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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Book Nine of my 2013 Goal

TYLENOL MAN: A 30-Year Quest to Close the Tylenol Murders Case by Scott Bartz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tylenol Man: A 30 Year Quest to Close the Tylenol Murders Case by Scott Bartz is non-fiction and the second book in the TYMURS Series (TYMURS: The 1982 Tylenol Murders is book one in the series). I suggest you read book one since you would not make too much sense out of this book unless you are familiar with the case and all the botched investigations that went on from the beginning. I don't feel this is a stand alone book even if you remember the Tylenol Murders in 1982. Much of what was revealed and continues into this book was not told to the general public either on the news or by newspaper reports as the full account. One station may have one piece of information while another reporter has another and a family member yet another and the book puts it all together to get a better picture of what really happened and what was being done or not done in the case.

In this book the FBI continue to try and blame Jim Lewis for the murders even though the evidence doesn't support it. They made his life a hell although he was no angel himself but they made sure he was stuck with the "Tylenol Man" name even though they couldn't bring him to trial due to lack of evidence. Between pride, a political elections, and just making a name for himself there are several people that need this case closed. They needed an escape goat and Lewis was it which was clearly demonstrated through the author's research.

What surprised me the most were the lies and resistance Michelle Rosen (her mother was a victim) met in 2008 when she inquired about details in the case and if she can see the records. She asked the hospital for her mother's records and was told they were destroyed years ago. She went to the police station and asked if she could see the documents from their investigation into her mother's death and was told whatever documents they had were destroyed in a flood. Michelle found out the flood happened in mid 1990s and there was a photo taken in 2002 of someone standing in front of boxes and boxes of documents all on the Tylenol Murders in the evidence room of the police station. She just got a total run-a-round from everyone she encountered. Even when she submitted FOIA requests they were denied and the reason stating they were destroyed in the flood.

I can tell you that after reading the first book in the series, it really opened my eyes about some crime 'investigations' and not only politicians but those in law. After reading this book, it just down right angers me. First off, I don't recall ever hearing about the case being re-opened. I guess it was hush, hush this time so no extra attention is drawn. Secondly, of the lies told by those who are suppose to "serve and protect" even when there is proof they are lies but nothing can be done. There is no where to turn to say hey, wake up! Here is the proof he is lying in black and white, on the front page of a newspaper no less. Lets not forget to mention the J&J was active in their own investigation of the murders or the fact that it doesn't matter who the real murderer is/was, all that mattered was to pin it on someone and just to close the case so they look good.

I can go on and on about the things uncovered in the book as it was full of interesting information on the case, most of which I never heard before. Although I must admit I did think that maybe the author was just seeking revenge for a nasty termination of employment but even that thought was put to rest. But...keep in mind that is just what this book is, a research and report of the findings. If you are looking for a story where you get close to the main characters and have an adventure, this is not the book for you. There is no bonding with anyone in this book, the main character is a pill called Extra Strength Tylenol, and the plot or purpose is where and who done it.


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Book Eight of my 2013 Goal

Married in Haste by Cathy Maxwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Married in Haste by Cathy Maxwell is an Adult Historical Fictional Romance. The setting is London, 1814 and later on the setting changes to Wales. The story was written in some language of the times with the "My Lord" and "My Lady" as well as the mindset back then where women were basically mindless creatures with the only purpose of living is to please their husband and provide him with children.

We are introduced to the main character Tess Hamlin at the very beginning of the story. Tess is at the dance and the most experienced debutante. Truth be told, Tess really doesn't want to marry. A wager is made by Tess and a couple of other debutantes on who would be asked to marry first. Word got out about the wager and no one was pleased, least of all Tess's brother who her late father had trusted as her guardian and to look after her inheritance. Tess had met the Earl of Merton and to save the brother from being ruined and Tess too by her unwise decision to make such a wager, he asks her brother for Tess in marriage. The brother in his rage and state of over drinking agrees and announces the engagement despite Tess's objections. Once married the Earl of Merton (Brenn Owen) plans on taking Tess back to Wales to Erwynn Keep, the estate he had inherited.

I found Tess quite likable with a strong will. She didn't bow to the 'ways' things were done but rather questioned them (of course this trait was not favored upon by most). She held her responsibilities high and blood (her brother) high as well. She would do nothing to hurt or ruin him so a secret had to be kept. I also loved how Tess was so naive with sex and even after she was married she was shocked to see him naked. She was funny, interesting, and I love how she could cut like a knife with just the use of her tongue. She is witty and forgiving, a little too forgiving if you ask me.

Brenn was also interesting as a character. He was keeping a secret from Tess. I loved the games he played trying to understand her and get her to do as he wished. I also loved his reaction to her as she did things to get her way or get under his skin. He was quite the romantic one and I found him to be likable.

Now I don't want to go into detail and spoil it for you but I will say that the quote,, "Men are not meant to understand women or women men because if they did there would be no adventure" sure stands the test of time. It also describes this easy reading, delightful Adult book, an adventure...one I enjoyed reading, I may add.

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