Dead Yet Alive?!

How many of us are just going through the motions in our daily lives? Maybe you don't feel enthusiastic about your chosen area of work. Maybe you have gotten laid off and don't know what to do next? Maybe your fiancee just gets up one morning and says she leaving you for someone else?

That feeling of malaise has hit you like a huge set of bricks and instead of crying out to God, you confide in your close friend and he /she talks your business all about the work office.

In this scenario, you might feel dead emotionally, but you know that you are alive because your heart is still beating and you other vital organs are functioning somewhat.

Well, imagine if you were the main character in this book entitled Burn The Dead. This book written by author Steven Jenkins chronicles the life of Robert who burns dead people for a living. He opens a body bag one morning and finds his wife in the bag! He must try to get back to his neighbourhood in Crandale which now resembles a scene from Walking Dead. Persons infected with this unusual disease feeds on living healthy persons.

Here is my review of Burn the Dead which I completed on 22 July 2014.  I gave it 4 stars.

Burn the Dead is a fast paced suspense novel that revolves around Robert, a regular guy who works for a company responsible for an incinerator.  Robert burns dead people for a living.  On a daily basis, he burns people infected with the Necro-Morbus disease which turns humans into zombies.  He lives in Crandale in the United Kingdom with his wife Anna and his son Sammy.Unfortunately, Robert lets his curiosity get the better of him and he starts peeping at the corpses in the body bags.  This day in particular, he actually views his wife Anna in a body bag!  His emotional turmoil begins and he is agitated and extremely anxious to find Sammy  and thereby protect him from the infected humans or "Necs".  Author Jenkins relates Robert's arduous task of searching for Sammy and his many narrow escapes from death.

Burn the Dead is a gripping tale- both emotionally and figuratively.  From the get-go, the reader becomes enthralled in the plot.  I read the story and I did not want to put down the book!  The language is colloquial and interspersed with a few expletives.  This is understandable, especially in the precarious circumstances that the main character finds himself.  I love the fact that , against all odds, author Jenkins displays the tenacity of the main character.  This characteristic is truly an admirable one.  I appreciate the fact that author Jenkins chose to express his story from the main character's perspective.  This is a good tactic because as a reader you become fully immersed in the storyline.  I recommend this book to all fans of suspense novels.

Reviewed by by Valerie Rouse for Readers Favorite

100 Reviews!!

Yeah! Today I am celebrating the fact that I have written 100 reviews!

I am thankful to God for giving me the strength, ability and patience to achieve this milestone.  I am also thankful for family and friends who have encouraged me on my book review journey.

I distinctly remember when I first started to write these book reviews back in April 2013. I had approached my writing as just a hobby at the time. I only started to take it seriously a year later.
Kudos also go to the staff at Readers Favorite for putting up with me!

So, I have achieved this feat before Xmas. Ironically, the next book I reviewed is entitled Done By Christmas.

This post is therefore celebrating my achievement   as well as publicizing my review of this Christian book by Randall Jarmon.  I gave it 4 stars. It is filled with action and is really a good read. Read my analysis below:-

Done by Christmas is a delightful story based on an acclaimed criminal Victor Taggert and his personal vendetta against Abigail West.  Victor had one of his operations intercepted by Abigail’s business known as Abigail West Security Services.  As a result, Victor was convicted and sentenced to prison. Since then, Victor vowed to kill Abigail because she was bad for his “bad” business and his incarceration.   Author Randall Jarmon also revealed the inner workings of Abigail West Security Services as well as the interpersonal relationships among its employees.  Integral to the plot is the introduction of Logan Blake to the security firm.  This bright intern becomes an important ally for the firm especially in terms of protecting Abigail and her team members form Victor’s numerous attacks.  The budding relationship between Logan the “Geek Boy” and Amanda, Abigail’s daughter is an added bonus. 

Done by Christmas is a fast paced tale filled with suspense at every turn.  The story begins showcasing a speedy chase between Victor Taggert and the police which the author deftly uses to reveal the intellectual precision of Victor's mind. The entire plot was developed exceptionally well with unexpected twists that truly take you by surprise.  The use of contrast and the element of surprise is very effective and gripping, which really draws the reader in and makes them engrossed in the story.  I recommend this book to all readers who love a suspense novel.

Reviewed by Valerie Rouse for Readers Favorite