The Soldier And The Author (Book) - 9/19/2020 6:46:12 AM
I didn't like this book. I had a hard time following the story line. It jumps around all the time i never know who they were talking about.
Cycles Of Hatred (Book) - 4/8/2019 10:37:46 AM
After reading a synopsis of this book, readers feel they have an idea of what the pages hold--well guess again.
If your idea of a well-written suspense is the one that keeps you guessing-- this is the book for you.
The author weaves the story around a theme that had the makings of being quite unusual and she pulled it off.
To say the author has the gift of creativity and stretches her imagination in this 'chills up your spine' publication--is an understatement.
The reader falls into the characters' lives and is spellbound as years pass and chaos reigns. The plot is incredible with remarkably honest characters of good and evil.
I have never read anything like this book. Worth the time!
'I received a copy of this book for an honest review.'
Rosemary's Beach House (Book) - 3/29/2019 9:07:09 AM
The format of this publication makes it easy for readers to follow the story as different characters enter and leave Rosemary's life.
This author's brilliant way of compartmentalizing what is happening to Rosemary takes the reader into this interesting woman's mind.
As we follow the author's writing of Rosemary's life, we are able to grasp the complexities of who Rosemary is and why she makes the decision she does.
As the story unfolds, readers cannot help but be drawn in and root for all the best for Rosemary and then Malcolm.
As far as suspense books go -- this one is at the top of the list. The author's gift for the unexpected yet realistic is certainly evident in this superb story. This story has an ending that is as it should be even though it was totally out in left field -- never saw it coming.
I can see a movie made with Rosemary's Beach House as the catalyst.
AnnaPolis Summers (Book) - 2/14/2019 10:50:59 AM
Bullying is a very serious problem and this book reflects bullying in its worse form. School-aged kids can be very cruel. Any parent of a child that's being bullied should read this book. 'AnnaPolis Summers' would be an excellent book for school councilors and/or child psychologists to read; perhaps mandatory reading for kids that are doing the bullying.
'AnnaPolis Summers' focuses on one main character, Anna, who is being bullied, and her 'circle of friends.' The book follows Anna through middle school, high school and into college and reflects a very strong Christian family unit of support. Shining the light of Christian perspective in handling this problem was refreshing.
'AnnaPolis Summers' is one of those books that you can't put down. Linda Heavner Gerald keeps the readers on the edge of their seats with many unexpected twists and turns. Her writing style is very diverse and this novel has a unique flow for the reader to follow. I most definitely recommend reading this one. An absolute 5 star!
Rosemary's Beach House (Book) - 2/8/2019 4:43:34 PM
Rosemary’s Beach House
Rosemary Lewis discovered her husband, Dalton, in her bed with Beth, the neighbor next door. The life she shared with him ended. Rosemary had tried hard to be the perfect wife: the poor woman worked faithfully at her job as a registered nurse. Her housekeeping skills seemed pristine, even working outside on the lawn, everything, she did with love and devotion to Dalton, but her actions weren’t enough. After the divorce, she threw herself into nursing.
Suddenly, she met Malcolm Beach, a wealthy, sophisticated, beautiful man who represented more than her wildest dreams. When he asked her to marry him, life took on a new realm. Joy surrounded the two as they traveled all over the world to their various homes. Rosemary even mastered sailing which they enjoyed during summers on their boat, Ruth.
Without warning, Malcolm died with a brain tumor. Devastation once again descended on poor Rosemary, but that wasn’t all. Acts of hatred frequently waited for her such as spray paint on front of her door, keying of her car, even a dead animal on the front steps. Friends confided that Malcolm once loved another woman whom they labeled as insane. Rosemary wondered if the old lover was the culprit? Soon enough, the violent acts escalated. Terrified for her life, Rosemary had good reason to be afraid.
Cycles Of Hatred (Book) - 10/25/2018 8:49:33 AM
I'm impressed with that title of one of the 50 top people to read and 12 books in five years. You obviously are a dedicated writer and promoter from your picture. I lack both.
The title of your book and its subject matter caught my eye because I've observed over the years the double standard applied when men think they are superior to women. Especially when a woman who is bright or talented in some way impinges on a man's world. While I've never had bad thoughts towards women, only loving ones, some of my friends and colleagues have said and done things that I abhorred when I heard them say them on when I heard that they did them. Your book is timely because of the revealing of major personalities who have gotten away with criminal activity. It's a disgrace that needs to be brought to the forefront.
Ron
Confessions of an Assassin (Book) - 7/21/2018 3:25:40 PM
I began this book expecting to read about how a CIA agent or governmental operative would be trained in their trade, however that is not what we receive. What develops is how, Cat, a very independent young woman that has her life's future and dreams laid out before her even as early as her college days, is brainwashed mentally and emotionally to "not ask questions" and "do as you are told."
'Confessions of an Assassin' is a whirlwind of chapters with twist and turns on every page. It is a fast paced novel that keeps the reader interested and intrigued and guessing. A very easy read!
I enjoyed how the book was laid out having the main character looking back on her life and the changes it had taken, albeit good or bad, and the reflections of what could have been.
I completely appreciated the mystery each character brought to the story line and how the author, Linda Heavner Gerald, had you wondering as to the degree each character did or did not belong to 'the organization.'
'Confessions of an Assassin' is a well written and very entertaining read. I look forward to reading more titles from Linda Heavner Gerald.
The Soldier And The Author (Book) - 7/18/2018 4:15:49 PM
This is a great book. It's a page turner. I really enjoyed reading this book.
The Soldier And The Author (Book) - 6/29/2018 9:46:43 AM
This book was exciting and had to put down. I read this in a very short time. The characters were believable and I routed for Bailey.
I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it to anyone.
The Soldier And The Author (Book) - 5/23/2018 3:51:37 PM
The Soldier and the Author is the intriguing story of two people who came together as the result of unusual circumstances. Bailey Barker, a retired military officer, was estranged from her deceased mother. Bailey has inherited her mother's estate and is shocked to learn that her mother lived with a younger man who is Oliver Greene, a famous author. Her plan to evict him is derailed once she actually meets him A mutual attraction develops quickly and they embark on a life of privilege. However, both Bailey and Oliver have much baggage from their past that travels into the present. Can this couple endure what life has in store for them?
This is an engrossing and complex story about complex people who find themselves dealing with shocking events. It moves quickly with twists and turns that are a total surprise. Highly recommended.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
AnnaPolis Summers (Book) - 2/27/2018 9:12:01 AM
The author took a chance writing in flashback sequences but it worked. The reader feels Anna's enthusiasm of going from the ugly duckling to an emerging swan and anticipation and dreams of the coming years to then dealing with unspeakable evil.
It is a look into the pain, torment, and utter despair not one person experiences but the people in one teen's life when evil persons know no boundaries when it comes to bullying.
The people involved in this story are the filthy rich showing yet again--no person is immune to what life can bring. How one person's life is forever changed by the actions of others is no less sad--even if 'normal'. What evil a school student will do to another is no less shocking. Bullying has become so normal this reader saw the wheels turning in the author's mind as the story unfolded but the actual event was still as horrifying.
The catharsis of 35 year old Anna's thoughts through a difficult night propel this story to its healthy conclusion.
'Don't judge a book by its cover' was never more true than it was in this story about the role the perfect Kyle plays. The suspense and build-up to the traumatic event was masterful. The reader never sees it coming. But when it does, the author's way of getting into Anna's head...
While this book is about bullying it is just as surely a story of one person's remarkable journey through devastating heartache and how she rose to be the healthy adult she is. Not to be overlooked are Anna's parents and how any one who reads this story can but hope parents are supportive when their children face such horrific assaults to their psyche and health. Also the way Anna's husband is written into the story is at first glance strange but he ends up being a rock. An outstanding author thought up the way that Anna is written and how she deals with the blows life has given her.
This book is a revelation that every high school student and every parent should read at least once.
Confessions of an Assassin (Book) - 2/16/2018 9:34:10 AM
From the first words of this unusual book--I was hooked. The in-depth revealing of the main character was long but needed to understand how this woman's life went so terribly wrong. She is a person that has too much privilege, too much innocence, too much trust to make informed decisions which lead her down a path few can imagine.
As this story unfolds we see what is happening in Catherine's life from her eyes and try to understand how she got to where she is. It is a hard story to read but a fascinating tale told in a writing that flows compelling the reader to hunger at where the story is headed.
The author has an amazing grasp of putting this story to print in an easy to read format and in heartbreaking reality. While this is a work of fiction, readers are left wondering how close to the truth the slippery slope into this life has been portrayed. From Catherine being profiled, by powers outside of her imagination, who saw her loneliness, lack of confidence, and her craving for being normal--she abandons all caution and her life is forever changed. Even though alarm bells were going off in her head...
The Soldier And The Author (Book) - 1/8/2018 11:51:30 AM
This is a spoiler alert, giving the whys of not recommending...
I had mixed feelings related to this book. It started with the cover that shows a male soldier, while the actual soldier, the main character, is female. But there were questions as I continued to read--questions about logic and plausibility. The basic storyline is interesting from a romantic and faith-based standpoint; it was not enough.
The lead chapter self-describes the main character, Bailey Barker, noting that she was "lazy and spacey" when younger, but shows that she moved on to become a dedicated registered nurse and military officer for 22 years. She rarely spent time with her mother and admitted she had some anger that she was not quite able to understand... yet she feels obligated to handle her mother's estate, now, that she is dead.
She comes home, discovering that her mother had a live-in lover, who was now living in the guest house, working as a writer... there is nothing included about his actual work, discussing genres or what his latest work is...he stays "mother's lover" to me... That is, until he and Bailey look into the other's eyes and falls in love... Then, Bailey starts wearing all of her mother's clothes, instead of buying her own or even a combination of some of the special clothes... They soon plan to marry...
In the meantime, readers are teased about a young woman who has psychological problems. We are presented with her ramblings and they are extreme enough to question why she is not committed, and later she is sent back...
Oliver has told Bailey nothing about his background. Interestingly, he shares that his arrangement with Bailey's mother was that she owned the house and he paid the bills... Nothing further is said about that extensive estate that was mentioned in the first chapter... The soldier is apparently willing to accept anything Oliver says...
Then he decides the location of their honeymoon. He takes her back to where he lived with his first wife. Coincidentally, after many years, it is during that visit that the police suddenly discover the individual who had killed his first wife... Again, Bailey seems to think nothing about being whisked away to part of her new husband's problematic past...
Bailey begins to discover that her mother was very involved with local activities, including visiting the orphanage, where she had been hoping to adopt a beautiful young girl. We discover that she is the grandchild of a neighbor of the estate and that the grandfather had once tried to burn down the estate...
Bailey thinks she should be able to solve any differences or problems, so she visits the grandfather and becomes friends. Now there is no mention that there was any police involvement when this man set the fire... This seems to be a pattern, because when the young lady gets involved in the story again, she talks about killing Bailey's mother... In fact, she says it three different times, but again nothing is discussed about any police investigation. Oliver says that she died from cancer that came on her quickly, but by this time there is enough to suspect that she may have been murdered... Who knows?
The attempts to engender suspense fails miserably since nothing is ever done to clarify exactly what happened. Oliver successfully keeps holding things back with Bailey blindly being in love. Then deciding they all need to start church and everything is placed in God's hands...
The whole book feels contrived, scripted. Loose ends appear constantly, leaving the reader wondering what is going on... To further complicate the matter, the woman in the hospital is allowed to see people without anybody else in attendance... She attacked both Bailey and her father, in addition to really wild accusations... Also, the grandfather neighbor had begun to visit her and again, there was no visible coverage of visitations where apparently another fire being set was planned...
The book itself appears to be self-published and reveals inexperience in formatting, questionable editing issues. The book ends by the author telling what is needed to catch the readers up to what time changes had occurred and what happened. There is a constant, I have to say, unreal emphasis on devotional love and faith, that it seems is the main thrust of the story.
If this had been a straight Christian romance, it would, in my opinion, be better received... Throwing in hints of insanity, post-traumatic concerns, criminal acts, including those that are life-threatening, show an inexperienced writer who is striving to expand into genres for which she is not prepared. She is playing with topics that are clearly beyond her knowledge and it shows to a reader. Medical and legal issues are not treated lightly in today's fiction. And claiming that all things are handled by God, in today's world, is almost condescending to the savvy reader. This author clearly needs to start reading outside of her own work and stop playing with medical issues that are treated much too lightly...
No, I cannot recommend this book. However, this is the first time reading this author so do check out other reviews as you consider options...
GABixlerReviews
Paperback provided by Authors Den
Confessions of an Assassin (Book) - 11/15/2017 8:57:18 AM
I'm really getting tired of books that don't state what they are when I pick them up or request them for review. No where in the blurb did it say this would lean into Christian Fiction. So be warned!!!!!
Now besides that part playing a huge part in the story, it even gets to the part where she starts to question herself, who she is, how she is doing things her family would hate and how that is disgracing God too. Look, I've said this before, I have nothing, nothing at all against Christian fiction, it's just not my cup of tea.
I love the narrator's voice, thought it was relatable and it felt authentic. I was entertained from the first moment and enjoyed the writing. I do think Catherine was stupid in most of the choices she made but who hasn't made stupid choices in life? It made her that much more relatable. I do think the ending was a bit of a let down but maybe that's just me. I do still recommend this book if it sounds interesting to you.
*I volunteered to read this book in exchange for an honest review*
I BELIEVE IN ANGELS (Short Story) - 12/29/2016 10:59:54 AM
nice story, holds reader interest
Never stop writing!
m
Saturday Blues (Short Story) - 3/22/2014 5:17:08 PM
this kind of heartbreak happens far too often in our world today, very well written of such a sad memory
budd
