Book 39 of My 2012 Goal

Bear Cat by Raland J. Patterson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read several stories about the Vietnam War and Bear Cat by Raland J. Patterson is surprisingly different than the others. Instead of focusing on the action of the war itself, its focus is on Captain Johnny McKay's experiences in Nam as a maintenance officer giving very little detail on the 'action' of the war. This story is about the people during the war and not about the 'blood and guts' of the war itself.

I think Captain McKay character was well developed and I really connected with him throughout the story. The other characters were introduced and developed in accordance with their 'importance' (and I use this term loosely as everyone is important) in the telling of the story. By this I mean that if McKay only sees a person once in passing and says something to him, the author does not give a lot of detail about this person however if the person is one of McKay's men that appears throughout the story, much more detail is revealed about this person. In other words, the story is not bogged down with a lot of unnecessary details about people. In fact, it isn't bogged down with a lot of detail about places or events either. I found it flowed smoothly, was interesting and always had me wanting to turn the page to see what happened next.

The story begins with McKay's experience on the plane transporting him from Ft. Dix, New Jersey to Saigon where the significance of the exchange of words between him and the soldier seated next to him doesn't become evident until the end of the story. Once at his unit McKay tries to win his men's acceptance and learn the lingo and area. I found that because the author only gives a brief description but really does not go into a lot of detail about either of these (although the pictures helped) that having some prior knowledge about the Vietnam War helped me visualize the places as well as understanding that Charlie did not refer to an individual and what Tet was and why a repeat action was so feared. The story evoked a variety of emotions, I panicked, I laughed and I cried right alongside McKay. I never thought I would use the word "laugh" and associate it in any way with the Vietnam War however, the author taught me differently because laugh I did. I also learned some things about maintenance on helicopters as if I were one of McKay's men. Not only did McKay learned from those around him, he taught more than helicopter maintenance, he taught pride, compassion and giving credit where credit was due. He often remembered or quoted statements his flight instructor, grandmother, or father said which got him out of some really tight spots. I found the "Vietnam War Facts" and "Common Myths Dispelled" at the end of the book interesting. In fact, I found the whole book interesting.

Bear Cat is a unique story that I really enjoyed reading and totally recommend it.

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Book 38 of My 2012 Goal

The Church Retreat by Joel Tuggle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Church Retreat by Joel Tuggle is about a church group that goes on a retreat in South Carolina where two girls end up missing and not about religion or a church so don't let the name of it turn you off if you happen to be atheist. The book sounded like it would be a really good suspense, even scary but it didn't seem to live up to that description. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad book, I still liked it but I think it just could have been so much more mysterious/scary than what it was. The major problem I had with it was the under development of the character plus there were so many of them that we bounce around to as well as the story having too many subplots.

The story opens on September of 1971 when there were a few boys playing around with an air rifle, drinking from the beer bottle one of the boy swiped from his home and doing what boys do. Eventually they get into a bit of trouble so they run to a barn to hide and two of them end up missing. Now we come into present time, October 2001, a church group went to a camp not far from this barn. The children left the camp when Carrie, a thirteen year old girl, realized she forgot her book back at camp so Allison who was following the bus in her car took Carrie back to camp to retrieve it while the camp bus went into the next town since one of the children on it was not feeling well. The girls never showed up at town and eventually Carrie's father comes to look for her. There is a bad tropical storm coming so the local authorities are busy with preparing for that but eventually with the father's persistence someone is assigned to help him look for the missing girls. They eventually find their car and with the storm approaching time is of the essence to find them.

This part of the story is what I would say was the main plot (and a good one) but now we throw in some sub-plots of a drug cartel, escape, blackmail, a dirty sheriff, kidnapping, an affair, and a secret pot farm and this is only naming a few of them and it gets a bit confusing as to what is going on and who is who. I found the only one I could 'connect' with was the father looking for his missing daughter and I am not even sure if that is because of the author's development of the character or because I am a parent and remember how I felt when my eleven year old went missing (and that was for one only one day with no storm approaching) but for sake of argument I will say the author's development of this character is the cause since he was the best developed one in the book.

As I said before, despite my pointing this out, I did like the story. I especially thought the opening of the story was fantastic. Not only the whole 1971 chapter but the father when he was hunting. I thought that scene was just too funny when his phone rang and he saw who it was calling. I just wish there was less complications and more association between the missing boys and the missing girls other than this being the same general area. For example, the 'legend' of what prowls the woods (If you want to know what prowls the woods, you'll have to read it for yourself.) if introduced earlier could have been worked to lend to a real scary mystery of the disappearance of both sets of kids but it isn't really realized until the end. Speaking of the end, it really did tie up all the loose ends and also had a few surprising twists that I didn't see coming.

All and all, I thought it was a good book, a little complicated but good and I would recommend it.

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Book 37 of My 2012 Goal

DEATHLOOP by G. Brailey
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Deathloop by G. Bratley sparked my interest since I enjoy reading reincarnation and and other fictional subjects. In this story the main character Zack Fortune lets his best friend's wife, Clarissa, hypnotize him to bring him back to a past life. She warned him not to come out of it by himself and wait for her to bring him out of it. Zach experienced horrific visions and panicked and so he brought himself out of it despite Clarissa's warning . The next day someone standing on the edge of a roof calls out to Zack by name just before she steps off and lands at his feet with a deadly thud. That was just the beginning of his life spiraling out of control.

Weird things happened to him throughout the book such as people calling out his name and asking for help right before they died yet he never met him before, legal investigations and charges brought against him, and relationship problems. None of these were clear-cut cases of reading about the incident and moving along, they were very complex going off into different directions and involving so many other people that half the time I didn't know what was going on and found myself rereading pages. To me it seemed like the author wanted the reader to get to know too many people and the interactions among too many people which made reading very difficult. Not every person in the story has to be a major character nor do I need to know what they are thinking and doing all the time.

I thought the story would redeem itself when Zack and Veronica (Zack's girlfriend) went to Renfield and Veronica wend to the old church for to see the "Renowned Spiritualist Russell Garrity". When Veronica walks in she is welcomed and even expected but when Zack walks in not only is he told to get out, he is physically thrown out. It is shortly after this that Zack gets his phone number and calls Russell Garrity. He agrees to meet him so Zack (and I) can finally get some answers. Russell Garrity insists on meeting Zack on a old, small foot bridge since the meeting has to be over water which only adds to the climax of this meeting. However, the meeting turned out to be 'weird' and not all the answers were given due to the somewhat predicable outcome for Russell Garrity.

The reactions of the characters were unbelievable. The things that Susan said and did to Zack, Veronica, and everyone else for that matter were just unreal but what was more unreal is the reaction of these people to her. Zack with his bad temper I figured would have done something to Susan to keep her from showing up at the door and confronting his friends but he did nothing to her. In fact, even though she accused him of sexual assault he goes and talks to her. The 'mind games' she and Zack played throughout were annoying. The relationships between Zach and Jason, Zach and Veronica, and Zach and Sam really stretches one's imagination. I felt these were totally unbelievable so I am not sure exactly what the goal of the author was other than to write a fictional story.

I would not call this an enjoyable book because of the complex relationships between these people (physical, sexual, and physiological) or maybe I should rephrase it to say I would not call this an 'easy read' book. If you just want to relax with a book without having to concentrate on who is who and the chain of events then I would not recommend this book however if you're into soap operas and complex relationships with some strange and at times unexpected twists then this book is for you.


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Book 36 of My 2012 Goal

The Enchanted Time Traveller by Mal Mohanlal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Enchanted Time Traveller: A Book of Self-Knowledge and the Subconscious Mind by Dr. Mal Mohanlal states some very interesting concepts. Starting out with the statement that we are all hypnotized if not by the world around us then by ourselves or both. His goal was to de-hypnotize and free us (the reader) so we can start thinking for ourselves and free ourselves from the bonds of ignorance. He explains about the "self" or "ego" and the subconscious mind, how to stimulate it in a positive way and change. In order to change we need to use three properties of the mind which are insight, perception and awareness. He explains what role these all play and gives examples. He also touches on the subjects of habits, time, love, obesity, words, fear, and much more. Each being easy to read yet something that I really needed to reflect on.

Just how powerful is the mind? Well, I know I have heard many times through the years that most people only use a small percentage of their brains/minds. So who really knows what the mind can do? We all hear the expressions "Laughter is the best medicine". Why is that? According to the author it is because how you stimulate your subconscious mind. If you are laughing, then you are happy. When you are happy it means you are stimulating your subconscious mind positively. When you do that then your brain is producing good chemicals so your immune system is functioning at maximum level. Thus, you have the best medicine possible for whatever illness you may have...laughter (positive stimulation of the subconscious mind). So the author seems to agree that laughter (positive stimulation of the subconscious mind) is the best medicine. Beware though, the author also says the opposite. If you have negative thoughts then you will feel depressed and/or ill.

Although I believe I understand what the author is saying, I do not agree with everything he says. An example of this would be when he said that if we didn't understand the mental principles and rules we'd find ourselves in conflict, confusion, and chaos. "When we do, we try to seek freedom from this state of mind by creating various religious beliefs, philosophies and concepts out of our own mind and then try and hide behind them." I really don't think that statement is true no more than I think by saying "I feel good" (when I was told I had cancer) would create a positive, worry free state of mind either consciously or subconsciously. Because being told I had cancer would make my conscious mind worry and no matter how much I try and tell myself and my subconscious mind that I can't do anything about it. People die, we all die sooner or later so there is no sense to worry. That I don't want to be sick so "I feel good". I am going to worry because I 'know' that I am sick and dying. And yes, I do believe people are afraid of dying. The author states that we can only fear something we know and the phrase "fear of the unknown" is nonsense. He explains his view on why he makes this statement and although I don't right now agree with it, it is something I really need to think about (as is a lot of the other statements).

Like I said previously, this book is filled with information that really needs to be reflected upon. It is a self-awareness and self-helping book to better everyday life. To break free of our perception of time and discover the timeless. To rid the negative and learn how to embrace the positive and so much more. With the examples and explanations Dr. Mal Mohanlal uses, it is easy to understand and I do recommend it.

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Book 35 of my 2012 Goal

Dog Trots Globe - To Paris & Provence by Sheron Long
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dog Trots Globe - To Paris & Provence (A Sheltie Goes to France) by Sheron Long is a short and quite unique book. For one thing it is an enhanced audio and video (for iPad and online) and for another it is narrated by the dog. I really liked the suggestions of how to set the different devices for the best coordination of pictures and text.

I wouldn't exactly classify it for children as they wouldn't have a clue what the places are or words mean although I imagine depending on their age they may be able to guess between what the dog describes and especially by the many fantastic pictures provided although my first impression was that this a book written in the view of a dog so it is for children. However, if an adult was sitting there with the child to answer any questions they may have it would be a fantastic way to introduce their child to France plus get some great pointers on places to visit in France. I also think if you plan on going to France (or any other country outside the US for that matter) it provides great advise on what papers you will need to take your dog along, what size crates, how they will travel and more.

Chula, means pretty in Spanish, the 9 year old Sheltie did a great job in this short but fun story. It was interesting and I totally enjoyed it.

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Book 34 of My 2012 Goal

Choices by Martha Kennerson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Choices: A Novel by Martha Kennerson was very hard to put down. It was well written and although the author did say it was a work of fiction she also said it was based in part of personal experience. I am not sure which part is fiction but this whole story could be totally true as it was believable.

The main character is Kristine who finishes high school and spends time with her aunt before she goes off to college. She ends up falling in love with a man that she could never have a future with. When he leaves the pain and heartbreak is almost too much for her. Between her friends and family she manages to pull her life together enough to go off to college however with her broken heart still mending some choices she makes are devastating and life altering.

Following Kristine, her friends and family you can't help but feel connected to her like she is one of your friends too. When she was happy and in love, I was happy and when she cried, I cried. It was like re-living that lost love that I imagine most of us females had at least once in our lives when we 'found the one' or at least at the time we thought 'he was the one' and our worlds came crashing down. Then off to college and who can't forget the ride to campus and moving in, meeting your roommate for the first time? Unfortunately there are other things that come with it and that is the parties, drinking, and for some drugs. College life is not simple and for some their personal life 'alters' which makes them wonder if staying in school to pursue their dreams is the answer.

I know the way I am reviewing it, it may sound boring but it is not. I simply don't want to say too much to create any spoilers but believe me it is one of those books you don't want to put down. The story is interesting from start to finish with the characters being introduced nicely and without so much details that it goes off course. The story moves at a great pace and never gets boring with a cliff-hanger ending.

I recommend this easy enjoyable read and think that most young female adults would really like it.

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Book 33 of My 2012 Goals

Eat for Joy by Srinivas Reddy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eat for Joy by Srinivas Reddy is not a cookbook, it is a book written so you understand eating or better put by the author, "have a relationship with food". I know it sounds weird but it isn't once you understand what the author is saying about Americans and their relationship with food. The author explains the difference between the American way of eating and those of other countries, why we are having problems managing our weight, and eating problems. But don't get me wrong, this isn't just a diet book, it is packed with information which some are even the results of studies done and/or reported by the medical community. Even if you don't have a weight problem you still eat and it doesn't matter if you are Vegan or not, I bet you will find something in this book interesting, I know I did.

When someone tells me forget about what the Dr. says regarding my weight, it gets my attention. Then I read on and realize that it makes total sense. Why is it that someone at this height should weigh this much? There are so many different things effecting each person including their own genetic makeup that it is impossible to throw everyone in one category and say that they should weigh this and if you are overweight then it is because you are over eating. I personally know for a fact that not all "fat" people over eat nor do they eat chocolate all day long, yet they don't lose weight no matter what they do. Then there are people like me who changed to a "healthy diet" instead of my processed foods and Lean Cuisines yet I gained weight. No matter how much fruit, salad, and healthy food I ate a week, I still gained or stayed the same. This really blew my mind! I mean I don't over eat. In fact, I only eat one meal a day....dinner at about 6 P.M. Yep, that was my problem. I was on the "Sumo Wrestler Diet". Well, not really their diet but that is how they 'bulk up', they starve their body all day and in the evening they eat. Since they ate at night they never burn off the calories they ate so their bodies store this excess as fat.

I also never really thought of my son as having a eating problem since he is skinny as a rail but this book opened my eyes to see that he too has a problem with food. He eats way too much food (even though it doesn't put weight on him). I never hear a Dr. saying a thing to him about his eating habits (as unhealthy as they are) or so much as to even ask him about his eating habits yet that is one of the first things they say to someone who weighs more than that chart on wall says they should. As the author points out, BMI Charts should be thrown out and the 'relationship' with food should be what is examined.

Do you know what food is? Do you know what healthy food is? I thought I did but learned I was wrong on several occasions. I am not saying I agree with everything in this book. For example, the author said that margarine is one molecule away from plastic, if you put it in your garage bugs wouldn't bother it, and it is not a food. The problem I have is with the "one molecule away from plastic". I remember an old email going around years ago with some of these same claims and the issue of it being almost plastic was addressed then. They said this wasn't true. In fact, I remember they said the molecules were arranged in long strains and that margarine and butter had a similar molecules so if margarine was just one molecule away, so was butter. However I do agree that margarine is not as good as I thought it was. I switched from butter to margarine years ago when we all heard about how 'bad' butter is for your health. Come to find out margarine is even worse. So even though I don't agree with everything said in the book, the information is there for each reader to make their own choice, do their own research, and make their own decisions.

Did I mention that this is not a boring book? The author makes it interesting and uses examples. Not only is food covered with the help from Katie, a fictional character used to make points, but everything from sex to Feng Shui. Food disorders such as bulimia, anorexia, and hoarding are covered. Oh yeah, can't forget the "Grandma Test" and feeding your child. All the environmental influences, how your house reflects your eating and so much more is covered. There is just so much information in this book and it doesn't matter if you have a weight problem or not, this book is about eating and it is something we all do. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

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