Karma & Melodies by Katie Salidas

Karma & Melodies by Katie Salidas

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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This was a sweet paranormal love story with a brutal side hidden within. A beautiful tale of love lost and reunited many years later, Kendra and Marcus will keep you turning the pages.

It's a unique take on vampires, without straying too far from the traditional. I'm excited to see if there will be a sequel, as I'm curious as to what the future holds for the vamps and the band.

This novella is a quick read and definitely worth sinking your teeth into...

The Divine Comedy: Purgatory by Dante Alighieri

The Divine Comedy: Purgatory by Dante Alighieri
Dorothy L. Sayers (Translator)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is truly an epic tale.

I decided that I wanted to start 2009 out right, reading as much as I could. I'm not sure what made me choose this book, but I'm glad that I did. I awoke New Years day and grabbed it from the shelf. And, to say the least, I couldn't put it down until I was done.

The tale flows so beautifully, as it follows Dante through each layer of Purgatory. The imagery is amazing, leading the reader to easily envision each step of Dante's journey. The trials and tribulations of a living being traveling through such a place are innumerable. Dante meets so many people (or former people, as the case may be) along the way, several that he knew in the world above.

It is an intriguing tale that I would recommend to any and all that are looking for a true literary masterpiece. If you need an escape, escape through Purgatory...

Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider by Ellen C. Maze

Rabbit: Chasing Beth Rider by Ellen C. Maze
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Purchase the book here.

I had the pleasure of receiving a copy of this book for review and must say that I am very glad that I did. While normally I shy away from books with a religious theme, I decided to give this one a shot, based on others' reviews of it.

Immediately, the book draws you in with an intriguing interaction between the main character, Beth Rider, and an unknown assailant. It continues to keep you on the edge of your seat, as you follow Beth through horrendous (and some, not so bad) dealings with beings unlike herself yet more along the lines of the characters in her own novels. As an author, she has a great imagination and, with religion at her side, she finds a way to keep her inner peace intact. While being exposed to situations in which most would be frightened nigh unto death or in complete awe, she pushes forward. Her faith helped her through it all. (Keep in mind, that while religion plays a large role, it wasn't overpowering.)

Maze keeps the reader turning the pages, always wanting to know what happens next. There was a few times in which I thought I knew what was coming next, only to be thrown another curve ball. There was no way to even guess how it would end and I found myself quite surprised.

This book had everything necessary for the makings of a great novel and it definitely delivered. Ellen Maze is an author worth reading and I look forward to more of her books.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I fell in love with this book, long before I ever read it. A friend was reading it and each day she would come to work and tell me what she had read the night before. She told me the tale, bit by bit, as she made her way through the book. I never knew the name of the book, nor the author, as I always forgot to ask. It wasn't until years later that I picked up the book and started reading it on my own, only to find out that I knew what it was.

There are so many characters, leading such different lives, yet all intertwine in such an amazing way. Martin writes beautifully and the story unfolds smoothly, as he introduces each person. The description makes it easy to picture the world that he created. It is a novel that keeps the reader turning the pages and always wanting to know what will happen next.

I've read the book several times as well as listened to the audiobook. I will continue to do so over the years as this series will never get old to me.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've read a lot from Ayn Rand and am quite the fan. This is by far the best piece of her work. Her writing style stands the test of time while her subject matter is slowly coming to pass. I had never heard of Objectivism until I came across her work. I found that the more I read, the more I could associate my own thoughts and opinions with hers. She really knows what she is talking about and how to suck you into her world.

For such a long story, it is hard to put it down and I never became bored with what I was reading. I was able to immerse myself into her world. Her characters are believable and full of such depth that is hard to find in many novels written today. As a writer myself, I find I am inspired to improve on my characters and writing style each time I go back and read this novel.

I strongly recommend the audio book for those that do not have the time to read the book. It is approximately 52 hours of audio and worth every second. Atlas Shrugged is truly one of the greatest books ever written.

Asylum Lake by R.A. Evans

Asylum Lake by R.A. Evans

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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I had the pleasure of receiving a copy of Asylum Lake by R.A. Evans for review. I must say that I absolutely enjoyed reading it. It follows the story of not one, but two lives. Brady Tanner is a journalist that has had a very hard life, many ups and downs to account for. He travels back to his family’s old summer home to escape from a tragedy that had struck in his life, only to find more awaiting him. His life is slowly dragged into the path of Ellis Arkema, a previous patient at the asylum on the lake that Brady’s family’s home rested on. Ellis’ life, filled with nothing but misery and dread, ended too soon. Throughout the novel, his soul seeks revenge for what had been done.

While searching for a reprieve from the sadness that Brady was living with, he gets thrown in the middle of a past that was not his own. He must find a way to save all that he holds dear, before time runs out for more than just himself.

Asylum Lake is a gruesome tale filled with trials and tribulations of the mind and the soul. It is a gripping tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat and not wanting to put the book down. The story has many facets and brings much to the table, love, destruction, religion, and death. It is definitely a novel that I would recommend to anyone, especially to those that love a good horror story.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I'm sure there are many people that loved this book, but I did not. I couldn't get into it, no matter how hard I tried. I don't think I was able to get past the fact that because I am such a fan of Pride and Prejudice, I found this to be almost a disgrace to the original.