she could not do for her own child. In the process of facing the subjectivity of perception and the fallibility of human nature, she brings herself to the first stirrings of self-forgiveness, acceptance, and growth. My Review

My Review

I finished this book over two weeks ago and still, it remains in my head. Koris knows how to write a story that captivated me immediately and she tells it with such raw emotions that I could truly feel the heartache of Maggie who lost her eight-year-old daughter. Something Maggie at times blames herself for.

A gut-wrenching novel that shows the heartache, anguish, and guilt parents go through when experiencing the loss of a child. Their marriage is also put to the test. Maggie wants to talk to her husband about their daughter and lean on him for support. He has no words and is angered by her grief. Will their marriage survive?

But this is not only a book about grief. It is a suspense thriller that involves a kidnapped child. Maggie believed she captured a picture of the girl and is determined to find out the truth at any cost. Even when the police turned her away, believing she was a grieving mother who was seeing things. Anxious to see what Maggie will discover, I could not turn the pages fast enough. What unfolded was a battle of “he said”, “she said”. Maggie needed to find a way to know who was telling the truth. What she discovers is mind-blowing.

This book was beautifully written. Koris is a brilliant writer who pays attention to detail and paints an amazing story with her words.

Book Review The Wife Between Us

COVER DESIGN – 5 STARS – The brilliant bright blue color drew me in straight away.  The cover captures the storyline perfectly. 

CHARACTERIZATION – 5 STARS – I felt every emotion each character felt, from heartache, anger, and sympathy to name a few. The personalities of each person developed perfectly as the story unfolded. I could honestly say I knew them all well by the time I had finished the book.   

STORY & PLOT 5 STARS –  A fantastic storyline that kept getting better and better.  

OVERALL RATING – 5 STARS – I can not say enough about this book. I loved everything about it and highly recommend it. I am anxiously waiting for another book written by Carol Koris.

Available on Amazon

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A Cuppa & A Natter (Live Chat) With Author Marci Bolden
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MY BOOK REVIEWS

Book Review Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci

Book Review Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci

Book Review Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci
Buy The Book From Amazon

My book club which is held at our local library recently finished this book and discussed it at our last meeting. As always I like to share our thoughts with you.

About the Author

David Baldacci has been writing since childhood when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, “because every mom needs a break now and then.”)

David published his first novel ABSOLUTE POWER, in 1996. A feature film followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 37 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers and several have been adapted for film and television. His novels have been translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries, with over 130 million worldwide sales. David has also published six novels for younger readers.

David received his Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, after which he practiced law in Washington D.C.

 

The Synopsis of the Book

It’s seared into Atlee Pine’s memory: the kidnapper’s chilling rhyme as he chose between six-year-old Atlee and her twin sister, Mercy. Mercy was taken, Atlee was spared.

She never saw Mercy again.

Three decades after that terrifying night, Atlee Pine works for the FBI. She’s the lone agent assigned to the Shattered Rock, Arizona resident agency, which is responsible for protecting the Grand Canyon.

So, when one of the Grand Canyon’s mules is found stabbed to death at the bottom of the canyon and its rider missing- Pine is called in to investigate. It soon seems clear the lost tourist had something more clandestine than sightseeing in mind. But just as Pine begins to put together clues pointing to a terrifying plot, she’s abruptly called off the case.

If she disobeys direct orders by continuing to search for the missing man, it will mean the end of her career. But unless Pine keeps working the case and discovers the truth, it could spell the very end of democracy in America as we know it…

Our Review

Book Review Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci

This was another book that created mixed feelings amongst the group. First of all, I don’t think any of us realized before reading it that it was the first book in a series  (An Atlee Pine Thriller Book 1). The book was pretty much the setting foundation of the main character, Atlee Pine by way of what some of us thought was a very confusing and mixed storyline. Others in the group loved it and even brought more of his books after reading this one.

That’s what I love about book clubs. They will take you away from your comfort zone and the genres you normally read and many times introduce you to new authors that you’d probably never discover if it wasn’t for being a suggestion at the book club

Anyway back to the book. We all agreed, the book pulled us in straight away. It began with Atlee’s interrogation in a high-security prison where only the worst of criminals were housed. She believed the prisoner was the man who took her twin sister over thirty years ago.  The first few chapters of the book gave the impression that this was going to be a story about Atlee trying to get to the bottom of what happened to her sister.  Sounds good, doesn’t it? I was on board and wanted to know too what happened to her.

Suddenly the story switched gears and it’s now all about a dead mule that was found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and the missing rider. None of this had anything to do with how we were pulled into the book in the beginning. It was almost like two stories thrown into one book.  I and a few others in the group kept reading hoping it would shift back to the case of the missing sister but it didn’t. A huge disappointment for me and I soon began to lose interest in the book. I almost felt like I had been deceived by the switch and bait method that was used to draw a reader in.

The ending was also a disappointment for some of us because it ended with a cliff hanger. I, in particular, wasn’t pleased with the unfinished ending.  When I invest my time in a book, I expect a complete story and not be forced to buy the next one. I’ve never like this tactic and think it’s highly unfair to the reader. When an author tends to do this, I personally will not read their books.

Overall, some members loved it and are anxious to read the next book in the series which is currently available to pre0ordr on Amazon by the way. Others like myself didn’t care for it.

Our Overall Rating

Book Review Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci

COVER DESIGN – 3 STARS – The colors choices are bold and bright but the title is deceiving 

CHARACTERIZATION – 4 STARS – The characters were well developed and Atlee had some interesting traits for a woman. She was a tough woman – written almost like a superhero. 

STORY & PLOT 3 STARS – We had mixed feelings about this as explained in the review. A few loved it and others hated the tease and unfinished story.

OVERALL RATING – 3 STARS – I personally would not recommend this book because of the cliff hanger.

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Book Review INSPIRED BY MURDER by Audrey J. Cole

Book Review INSPIRED BY MURDER by Audrey J. ColeAbout the Author

Book Review INSPIRED BY MURDER by Audrey J. Cole

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Audrey J. Cole is a registered nurse and a writer of thrillers set in Seattle. After living in Australia for the last five years, Audrey now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children.

Website: https://www.audreyjcole.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AudreyJCole

Twitter: https://twitter.com/audreyjcole

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Audrey-J.-Cole/e/B071GFZMLT

The Synopsis of Inspired by Murder

Click Image to Buy From Amazon

To write the perfect murder, he needs to commit the perfect crime.

Tired of his day job, psychiatrist Eric Lero yearns to fulfill his true destiny of becoming a New York Times bestselling author. But there is one thing he lacks to create an enthralling murder mystery: real-life inspiration. Continue reading “Book Review INSPIRED BY MURDER by Audrey J. Cole”