Charline Ratcliff's Blog, page 5

"Photographs and Memories" Book Review

"Photographs and Memories" Book Reviewed: 05/2010

Author: Barbara Fifield

I opted to read and review "Photographs and Memories" because it seemed as if the book would hold a powerful message for any reader who has experienced the loss of a family member or friend. I could also see the possibility of this book providing helpful information for those who have not yet experienced the loss of a loved one. Sadly, I was very disappointed with both the quality of the book as well as Barbara Fifield's writing style.

To start, Ms. Fifield has a very choppy writing style. She seems to flit forward; then backward; then forward again with the same erratic pattern of a butterfly in flight but leaves the reader without the pleasant feeling one gets from watching the butterfly. There were also times when the author herself seemed to forget the sequencing of her own story. A great example of this would be the book's back jacket where it clearly states "Suddenly and unexpectedly, Angela's mother dies. Angela turns to her husband for support, but in the cruelest turn of fate, he too suddenly passes away. All alone, except for the helpless Martha, Angela must now gently coax her failing father into a nursing home." Not to give too much of this book away but the CORRECT order of these events is: Angela's father was placed in a nursing home, then Martha passed away, and then Angela's husband passed away as well.

Moving on, I found Ms. Fifield's descriptions of people, places and events shaky at best and the dialogue among the characters came across as stilted and unnatural. At times I was extremely put off by some of the character conversations as they seemed better suited to a five-year-old child than a sixty-one year old woman.

And finally, as far as the premise of "Photographs and Memories" I was expecting a book with a powerful message that could help people cope with loss. In the end, when I had finished reading it, I felt completely let down. There was no message and there was no power behind her words. It was basically just a recounting of events that the author has experienced. While my heart goes out to her for what she has been through this book comes across merely as the therapeutic writing of the author and reads like a diary.

"Follow The Money" Book Review

"Follow The Money" Book Reviewed: 05/2010

Author: Ross Cavins

I don't normally read books that are a collection of short stories. However, after reading the jacket blurb for "Follow The Money" I figured I should make an exception because this book sounded like it would be funny. Plus, I really wondered what Peanut Butter Crunch, cowboy boots and Jesus all had in common. I was also curious why Katie Couric was in the same equation as Heineken and hot peppers. Since curiosity hasn't killed me yet I decided to read "Follow The Money" since it was the only way to find out the answers.

In the beginning "Follow The Money" was difficult for me to get into. It seemed that every time I started to enjoy a story; the next thing I knew; it was over. It was also very apparent that the book was written by a man and the book's general appeal seems to be geared toward those of the masculine gender. Luckily for me I have a cynical and sarcastic streak which definitely helped with the "guy" aspect of this book's humor. Once I got beyond the shortness of the stories I did enjoy the read more.

Cavins does have very good writing skills. While some of the characters portrayed in his stories were lacking in their thinking and / or communication abilities neither of those things were an issue for Cavins. I definitely found "Follow The Money" to be a unique read. Yes, it is a collection of short stories but each tale is connected to the prior one. Once you realize this both the title of the book and the beginning quotation take on a new found meaning. Each story is off-the-wall and a little on the wacky side. While Cavins is no George Carlin he is a humorous writer and you will enjoy his book so long as you enjoy a cynical look at life and idiotic people.

For the women out there who don't really enjoy a male oriented book I suggest picking this one up for the guy in your life. "Follow The Money" will travel with him when he inevitably disappears into the bathroom for thirty minutes under the pretense of "using the facilities."

"Dead Forever: Awakening" Book Review

"Dead Forever: Awakening" Book Reviewed: 05/2010

Author: William Campbell

I came across  a book title that immediately caught my eye: "Dead Forever: Awakening." Interesting… This of course prompted me to visit Amazon's website in order to find out a little more about the book. The words "Imagine a world where death is merely an inconvenience" jumped off the proverbial page at me and I found myself immediately intrigued by the concept. Who wouldn't want to live forever? Even if "living forever" ultimately meant living a full life, experiencing a real death and then finding oneself inhabiting a new body. Hmmm…

The premise of "Dead Forever: Awakening" is that once you die you will resume living while still retaining all of your memories, all of your likes and dislikes and all of your various skills and talents. How's that for having your cake and eating it too? Well, therein lies the catch because immortality comes with a very high price. People now answer to a "master" and things like individuality, creativity and freedom to think for yourself are no longer allowed. Of course there are those who find themselves unable to conform to these rigid rules and they refuse to accept this life. Since no one can really "die forever" the masters devise a clever solution. Permanent amnesia. How can a person fight if they can't remember what they are fighting for? Yup, I decided I definitely needed to read the book so I could find out what happens.

For the most part I was pretty happy with "Dead Forever: Awakening." The author, William Campbell, has an easy to follow writing style. His words flow well; his story is descriptive but not boring; each character has a unique personality and Campbell does a great job of bringing them to life. However, there were times when a scene from the book would remind me of a scene from "The Matrix." Consequently I became distracted by these similarities which unfortunately took some of the enjoyment out of the read for me.

In summary I give "Dead Forever: Awakening" a solid four star rating and I would recommend it for readers of all ages. I hope Campbell keeps up the great writing and I look forward to reading more of his works in the future.

"Searching for Eden" Book Review

"Searching for Eden" Book Reviewed: 04/2010

Author: Keith Madsen

Evan Jordan's life is turned upside down by the unfortunate death of his fourteen-year-old daughter. How does one even begin to handle that? He is lost and hurting and trying to find peace within himself. Before his daughter passed away she had expressed an interest in the Garden of Eden. In an attempt to find something he needs, although he is unsure what it is he is seeking, he sets out to find the Garden.

Evan is not sure if the Garden is fact or fiction but he realizes a quest of this magnitude requires more knowledge on the subject than he possesses. He sets out to recruit help. Somehow he manages to convince a beautiful archaeologist to accompany him while at the same time he manages to rescue a young girl from a life of prostitution.  Coincidentally the girl he saves is the same age as his deceased daughter.

Evan's journey takes him through Iran and Iraq where he meets wonderful people from differing religions who all pull together to help him find what he's looking for. They scour the lands searching for clues to the Garden of Eden's location until they anger the Iranian government because they were too close to nuclear sites. At this point the journey becomes part quest and part rescue mission.

All in all I found "Searching For Eden" to be a touching story but at times it definitely bordered on the unbelievable side. This is a fictional book; however, the backdrop is centered in the Middle East which makes it challenging to remember the genre of "fiction" and the strong religious current throughout the book didn't help either.

The author, Keith Madsen, does a great job of being descriptive and it's easy to empathize with the book's characters. Madsen comes across as knowledgeable about the countries traversed within this tale and at times he provides a very different perspective on the varying religions. His writing style is informative yet fun making it easy to follow. At times there was a little too much "drama" for my own personal taste but overall I found it to be a well written book. To sum up: a good read with a powerful message.

"Genoa Bay" Book Review

"Genoa Bay" Book Reviewed: 04/2010

Author: Bette Nordberg

I found "GenoaBay" to be a delightful and charming read. The author, Bette Nordberg does a wonderful job of skillfully bringing this tale to life. She is extremely descriptive and attentive to detail without becoming boring or long-winded. While the book is fictional I do feel that many readers will be able to empathize with the story and its characters in one way or another.

The main character, Brandy Beauchamp, inherits a bed and breakfast located onVancouver Island. The property is beautiful but will require a tremendous amount of energy, commitment and tender loving care in order to return it to its former glory. Brandy is faced with a difficult choice. Should she stay in her current situation which seems to be taking her nowhere or should she take a chance on a new and previously unexpected opportunity?

Signs, which seem to be telling her to go, jump out at her on a regular basis and Brandy finally realizes she needs to just take a leap of faith and act on this chance. Much to the dismay of her friends and family she uproots herself and her five-year-old daughter Gabby. Together they move to British Columbia in order to take on this huge project and have a chance at a new life.

Once there though things are not as cut and dried as Brandy originally expected them to be. There is a lot of back-breaking work to be done and she continuously wonders if she has made the right choice. It doesn't help that a local property developer wants to purchase the land that her bed and breakfast sits on and she is shocked by the lengths he is willing to go to in order to get what he wants.

In closing, "Genoa Bay" was a well written novel and definitely a fun read. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages. Bette Nordberg has a fantastic writing style. Her words have the ability to remove you from your own life before they deposit you right into the pages of her book. I look forward to reading more of her works in the future.

"Flaherty's Crossing" Book Review

"Flaherty's Crossing" Book Reviewed: 04/2010

Author: Kaylin McFarren

Normally in my reviews I start with information about the book but in this case I am going to start with the author. I found Kaylin McFarren to be a very descriptive writer. She is able to describe people and situations in a clear yet interesting manner without becoming too wordy or boring. I would liken her writing style to that of Danielle Steele and I think her works will make a wonderful addition to the romance genre.

"Flaherty's Crossing" is a heartfelt story about a woman whose entire life seems to be in turmoil. Kate Flaherty, the main character, is a woman in constant emotional pain. Because of her life experiences, her upbringing and the death of her mother when she was a small child she refuses to allow anyone completely into her life. Instead she keeps everyone, including her husband, at arms length preferring to hide behind the facade of a perfect life.

We first meet Kate at her father's house where his losing battle with cancer is almost over. Kate is unsure how to feel at this point. On the one hand she is angry at him for shutting her out of his life ever since the death of her mother. On the other hand she is still daddy's little girl; desperately wishing for his love and affection or at least a sign that he is proud of who she has become as an adult. He passes away while she is not there which leaves her adrift; warring with feelings of guilt, sorrow and anger.

Kate is also battling with a marriage that is falling apart and neither she, nor her husband Drew, seems to know how to reach out to the other to fix it. They are both at an impasse. She feels she cannot trust him because he is always letting her down and he feels that she no longer wants him in her life.

Several key events transpire which force Kate to face previously unknown truths; force her to question the validity of the reality she thought she knew and force her to realize that no one is perfect. Armed with this new information can Kate rescue herself, her life, and her marriage before it's too late? The answers to that and to the "rest of the story" can be found on the pages of "Flaherty's Crossing."

"Deserted Ocean" Book Review

"Deserted Ocean" Book Reviewed: 04/2010

Author: Norman Holy

Wow, what a phenomenal story! "Deserted Ocean" is a well-written, well-researched, descriptive yet interesting book. Take into account that it is actually non-fiction and suddenly the message within its pages becomes truly frightening. Bottom-line, we are killing the oceans and its inhabitants. The ocean floors are fast becoming barren wastelands which the majority of us can't see because these "deserts" sit under hundreds of feet of water. This is a dire situation because the oceans play an important role in our survival as a species.

The author, Norman Holy, does an excellent job of compiling information in an easy to read and understand format. He uses more than just the last century as a barometer for these findings and instead follows the degradation of our oceans back over a thousand years. It's obvious that humankind has an effect on the environment. In the beginning our impact was less harmful only because we didn't have the technology to harvest the oceans in the manner we do now. However, our technological advancements have improved so much that the ocean's fish and cetaceans no longer have anywhere to hide.

This book points out, in well-documented black and white, that humans can be a thoughtless species. The majority of us do not live in harmony with the planet which, in my opinion, says a lot for our character as a whole. We are the caretakers of the earth and supposedly the most intelligent species on it. However, opposable thumbs do not a smart person make. I would also wager there is not another animal out there that could, or more importantly would, do the things we have done and are still doing.

I feel "Deserted Ocean" is a must read for anyone who calls this planet home. I know there are those who would argue about our impact; who will throw out other reasons why global warming and oceanic dead zones are occurring. I would say those people are extremely ignorant AND arrogant. While we may not necessarily agree on the amount of impact we have on the earth around us it should be obvious to all that we do have some. As our technology gets better our footprint gets larger. The question Holy seems to be asking is: are we capable of stopping the huge snow-ball barreling down upon us before it becomes the unstoppable avalanche? And if we manage to raise our awareness and lessen our impact will the oceans be able to recover from the damage we have already inflicted upon them?

"The Fires of Europe" Book Review

"The Fires of Europe" Book Reviewed: 03/2010

Author: Phyllis Harrison

I have to say "The Fires of Europe" initially drew my attention because of the title as well as the book's cover. However, I was unsure whether I actually wanted to read it until I perused the back and the words "Huguenots" and "Catholicism" jumped out at me. My family traces some of its lineage back to France until, being Huguenots, they opted to move to the Netherlands rather than face religious persecution from the Roman Catholic Church. Needless to say there is some family history for me within this book and it instantly became a "must read."

In reading it I was not disappointed either as once I picked the book up I was unable to set it down. The author, Phyllis Harrison, is a very descriptive writer but does not overload one with so much information as to make the book read like a textbook. He seamlessly combined 16th century history, religious intrigue, plots, hidden agendas, and the story of a young man from a wealthy and well respected family who unfortunately managed to get himself caught up in the middle of all this quite by accident.

Gilles Montroville is a pampered young man living in France in the year 1640. We first meet him inRouenwhere he is bored and rather upset at being required to learn the intricacies of his father's shipping business. He would much rather be wandering the docks seeking out new and exciting adventures. If he cannot do that then he would even settle for listening to tales of interesting exploits from seasoned sailors instead of being chained to a desk in a stuffy office learning boring skills like accounting. We follow his life, which is actually that of his parents choosing, until suddenly and without warning, everything changes and he is thrown into a world that he has never experienced before.

In summary, I found "The Fires of Europe" to be a captivating read and a well written story. I definitely recommend it to readers of all ages. Harrison covers the history and religious upheavals of the time with believability and his writing style makes it an easy and enjoyable read.

"The Election" Book Review

"The Election" Book Reviewed: 03/2010

Author: Darryl Greer

"The Election" initially started out as a difficult read for me to get into. The book is set in Australia and the author writes with a distinct Australian flair which takes a little getting used to especially as I didn't have my Aussie to English dictionary available for some of the lingo. Crikey! It also didn't help that in the opening chapter I was almost immediately thrust into a tragic and shockingly gruesome World War II scene which transpired on the Kokoda Track in 1942. I presumed this was an integral piece of information for later in the story but I hoped that there would not be too much more of the same throughout. However, once I started reading the subsequent chapters the tone changed and I was able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the book.

"The Election" focuses on Australia becoming a republic and the consequent campaigning and election of its first president. One of the book's main characters, Michael Takada, is Australian-born but his father is full-blooded Japanese. These are turbulent times for Michael Takada and his family as well as anyone of Japanese decent within the country because of racial discrimination from a fanatical right-wing organization as well as a white supremacist terrorist group. While I know the story is fictional I am aware that racial discrimination is not and quite often the book took a very realistic turn because of this.

In summary, "The Election" is a well written story and the author, Darryl Greer, does an excellent job of making the characters come to life for the reader. He walks us through the complete election process which begins with an "idea" of who the candidates should be and ends with Australia successfully voting in its very first president. The ending has a rather unexpected twist which definitely leaves an opening for a sequel should the author feel compelled to write one. Lastly, Greer is descriptive without becoming verbose or boring and I feel "The Election" will definitely hold the attention of anyone who reads it. All in all a great book; an interesting read and I highly recommend it.

"The Barbary Pirates" Book Review

"The Barbary Pirates" Book Reviewed: 03/2010

Author: William Dietrich

I found "The Barbary Pirates" by William Dietrich to be an attention grabbing tale. This book is the author's most recent work and features Ethan Gage in yet another adventure. I enjoyed the read so much I will be making a point to read more of Dietrich's books in the future. Honestly, I had difficulty setting the book down. When I was sitting in court waiting to find out if I was going to be selected for jury duty I was very thankful to have brought it with me.

Ethan Gage, the book's dashing hero, seems to be part ladies man extraordinaire and part unwitting spy. He is forever winding up in the wrong place at the wrong time and in the company of the wrong people. His character reminds me of a humorous mix of an 18th century James Bond meets Mr. Bean meets MacGyver and let's just throw in Captain Jack Sparrow for good measure since some of his adventures happen on the high seas.

Gage's usually innocent escapades have a way of landing both himself and his companions in hot water, wherever they travel, and more often than not they barely escape by the seat of their pants. Of course it is never Gage's fault; trouble just seems to follow him around as intently as Wile E. Coyote followed the roadrunner.

Like all good heroes Gage must battle countless bad guys. These heinous villains are only concerned with world domination and he must attempt to stay one step ahead of them. This challenge is made even more difficult once he discovers he must also rescue his former lover Astiza and a three-year-old son he never knew he had.

"The Barbary Pirates" is an extremely well written book. The story is entertaining and believable since Dietrich seems to recount the historical aspects in it with the same ease and familiarity of someone who had lived and experienced it several hundred years ago. It is a definite "must read" for anyone who enjoys action and adventure stories. I would even go so far as to say I feel Dietrich's work belongs on the shelf right next to Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt novels. Sit down; prop your feet up and enjoy the read!