Book Sixteen of my 2013 Goal

Kaylee's Ghost by Rochelle Jewel Shapiro
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you like reading about ghosts, psychic abilities, family bonds and everyday life that is not so much an everyday day, then Kaylee's Ghost by Rochelle Jewel Shapiro is the book for you. This delightful story will keep you turning page after page. It is far from a typical boring 'soap opera' story. The plot is great and has so many twists and turns it kept me guessing who was going to do what next. I didn't read "Miriam the Medium" and was not at a loss as this book stands on its own.

Both Miriam and her granddaughter, Violet have psychic abilities but it must have skipped a generation because Cara, Miriam's daughter and mother to Violet does not. Not only can they 'see' things that will take place in the future but they can in the past as well. Top it off, they can talk to and see ghosts or spirits as some call them. This becomes a real problem when Miriam encourages Violet's gift despite Violet's mother's wishes to have her lead a normal life. As it is Violet already has no more friends. She isn't invited to parties or to play dates because she doesn't understand you are not suppose to tell everyone's business in public. She would blurt out things about the other child's parent and when the parents found out that she was telling their secrets (Your mother is having a tummy tuck today!) they wouldn't allow their child to play with her and would even go so far as to switch their classrooms so they didn't have to be near her. This 'gift' was more like a 'curse' in Cara's eyes.

Miriam does readings and has her normal clients. One of these clients is Kaylee who contacts her often for a reading. Kaylee had just lost her mother not long ago and she was thinking of going somewhere to 'relax' and her mother told Miriam to tell her not to go. Miriam knew how much Kaylee needed this 'vacation' and told her to go but it ended with disastrous results and now Miriam blames herself for lying to Kaylee. She knew if she had told her the truth, Kaylee wouldn't have gone and none of this would have happened. This really turned Miriam off about being psychic and gives up her clients and learns to ignore her abilities.

In the meantime, Cara is having a crisis in her marriage and they don't see eye to eye about how to bring Violet up or how to deal with her abilities. There is a lot of tension in the family and things come to a head when Violet disappears one night from her bed. The whole family, in laws included must come together for Violet's sake and their own. Not an easy task when ghosts are involved and there is so much guilt, resentment, even snootiness but this is either a bonding time for them all or a time that will rip them apart forever.

I realize I am not making it sound interesting but believe me it is. I just can't write more because I don't want to put any spoilers in it. It was a great story and the characters were all fully developed. I couldn't help feel a connection with them and when little Violet was in a crisis I even could feel my own heart sink. You may need a tissue box not far offhand but be prepared for some laughs too. I recommend this book!

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Book Fifteen of my 2013 Goal

A Spiritual Journey Into Quantum Reality by Bonnie Jean LC
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I don't even know where to start with A Spiritual Journey Into Quantum Reality: Volume 1, A 21st Century Owner's Manual for Humans by Bonnie Jean LC and Michael Green MD. I guess I should make it clear that this is not a story, it is more of a 'how to' book. The authors explain what, where, why and how from the very basic such as happiness to the more "weird" of Quantum Physics. In short, it is about the quantum science of spirituality.

The goal of the authors is to show how we all live our lives in a world that is not real and explain how to change it. According to the book we live in a reality that we each create and live our lives against the constant ticking of a clock. Time is the key because there really is no time, there is only the here and now. This is the quantum reality as it really exists. Until we accept this and change our way of thinking, feeling, and experiencing life we are all living in a made-up reality where pain, darkness, and suffering exist. A world with limits and where spiritual growth is difficult if not next to impossible.

The way the book is structured is very easy to read although to be honest with you, it would help if you have some knowledge of quantum physics. I don't so I am having a bit of a time with it but I am not totally lost thanks to the authors explanations which are put in everyday terms complete with diagrams when needed. Many times they are actual personal events that are picked apart piece by piece so the reader can understand what is being said as well as the references to experiments and studies that were done. So why am I having a hard time with this book? I just can't grasp some of the concepts. I understand what is being said, for example: "The holographic principle states that each point on a 2D (flat) holographic picture will contain all the information needed to form the complete 3D image". I know what a 2D and 3D picture is so there is no problem there, it is when we cut a 2D holographic photo into many fragments and every piece of it will project a 3D image which is complete in every detail that I get lost on. I also can't get over that time does not exist, it is an allusion as well as death. If that is the case then I have to think in the here and now because there is no such thing as yesterday or for that matter tomorrow.

On the other hand, there is a lot that I do understand although I never really think of it on a conscious level. Subjects like attitude, meditation, mind over matter, and thinking vs. consciousness which I found very interesting. Another area covered is right brain and left brain thinking and the differences. I also found the whole topic on thought/mind/ego interesting plus the way that quotes either from the bible or just different people are used. The quote itself may make a bit of sense when reading it but after the explanation is given then the quote, it really makes sense. For example as I said earlier, time doesn't exist and then quote from Wheeler, "The past is only theory and it does not exist until invented by one's mind (Thought/Mind/Ego) to explain its observations of apparent beginnings and endings." Now I understand the quote even if I don't really understand time being an illusion.

This is the type of book that I can't read and understand all in a few days or even weeks. This needs some reflection and investigation as well as time to 'just let it sink in'. It is one which I will have to read certain chapters over and over to understand it and of course there is a possibility that I never will 'get it'. After all, all things are possible and miracles happen everyday.

With the authors recapping and restating what is learned in each chapter and the recalls from one chapter to another (what was learned) as well as all the reference studies, I think any reader with an average IQ can understand this book if they are willing to put the time into it. As I said, I don't understand the whole thing but even I have gotten some useful information I can use to create harmony in my life. For this reason, I do recommend it.

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Book Fourteen of my 2013 Goal

Mayan Interface by Wim Coleman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mayan Interface by Wim Coleman and Pat Perrin is a great read. I know very little about Mayan history and computer programing so I can't tell you how realistic any of this is but it still engaged me in its magical grasp. Once I started it, I hated when I had to put it down. It is not packed with action scenes nor is it a boring history book but it has both action and history in it and so much more. It is a mystery that has me looking at history a little differently and makes me wonder, what if? It is also about the spiritual with the Uay and mystical with the Zaztum and so much more.

The main character is Lydia Rosenstrom who is an archaeologist and shaman exploring Mayan ruins and translating Mayan glyphs in Yucatan but she leaves Yucatan to go to Portland. Her niece works at a museum there and is making an exhibit that has a virtual reality (VR) stroll through Mayan temples so visitors can see how the village looked. There are these plastic bubbles and the visitor stands in and puts on this type of headgear that allows them into this virtual world of long ago. When Lydia learns her niece died of fright in one of these bubbles she stayed in Portland to try and find out what had happened to her. How did she die in the virtual world as there is nothing in there that would cause a death unless someone tampered with the program, but who? She suspected the one person who has his own private access to this world, but why would he do such a thing?

This is not the only thing going on in the story although to me it is like the main plot, the one that starts the rest (aside from the fact that Lydia is trying to translate the glyphs). I have said enough about the plot since I don't want to give any spoilers but what I will say is that there are many layers to this story each holding its own magic, mysteries and warnings. There is another member of Lydia's archaeological team back in Yucatan and the storyteller is telling stories to him.These stories are things passed down generation to generation and a lot is learned about the Mayan through these stories. Also, a lot is learned by Lydia's experiences in the VR world. Not only about Mayan history but about herself and reality. All of these are braided together in this cleverly written story. Just as three strands in a braid are separate but are twisted in a way that they come together time and time again to make one braid so does this story. At no time did I feel I couldn't grasp what was going on nor did I feel like I was bounced from one thing to another. Instead, this was written with such fluidity that it was seamless and flowed naturally.

The authors described the scenes so spectacular that it was like I was in that VR bubble since I could see it laid out before me. It was extremely easy to visualize and if you are cooking dinner and you also smell that incense, put the book down and turn your stove off. You just burned dinner so you are having pizza tonight! (I did that, that is how engrossed I was in it.) Even the characters were described beyond the usual and they were all well developed.

While reading the book, I was on the edge of my seat a few times wondering what will happen next. Then I would put the book down to make dinner (more like burn dinner) or sleep and I would find myself wondering what if certain things were that way? Is reality something we only perceive on one level although there are many that make it up? Are we who we think we are? Is she who she thinks she is? It had me guessing all the way to the spectacular ending.

I highly recommend this book.


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Book Thirteen of my 2013 Goal

The Bones of Others by Vickie McKeehan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Bones of Others by Vickie McKeehan is another one of those books I just couldn't put down. It is a fictional story about pedophiles and human slave trafficking of young girls which sounds like something I wouldn't want to read since it is so negative but it also deals with survival and even a little bit of revenge. What I found so memorable is the way that the young girls are abducted. It is so real, so scary and as a parent I don't think I would ever look at a picnic in the park the same way again. As I said it is fictional but it is very realistic and believable as far as that goes.

Skye Cree who is part Indian is the main character. She was abducted as a child, raped but managed to get away. Now as a woman she learned fighting techniques and is excellent with a knife. She walks the streets to look for the pedophiles to put a stop to their actions and most importantly to find the girls that she knows were abducted by these monsters. She knows that they have their way with them until the ship comes in and they are smuggled on board to go to some foreign land to the highest bidder. So time is important and she must find them before they are shipped off.

Skye who was in pursuit of a pedophile happens to see a man in need in the alley way. He is being robbed and there are four thugs beating him. Skye comes to the rescue and no one is left standing however she now lost the trail of pedophole. The guy she 'saved' turns out to be Josh Ander who is owner of a gaming company. Eventually they join forces but they are not alone. There is a bit of 'legend' and the 'spiritual' or maybe a better term is ' Indian Folklore' that comes into play and we learn about Kiya. I thought this was a fantastic twist on the story. The most memorable part is the first time I read about Kiya and she tells Skye, "Remember, Skye Cree, the hunt isn't always successful. There will be another night, another hunt, you must never give up. Your path in life was set long before you were ever born. Find those that need you. They cry out in fear and pain. They are bound, kept hidden, locked away. Seek them. Set them free, Skye Cree". (Partial quote from Chapter two.) It made it interesting and answered a lot of questions. Not only was Skye trying to seek out these girls to set them free and find the monsters who abducted them, it was her fate to do so.

Another interesting twist is the former 'friend' (and I use this term loosely) of Josh's named Michelle. She was playing with a half a deck, if you know what I mean. She was the reason Josh was in the alley way to begin with. I can definitely relate to this situation and found it very believable and in a way a bit amusing.

Skye Cree and Josh discover many things together not only about themselves and each other but about the disappearance of young girls and the human slave market. Unfortunately, I found this also all too real. One only needs to turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper to see this is not a fictional crime. It even makes me wonder about all those children I have seen on the back of milk cartoons that went missing. Many to this day were never found. Could they have fallen victim to this fate?

The flow of the story was great and the characters were believable. The ending of the story at least gave closure to some. It is a story that will haunt me long after I read it. I recommend this story to all adults especially those with children.


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Book Twelve of my 2013 Goal

Tickle Me by Monica Bouvier
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Tickle Me by Monica Bouvier is a romance novel that in parts have you at the edge of your seat. The story was interesting in most parts and I say it is interesting in "most parts" because the story is very long and it seemed to drag in some parts but the "interesting parts" make up for it. I just want you to be aware the pace is not even flowing and this is a long story but hang with it, you won't be sorry.

Alice is a twenty nine year old who loves Greek Mythology and lives in Alaska with her cat. She has never felt the passions of love and seemed to resign herself to that her fate is to live life without love. She had a low self-esteem and seemed like she was on the side-line of life just dreaming about becoming a participant. Then she started to get emails from a mysterious guy named Erik. As time goes by the emails become much more personal and romantic and all the while Alice not only falls in love with Erik, she changes from being on the side-line to a participant full force. The change in Alice's whole being from this depressed, low self-esteemed person throughout the story was amazing and refreshing to me.

Although I really didn't find the emails and some of the actions that romantic or erotic (to me it's more of a torture) I understand where Alice is and her views most of the times. I can tell you that her taste and mine are two different things but even so I was able to really get into the story and connect with her. I didn't find Erik so romantic nor such a prize even in the beginning. However, the important thing is Alice did and with a stretch of my imagination, it was believable. After all, I did find my husband on the computer so that part wasn't hard to believe at all and how many times has someone made a decision that made you wonder, "what was she thinking"?

The story was not all fun and games and had its share of 'problems' of not only everyday life but also with people which also added to the believability of the story. The other characters in the story are all developed enough for their roles. Throughout the story some things didn't make sense but toward the end of the book it all comes together and the ending itself was really something I didn't expect.

To sum it up, it was a good story even though it was dragged out and I would recommend it to those who like the erotic (or maybe I should say "exotic") romance.

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Book Eleven of my 2013 Goal

You and Me, Against the World by Raymond Esposito
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You and Me, Against the World: The Creepers Saga Book 1 by Raymond Esposito is one of those books that you just can't put down. If you are a fan of "The Walking Dead" on TV then you will love this story. In fact, I think it's even better. The action starts at the beginning and it doesn't end and the story line is direct and stays on the mark. There is no long 'side stories' or 'down time' because this character loves that one and we hear about their problems that had nothing to do with the story that happened long ago. This author stays right on the story and when we do hear about some history of one of the characters, it is because we need to know that piece of information to understand where the character is coming from. Speaking of characters, some are more developed than others but all are well developed for their roles in the story. It is easy to connect with at least one of the characters if not more.

This fictional horror story is about a virus that goes rampant but this isn't any virus, this virus turns the victims into zombies that have the need for human flesh. These zombies are called "creepers" by the survivors and they are savage and mindless, at least that is what the survivors thought. They observed a change in them, they seem to be learning, making some intelligent decisions or was it just some ancient instinct taken over? The creepers are everywhere and as the virus spreads either people become creepers or are eaten by them. The only chance of survival is to find a place that isn't totally populated. The less people means the less creepers.

A small group of young adults that are either related to one another or are friends try and make their way to such a place. They have a small group of children with them and on the way they rescue Dr. Thorn, who I want to say is the main character with certain members of the group of young adults as secondary characters. As they make their way across the state they happen to spot an old fort which was turned into a tourist spot but none the less it is still a fort with walls around it and would be a safe place to rest. They were not aware the fort was already occupied by people, some of which were mad and who had other plans for the children which were even more chilling than death itself. The group must now sneak the children out and get away but how can they when there is such a small number of them verses the fort full of people. If they ever got out with the children, will they ever make it to a safe place or will it all be for nothing and they fall victim to the zombies themselves? I am afraid you will have to read the story yourself to find out.

I totally recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the horror genre. I know there are a lot of zombie stories out there just as there are a ton of werewolf stories but I assure you there are none like this. This author is in a class very few achieve, right up there on top. Hats off to the author, great story!

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Book Ten of my 2013 Goal

I Punch the General by I. Flowers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I Punch the General by I. Flowers is a science fiction story that takes place in the year 2248 and the world is in a bad state. Over population, food shortages, and even water shortage plagues the planet. Some countries adopted the Chinese of the one child policy while others took even more extreme measures of population control by putting chemicals in the food and water to sterilize the people. The problem is that it was too little too late and the relief from these measure really wouldn't be felt for years.

Because of the over population the rain forests were cut down to make way for new land to farm to feed the people. Wild animals became a delicacy and soon disappeared from the planet. There were no fish left in the oceans and farming fish was so tedious and expensive that only a few rich people could afford it.

The economy suffered too. Countries that once loaned to other nations called in their debts but not in cash, they wanted land.. By the time 2250 came, there were no social programs. People with disabilities and the elderly found themselves without income or any where to turn. Essentially, the earth became a place where only the strongest survived.

The solution was to occupy a nearby planet that can support human life and in Nov. 2247 the team of two hundred people started their journey to Gliese 581 g. Once they reached the planet they sent back a message to earth telling them that they arrived, it was similar to Earth and there was intelligent life there that call themselves Idakan. The government decided to send the best members of the United National Army to resolve any unexpected problems of occupying the planet. In June of 2248, 243 people along with weapons of mass destruction headed for Gliese. Word took long to reach the earth but it finally did and the message told them that using force will not work. Soon communication stopped. Wondering if they were abandoned by Earth and would they go home as failures or be stuck on Gliese forever.

It was the sending of the United National Army that we are introduced to the main character, Kevin. Kevin has some strange dreams only they really aren't dreams, are they? He is filled with questions which he seeks answers. He believes his dream is real but that means he is in two places at once but how can that be? Who is that person with the hood and why won't he show himself? Most of all, where are the "Gates of Truth"? Will they really hold the answer to every question he has?

As the story progresses there is a lot of soul searching and moral issues examined. This is more physiological than actual physical action however I still found it very interesting. The plot was good and the character is well developed. The story is a light read, stays on subject without a lot of characters or places to remember. As I said, it is more of a self examination of himself then any kind of action novel so if you're looking for an action packed book, do not pick this one. However, if your looking for a light read with an interesting set of circumstances that forces one to look at themselves, this is your book.

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