Samyann's Blog, page 48
October 16, 2014
The Shadow Rises by K. S. Marsden – eBook Review
Well, what a nice ride! This wonderful story opens with immediate intrigue. Hunter Astley is a normal guy, sitting at an out-door table having a beer. From this point forward throw normal out the window. Hunter is a professional witch hunter. So begins this adventure through colorful characters and the beautiful description of locales, extraordinarily creative writing on the part of K.S.Marsden. Only a couple of hundred pages long, The Shadow Rises, is easily absorbed in one sitting. However, not easily read only once. This one will capture your attention again and again. Great read.
October 15, 2014
The Collector by Nora Roberts – Audiobook Review
I want to grow up to be a house sitter like Lila. What a great gig! Live in these beautiful homes, rent free, take care of sweet animals. Nice job, if you can get it. 
While doing her fabulous job in a gorgeous apartment, Lila witnesses a murder in an apartment out her window. Sound like a familiar premise? You’re right, the Jimmy Steward movie, Rear Window. That is where any familiarity to that film noir ends, however. From this point forward, it’s all Nora Roberts. But, not one of her best efforts. I listened to the audiobook version. The two female leads came across as ‘valley-girlish’, the men way too alpha. Lot’s of strange fascination with stiletto shoes, the sparkly the better … a dead giveaway to female characters that are on the shallow side, or a transparent attempt to appeal to airheads? Just me, likely. The book (maybe the author?) has many fans.
Not my cup ‘o tea. However, if you’re a fan of Nora Roberts, you’ll be okay with this book. There are a few thousand reviews, ergo not much more I can add.
October 14, 2014
Amazon Review of Yesterday – A Novel of Reincarnation
Far more than your typical sugary romance novel, October 13, 2014This review is from: Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation (Kindle Edition)
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel’s treatment of reincarnation, a theme which is often misunderstood and oversimplified. The novel begins with high intensity action and drama, and the rekindling of what we later learn is a timeless romance. The subject of reincarnation is what drew me to this book, however, and the author does not disappoint, treating the subject matter with great depth and thought-provoking narrative. Kudos to Samyann on the detail and accuracy with which she describes the scenes and settings of the characters’ previous lifetimes. Overall a great read that is far more than a sugary romance novel, as it opens our minds to the vastness of our soul’s journey towards finding true love.
… by Daniel Parmeggiani, author of The Magnificent Truths of our Existance
October 12, 2014
Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow – Audiobook Review
Like most war veterans, David Dubin never told his children anything about his time in the service, the horrors he witnessed. Now, he’s dead. While cleaning out a closet of his father’s old clothes, Stewart, his son, finds love letters and eventually a manuscript from the 1940s. His father loved a woman other than his mother. His father was nominated for a Silver Star during WWII. A court-martial was empowered to determine if David Dubin should be imprisoned. What else doesn’t Stewart know about his father? And…what does all this stuff mean?
The battle scenes are vivid and cinematic, the liberation of camps vivid, heartbreaking, and cinematic as well. Although this story is fiction, the horror of war and the devastating impact of war for those who survive, witnesses, and die, is not … it is real and chilling.
If you’re looking for some insight into what war does to people, this is a very realistic accounting, wrapped around an intriguing mystery.
This audiobook has been on my todo reading list since 2005. If I’d have know it was this good, I wouldn’t have waited so long. Just over thirteen hours of listening, Ordinary Heroes, is nicely read by Edward Hermann. This narrator is a good choice by Turow, in that Hermann has narrated other historical novels, and actually played historical characters in movies (FDR, for one). There is a comfortable feeling throughout this listen, an authoritative glimpse of the past. In some instances, you’ll hear the mortars and bombs of WWII … coming through wonderfully both in Turow’s prose and Hermann’s interpretation.
Recommended.
October 8, 2014
Racheal Awakened by Robin Dilks – eBook Review
Racheal Awakened is just over 215 pages long and can therefore easily be absorbed in one or two sittings. Stretch the imagination immediately upon entering into the world this new author has so artfully presented. The story begins with Lilith and her escape from the Garden of Eden, a paradise in many ways, and threatening as well. So begins a journey of good and evil that will introduce a variety of characters, motives, eras, and locales that will fascinate. Thought provoking and a wonderful first novel by indie author Robin Dilks and it’s thrilling to think this is ‘book one’ … more to come! I enjoyed the read, and look forward to the sequels.
October 7, 2014
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson – Audiobook Review
This book reminds me of Forrest Gump or The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, in that historical license is taken with several famous people, like Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and many historical events. Allan Karlsson, the lead character, has had an extremely colorful life. A man of somewhat opportunistic character, he isn’t about to die in an retirement home. Karlsson steps out on an adventure, quirky characters crossing his path, and the author intersperses his life story throughout. Within the retrospective portions, famous politicians are liberally sprinkled. De Gaulle, Lyndon Johnson, Joseph Stalin … the guy is 100 years old, so most of the famous individuals of the nineteen century are cameos. What ever you do, don’t take this stuff as accurate history, it’s tongue-in-cheek! Albert Einstein has a moronic brother in this tale … not in real life!
The narration by Steven Crossley is superb. Originally published in 2009, the story has been translated from Swedish, but you can’t tell. It’s wonderfully done, award winning. It’s my understanding that a movie was released in 2013 in Sweden … but, don’t know anything about it. Worth the credit, enjoyed the listen. About 12 hours.
October 5, 2014
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn – Audiobook Review
Gone Girl is long, about twenty hours. No complaints there, like ‘m long. This story is a first person account read by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne, each taking the roles of the individual characters of Amy and Nick Dunne respectively. Chapters or scenes are alternating voices of the lead characters. Nicely done.
The story is of a dysfunctional marriage, a tale of two people equally devious in personality. Although this is revealed throughout a few thousand reviews, the plot is a straightforward account of a wife faking her own death to exact revenge on an unfaithful spouse. The police do the typical rush to judgement, i.e., the husband is guilty. Which he is, of infidelity and being a jerk, but of murder? No spoilers. Lots of twists. Let’s just say they are both guilty of something and leave it there. The writing is excellent. The narration is excellent. Enjoy.
October 3, 2014
The Bird Room by Chad Hofmann – eBook Review
What fun! The entirety of The Bird Room is easily read in one or two sittings, in that it is approximately 110 pages long. The book is a compilation of 17 stories of varied length covering a variety of topics, all albeit of a macabre nature. Terrific fireside spooky stuff, the tales are in the vein of Edgar Allen Poe shorts. Chad Hofmann has what it takes to move forward with his writing and thrill readers long into the future with his eerie genrè. I hope he does! One of the hallmarks of a good story is that the reader thinks about the book long after finishing. I’ll be thinking about The Bird Room for quite a while! Enjoyable read.
September 29, 2014
Timeless Ink by Vulyncia Poindexter – eBook Review
First, a minor caveat: I don’t review poetry. With Timeless Ink, however, I’d like to make an exception, and recommend the book to poetry lovers. I’m not educated in the process of poetry, and basically have no basis for making any comments other than to convey my likes or dislikes. Frankly, I don’t think my formal understanding of poetry is that unusual. Most people are not ballet dancers, but they enjoy the ballet. A good portion of opera goers have no idea what the lyrics mean in any literal fashion unless they speak the language … but, music lovers attend the opera anyway, and enjoy.
That said, I really, really enjoyed Timeless Ink. The poems are stories, glimpses into a psyche. I would imagine, like most angst ridden poetry, that the creation of this, the actually writing of the words, was cathartic and healing. I think it may be for some readers, too. At any rate, not being schooled in poetry, I can only say, “I liked it.”, and let you be your own judge.
Latest Amazon review for Yesterday – A Novel of Reincarnation
Fantastic characters and well blended genres!!, September 29, 2014Verified Purchase(What’s this?)
This review is from: Yesterday: A Novel of Reincarnation (Kindle Edition)
Where to start? I absolutely could not put this book down. Not only was it well written, it was well researched and a wonderful love story! This book has a great storyline that takes a pair of soul mates from their early lives on earth to their current lives on the earth’s plane. For someone who loves spirituality based stories along with historical and romance genres this is a must read. Samyann’s creativity tells a story that kept me reading well through the night.
A love story based upon the concept of reincarnation could not have been told in any better fashion than this one. It was wrought with tragedy and sadness but gives a refreshing insight on taking those tragedies and turning them into a lasting love between the main characters, Mark and Amanda. Both main characters were very richly portrayed and the secondary characters came to life on the page as well.
Highly recommended for a reader who wants something more than one genre to fill their reading time!
- Teresa Keefer, author of Blood Vengeance!
