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Showing posts with label Celtic legends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celtic legends. Show all posts

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Silver Moon Deja Vu by Marti Melville

Silver Moon Deja VuSilver Moon Deja Vu
The Deja Vu Chronicles
by Marti Melville

My rating: 4.2 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .

When we first met John he is a paramedic working on a patient, upon arrival at the hospital he sees a nurse that he thinks he knows, in fact he is sure she is someone from his past. Very quickly we find out that when he means his past, he means his long ago past life! Silver Moon Deja Vu is John's story. In a past life he was a pirate captain in love with an Irish lass named Kathryn. There are trials and setbacks, good times and promises and a romance that lives on past their lives. Add in some superstitious pirate crew members and a hussy lady pirate and you have a wonderful story. Marti Melville mixes Irish and Caribbean traditions, Druids and Voodoo to give a story that is part romance and part adventure, but all enjoyable.

Although Silver Moon Deja Vu is the second book in the Deja Vu Chronicles, it can stand on it's own quite easily. I had not read the first book and had no trouble following the story or understanding what was going on at all. Of course it is probably even better if you have read the first, but it was good without. John and Kathryn are characters that are so real, they have flaws that lead them to mistakes that hurt them, but they love deeply and have tempers. Marti Melville adds in some paranormal aspects into the story with the Irish folklore and ideal that Kathryn has a gift, she is a witch in the Irish tradition and able to heal. Her role on the pirate ship is the ship's doctor or healer. There is also some Caribbean Voodoo since the ship is traveling and Kathryn can't ask her grandmother questions, she searches out those where they are at, which just happens to be Trinidad. This is a wonderful story for those who love romance, adventure and paranormal or any of those. Definitely one that you want to check out.

The Deja Vu Chronicles
Book One:       Midnight Omen Deja Vu
Book Two:       Silver Moon Deja Vu
Book Three:    Onyx Rising Deja Vu
Book Four:      Cutthroat's Omen: A Crimson Dawn

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Friday, May 16, 2014

The Boy From The Woods by Jen Minkman BOOK REVIEW

The Boy From The WoodsThe Boy From The Woods
by Jen Minkman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .

For the last couple of years Julia has dreamed of the high school golden boy, Michael. She has used him to inspire her poetry and music and she has thought herself in love with him, at the graduation ball he finally asks her to dance and kisses her leading to a "date", then nothing. He never calls or texts her back, and when she runs into him on the street, he acts like she should be grateful he gave her the time. She is devastated. Now Michael has been in a motorcycle accident an is acting different. Should she given him a second chance? The Boy From the Woods takes us to Austria, to follow Julia and her group of close friends in the summer after high school. They give her advice on Michael, and see what transpires. Jen Minkman weaves in the local and life of Austria with Celtic folklore and traditions to create a story of young love and broken hearts.

The Boy From the Woods is set in Austria, and when you start reading, this is the first thing you need to know, because if not you will be confused as to why at a high school graduation party they are drinking beer. That is party of the beauty of this story, no one gets drunk, they never drink that much, it is one or two and that is it. I think it sends a wonderful message to American youth that not all people look at drinking as something to do only to get drunk. Also being set in Austria, Jen Minkman uses typical German phrases and greetings in the book frequently, which lends to the authenticity of the story. It also makes you want to live in a place with so much history that certain things are continued through the generations. Add to that the forest and Celtic folklore and you have a full and wonderful romance, coming of age story that is wonderfully written and great for any age reader.

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