M.E. (MHerrera2nd) (40 books)

M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Blind But Now I See: The Biography of Music Legend Doc Watson
by Kent Gustavson

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For my full review, visit my blog at www.maryellenherrera.com

The biography of music legend, Doc Watson, Blind but Now I See is a great book about this Appalachian musician. As the title indicates, this book is a biography of Doc Watson's life. From h...more

M.E. rated a book 2 of 5 stars

A Friend of the Earth
by T.C. Boyle

read in July, 2012

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To read my complete review, please visit my blog http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/2...

A Friend of the Earth is an interesting, kind of dismal story about a man dealing with his past problems while living a routine existence – until his ex-wife com...more To read my complete review, please visit my blog http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/2...

A Friend of the Earth is an interesting, kind of dismal story about a man dealing with his past problems while living a routine existence – until his ex-wife comes on the scene and rocks his mundane world with the glories of yesterday and the promise to help return meaning to his uneventful life. The author sets the stage of his story in the future and gives the reader a disheartening account of how bad the world has become. 2025 is a world where many animals and aquatic life are extinct, global warming is a reality, and the earth is populated with people who have a nonchalant attitude towards this grimly future. The main character, Tyrone Tierwater lives in this world and at one time fought against those who mistreated the earth. Unfortunately, because of his involvement with the a group called Earth Forever!, his life is changed and he finds himself an outcast of society and the law. Will all his endeavors really help in making Earth a better place to live?

The opening chapter of the book captured my interested, but due to the gloomy outlook on life it soon became a depressing read. That’s why I welcomed the portions of the book that told about the past; even when the circumstances were dire, these parts of the story still held hope and the characters still believed that they could change the future in a positive way. I guess that is why the present story told in 2025 was so gloomy – they were now in the future and discovered their past actions really had no positive effect on the future they were now living in.

This dismal outlook was one of the reasons I walked away from this book a little torn; not really hating the story but not really liking it either. I understand why the atmosphere of the book is drab and the mood surrounding the story of Ty and the life he lives in the future is discouraging. I believe this bleak setting is intended by the author as a way to really get the reader to think about their actions and how it affects the earth. That future world of 2025 in the book could just be our future world; if we let our unconcerned attitude about the environment go unchecked. Yes, this book is more than a story to entertain. It’s a lesson too – a good lesson but one that was smothered in the story.(less)

M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars

The Whispering Road
by Livi Michael

read in May, 2012

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To read my full review, check out my blog at http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/2...

The Whispering Road by author Livi Michael will, with no doubt, open up a whole new world for the reader. The two main characters, Joe and his sister Annie, are orph...more To read my full review, check out my blog at http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/2...

The Whispering Road by author Livi Michael will, with no doubt, open up a whole new world for the reader. The two main characters, Joe and his sister Annie, are orphaned children who have escaped an intolerable living situation; a place where they were underfed and overworked. Once they are free, Joe decides the best place for them to hide is the big city of Manchester. Annie’s hope is to find their mother there, but Joe is doubtful and just wants to escape the brutal existence of the orphanage life. Ultimately their journey to the big city is full of adventure as they meet some interesting characters along the way. Due to Annie’s ability to contact spirits of those who have passed, she is left behind by Joe who thinks the traveling fair is a better place for her. Thinking she’ll be taken care of by the people in the fair, he trots off alone to the city. He soon discovers his life isn’t any easier there, but he manages to make a few friendships. Time passes and his mind begins to think of Annie. He feels bad about leaving her and makes the decision to correct his mistake – but is it too late? Life doesn’t always turn out as you’ve planned, and Joe and Annie find this hard lesson out as they travel their whispering road.

Once I began to read this book I was enveloped in it. The story was fun, adventurous, and had some interesting characters, all of which kept me reading from page to page. Because the children were traveling to the city, there was plenty of different places mentioned and that helped to keep the story flowing. The two main characters, Joe and Annie, were believable and the differences between them gave a good balance to the story. I was totally cheering them on as they came across one obstacle after another.

And this is the UK version. Although the changes are subtle, which one grabs your interest more?

Although I read The Whispering Road a few months ago, I don’t remember any areas of the book that concerned me such as language, sexual content, or gory details. However, there were a few parts in the story where Annie channeled the dead spirits – a child, for instance – of those she met on her journey to the city. Even though these encounters were mentioned in the book, I wouldn’t categorize this book as a horror novel or a supernatural one. The channeling incidents were brief and not at all scary.(less)

M.E. added

Jackson: The Iron-Willed Commander
by Paul S. Vickery

read in October, 2012

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M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Masks of the Lost Kings
by Tom Bane (Goodreads Author)

read in September, 2012

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For my full review, visit my website at: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/0...

An epic archeological adventure, Masks of the Lost Kings is a conspiracy story involving an Oxford University graduate student named Suzy da Silva. Suzy is a bright and...more For my full review, visit my website at: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/0...

An epic archeological adventure, Masks of the Lost Kings is a conspiracy story involving an Oxford University graduate student named Suzy da Silva. Suzy is a bright and upcoming archeologist who is researching her thesis on the link between Christianity and the ancient Egyptian culture. She is introduced to the Horus Corporation, the company funding her research, by Professor Piper. When she arrives in Egypt she is emerged into an ancient mystery surrounding the ancient cultures of both Egypt and Mexico. The mystery involves sacred numbers used by the Egyptians and the Mayans; small clues left in their temples that could potentially unravel a truth about the Earth’s future. Along the way Suzy is given clues from an anonymous source about this secret truth, and with the help of astrophysicist Tom Brookings, is about to discover what has been hidden for thousands of years. The only problem, some very important and influential people wish to keep this truth a secret…now Suzy and Tom are not only trying to find the answers hidden in the past but they are also fighting to stay alive in the present!

I enjoyed reading this story because of my love for mythology and of ancient cultures; these were the main factors that attracted me to the book, and they also became the reason I continued to read the book. Although the story was interesting enough, I felt the characters lacked substance. Yes, there was a background story to the main characters – Suzy and Tom – but for some reason they both didn’t really grow on me. I actually had more of a connection with Professor Logan; he seemed more realistic in his actions and behavior. That being said, the overall story was intriguing as the author kept the reader guessing. There were a few times I thought I knew who was behind the attempts on Suzy’s life only to doubt my sleuthing skills by some other circumstance that arose. Same with the mystery…I never really unraveled the clues until the very end when the author wanted you to unravel them. To me, having the reader not really know the outcome until the end is a good sign that the story is complex enough to entertain and engage the reader throughout the entire book, not just the beginning.(less)

M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Power of the Prophetic Blessing, The by John Hagee

Power of the Prophetic Blessing, The: An Astonishing Revelation for a New Generation
by John Hagee

read in September, 2012

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For my full review, click here: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/09/0...

he Power of the Prophetic Blessing takes the reader into the Old and New Testament of the Bible and teaches them about the blessings mentioned within its pages. The Priestly Bles...more

M.E. rated a book 2 of 5 stars

The Fearful Summons by Denny Martin Flinn

The Fearful Summons (Star Trek, #74)
by Denny Martin Flinn

read in June, 2012

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For my full review, visit: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/06/1...

In The Fearful Summons the Excelsior is exploring the outer limits of space when they encounter the Maldari, a Thraxian trader. Tricked into boarding Maldari’s ship, Sulu and ten othe...more

M.E. rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Star Trek: The Children of Kings
by David Stern

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For my full review, visit my blog at http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/06/1...

The Children of Kings brings to life one of the commanding adventures of Christopher Pike, the second captain of the starship Enterprise, and this galactic adventure involve...more

M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Little Suzy's Six Birthdays
by Elizabeth Prentiss

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Read my full review here: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/07/2...

Little Suzy’s Six Birthdays takes the reader on a six year journey into little Suzy’s life. Each year as Suzy grows another year older, she begins to understand what a birthday is and...more

M.E. added

The Book of Fires
by Jane Borodale

read in September, 2012

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M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars Blind But Now I See: The Biography of Music Legend Doc Watson by Kent Gustavson	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For my full review, visit my blog at www.maryellenherrera.com The biography of music legend, Doc Watson, Blind but Now I See is a great book about this Appalachian musician. As the title indicates, this book is a biography of Doc Watson's life. From h...more
Apr 14, 2013 06:16pm · see review
M.E. rated a book 2 of 5 stars A Friend of the Earth by T.C. Boyle read in July, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
To read my complete review, please visit my blog http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/2... A Friend of the Earth is an interesting, kind of dismal story about a man dealing with his past problems while living a routine existence – until his ex-wife com...more
Oct 27, 2012 11:50am · see review
M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars The Whispering Road by Livi Michael read in May, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
To read my full review, check out my blog at http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/2... The Whispering Road by author Livi Michael will, with no doubt, open up a whole new world for the reader. The two main characters, Joe and his sister Annie, are orph...more
Oct 20, 2012 04:18pm · see review
M.E. added Jackson: The Iron-Willed Commander by Paul S. Vickery read in October, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 20, 2012 04:17pm
M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars Masks of the Lost Kings by Tom Bane (Goodreads Author) read in September, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For my full review, visit my website at: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/10/0... An epic archeological adventure, Masks of the Lost Kings is a conspiracy story involving an Oxford University graduate student named Suzy da Silva. Suzy is a bright and...more
Oct 06, 2012 11:51am · see review
M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars Power of the Prophetic Blessing, The: An Astonishing Revelation for a New Generation by John Hagee read in September, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For my full review, click here: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/09/0... he Power of the Prophetic Blessing takes the reader into the Old and New Testament of the Bible and teaches them about the blessings mentioned within its pages. The Priestly Bles...more
Sep 04, 2012 08:52pm · see review
M.E. rated a book 2 of 5 stars The Fearful Summons (Star Trek, #74) by Denny Martin Flinn read in June, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For my full review, visit: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/06/1... In The Fearful Summons the Excelsior is exploring the outer limits of space when they encounter the Maldari, a Thraxian trader. Tricked into boarding Maldari’s ship, Sulu and ten othe...more
Sep 04, 2012 08:49pm · see review
M.E. rated a book 4 of 5 stars Star Trek: The Children of Kings by David Stern	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
For my full review, visit my blog at http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/06/1... The Children of Kings brings to life one of the commanding adventures of Christopher Pike, the second captain of the starship Enterprise, and this galactic adventure involve...more
Sep 04, 2012 08:47pm · see review
M.E. rated a book 3 of 5 stars Little Suzy's Six Birthdays by Elizabeth Prentiss	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Read my full review here: http://maryellenherrera.com/2012/07/2... Little Suzy’s Six Birthdays takes the reader on a six year journey into little Suzy’s life. Each year as Suzy grows another year older, she begins to understand what a birthday is and...more
Sep 04, 2012 08:45pm · see review
M.E. added The Book of Fires by Jane Borodale read in September, 2012	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 04, 2012 08:43pm

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