Book Reviews (XI)

Book Review: A Satan Carol by Alan S. Kessler

Book description:

Nostalgic for the Inquisition and plague, Satan feels neglected by the modern world that no longer cares about heresy or blames him for disease and death. He plans to create a new genesis, a place where people will love him. For that, his son needs just the right soul.

A Satan Carol is a horror story with a message for those who want to understand God's apparent absence as the intersection of freewill and choice. It is a story with religious themes written for a secular reader. It is, in the end, a tale about family values even if they originate in hell.

My Review

Reading this novel brought to my mind the morality plays of the 15th and 16th centuries which involve a direct conflict between right and wrong or good and evil and from which a moral lesson may be drawn.

The novel starts in Ireland 1848, with a moving depiction of the Irish famine, the pressing atmosphere, and the people who try to survive; with Meg who believes herself blessed by Christ. She runs along coaches to beg for the rent she has to pay to her landlord Mr. Green. In Liam, her son, the villagers see a healer whose power could only come from Christ.  

In the same chapter, the story moves then, all of a sudden, in Massachusetts, one hundred and eighty years later and we meet fourteen year old Katie Katz and her whole family.

Then we meet Orem, in the past and find out why Satan favored him with visions.

After reading the first two chapters, I had the impression that things were moving too slow. The story unfolds in alternating points of view. It's not the type of story one calls a page turner. It has a multitude of characters and back-stories I lost track of at some moment.  The reader must pay attention to all the details in order to keep track of everything. The main lead belongs to Mr. Green, aka Satan, who needs a soul for his son. He wants to prove God that he isn't as bad as everyone considers him to be, and that he also can create something good. But does Father love me in return?/Not in this world but maybe in the next/when He sees with pride/how I too can create something out/of toxic nothing. An interesting, manipulating and conniving character. Mr. Green was a true believer in the holy church of his plans.

I can't say I felt empathy for any of the characters, no matter how good or bad they were. I'd have liked more insight into them.

As for the ending, I have mixed feelings regarding the way everything was wrapped up. An odd combination of macabre and religious themes. Maybe I didn’t get the exact message of this book.

Disclosure: My copy was offered by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: Three stars.

Reviews (XIII)

Monday, March 04, 2013 by Michikit

 

  Michikit rated it 5 of 5 stars

I always enjoy a good mystery story and Shadows of the Past had plenty or it. I initially did not know what to expect, but whatever I wanted from the book before I started it, I receive 10 times more. It was so good and I found myself thrown in two different lives.

The story was told from two points of view, two characters belonging to different times. I’ve usually read books that had characters from the same time, but not in this one. Genevieve lived in the 15th century and Anne’s story takes place in 1990. The thing is, I couldn’t decide whose story I was most eager to follow because each of them had its share of mystery. Every time I started with Genevieve’s story I wanted to see what Anne was doing and every time I went back to Anne I needed to see Genevieve again.

Genevieve’s story begins actually with the ending and afterwards her entire life is unfolded right in front of us. Her life was tragic, from the begging until the very end. She lost her father thanks to the cursed forest which triggered a chain reaction and soon, her entire family was dead. When she finally settled down she was forced to leave again because the forest managed to take another person that she grew fond of just see herself under the protective wing of Mother Superior.

I must say that I enjoyed the descriptions on the 15th century places, people, and the traditions. The way that everyone different was looked at with disgust because much like today, people would fear the unknown. But in those days everything was conducted to the extreme, different being associated with monsters and witches.

Anne’s story was the mild part of the book. She is a strong and independent woman, she knows what she wants and I simply loved her attitude when she caught her boyfriend with her best friend together. She is a strong business woman, clearly she is not that eager to show her weaknesses, but along with her normal life and appearance, she has also some paranormal abilities and with the help of them she can connect with Genevieve.

The love story was sweet and slow, full of some tender moments. The cover may not show it this way, but it is. It is based more on the emotional part and less on the physical one.

Of course that between Anne and Genevieve is a connection and of course I will not tell you which one because you will need to read it to know it. Trust me, I loved it and so will you, especially if you are into paranormal romance.

This was an amazing story, settled in the past and present, following the destiny of two women that are parted by 500 years.

Reviews (XII)

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Review Shadows of the Past - by Adriana Dascalu

The book is exactly what the blurb promises to be: a beautiful and touching paranormal love story that plays on the idea that love transcends time and soul mates will always search for each other.

First, I loved the premise of the book: the restless soul of a young nun from the XVth century leads Anne, its present day reincarnation, towards the place where the nun's body has been abandoned centuries ago without being aloud to find peace.

Secondly, I loved the shift between present and past, between Anne's and Genevive's stories and the way their stories are woven together. Carmen plays the visions/apparitions/dreams card and the fact that in spite of telling the story of two different female protags, she manages to create background for both Genevive and Anne.

Thirdly, I liked the descriptions the author used to put everything in place - I'm not usually a big fan of thorough descriptions, but this book is one of the few exceptions.

I'd say Carmen managed to write a beautiful, touching love story that transcends time, about overcoming adversity and one's learning, personal growth and transformation and a second love story about choices.

The end of the book is a happy one if just a little gloomy, which is understandable for such a tragic story (promising more, maybe? - I hope so).

I felt for Genevive's lack of luck, I loved Anne for her strenght and I loved the  book.

Reviews (VII)

February 13, 2013 - by Ankita S (http://booklokcoffee.blogspot.in/2013/02/review-shadows-of-past-by-carmen.html)

 

Title: Shadows of the Past
Author: Carmen Stefanescu 

Pages: 231, ebook
Publisher: Wild Child Publishing
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Release: December 4th 2012

MeThinks:

Well at first look you would think "I don't normally read this", that was my first thought as well. I normally read Young-Adult books and occasionally switch the genre. So when Ms. Carmen approached, after reading the synopses I was indeed intrigued with paranormal and historical theme so I gave it a chance. And I must say it was different and Amazing!! 

The Book cover may seem Adult but story isn't so much, Yes there is romance but the sweet one. As Carmen said that she like to keep the romance sweet in her books.

 ‘Our past and our future are tea leaves in the cup of our present.’

Shadows of the past starts in the 14th century, with a medieval times girl Genevieve and alternatively introducing the modern times girl Anne. As the story proceeds the connection between both the girls gets more intricate. Where Anne is strong business women determined to reconcile with her love Neil, Genevieve is a victim of fate, terrible luck and forced to face the horrid world. As the medieval times story proceeds it creates an eerie atmosphere with a cursed forest, a strange stream, dark magic and many such things. Genevieve has faced many tragedies time and time again losing the people she loves then finally when circumstances made her a nun, the tragedies didn't cease. She fell in love with a Priest Father Andrew and he also loves her back but fate has again planned something dreadful for her.

Genevieve's heart breaking story seems very real. Carmen did a fantastic job in creating her character with such fineness and giving life to so many other characters.
The villain in the book is scary, spooky and very well created, her presence is there through out the book making every page more interesting, The villain has ruined Genevieve and is now disturbing Anne immensely.

 Here, Anne is set on to have a nice time with Neil, to reconcile but she encounters a tormented soul and visions and that changed everything for her.
Being a strong headed women she is determined to solve the mystery of that ghost which leads to many revelations. Can she set that tragic soul free... or burn in the same magic!!

I love the ballad by almost the end describing the tragic destiny of Genevieve and Andrew.
“Shadows of the Past” is a real page-turner and a dark spooky romantic story that is crafted masterfully. Despite all the evil, love wins by the end. I really liked that.