“I love to smell flowers in the dark,” she said. “You get hold of their soul then.”

             

                               

All of Montgomery's books emerge on Prince Edward Island, which furnishes the backdrop of Montgomery's fifth book in her "Anne of Green Gable" series. The author has a way with words and her characters present a calming and unique presence which creates a longing to experience their companionship while walking along the shore or spending the afternoon sharing words from the heart, yet the expressions disappearing from our thoughts the next day.

Besides the character in Anne's story, what percentage of the population on our beloved earth have smelled flowers in the dark, or even thought of this as an activity to claim as their own?

When humans find the time to lean forward and breathe in the fragrance of flowers, typically the brilliance of day or artificial light pervade the atmosphere. The radiance has pushed the darkness back to the shadowy corners in which the blackness abides until it rules the night once more. 

The night grows deeper as the minutes fly by, growing larger as the lights are extinguished in stores and homes--then according to the quote, this is the ultimate time to smell their sweet perfume in the shadows.

In the absence of illumination, one's concentration is pronounced on items within arms length--imagined monsters that might harm us, or procuring components needed to light our lives anew. The dark providing heightened senses would establish the optimum point of discovery to detect with certainty if flowers truly possess souls.

The light may have more of an advantage in perceiving the soul of flowers as we can view their beauty while also enjoying their essence. Maybe a little of their souls may leak out through the light as well as the darkness.

I’ve often thought that beautiful and unique plants have a life that measures beyond our scope of understanding. The feelings of love and happiness permeate our beings in the presence of such splendor, and with our feelings pushing forward, perchance the plant perceives a measure of the human soul simultaneously.

If fortune smiled on me in the form of a legacy, or the one in a billion chance to win the lottery, then my life should know a suitcase as a new closet. Paris, Rome and Crete would definitely appear on my list of destinations, though Prince Edward Island would emerge as a  top contender to visit first.
Circumstances may prevent me from visiting the island, so I will continue to do so through reading, and the next time a kind person sends flowers to my home, the lights will vanish and hopefully, their brief secrets revealed.

Trust by David Moody

☆☆☆☆This review contains spoilers☆☆☆☆

The story, created by David Moody, compares to a train moving away from a station platform. At first, a person could run alongside the track easily, though as the train speeds up, there comes a moment that the runner anticipates the futility of persevering, and as the cars rush forward, the person inevitably slows down, or at the last moment a decision emerges to jump on for the ride.
I was that runner, easily bored at the beginning of the book--my mind outracing the slowness of the words, but approaching the finish line, my every thought fixated on this speeding target, and the ride arrived in a blur of insanity.

The destruction of mankind achieved by the resolute desire of alien's to take over our beautiful planet isn't an original concept. The total annihilation of the human race asserts an expectation both implausible and infuriatingly frightening--how can one's mind begin to perceive the idea of humans never existing again on our planet, the Milky Way Galaxy or the known universe?

In our seeking of amusement, the question we must ask ourselves--how does our story play out? Would a realistic ending achieve the favored results, or a breathtaking climax featuring humans kicking ET's butt, as in the movie Independence Day or Wells theory that humans commit to remaining alive until an earthly virus attacks the invaders, and abruptly we're impervious to their onslaught? This leaves us finishing a book or movie perceiving humans as invincible and pitying those fools from space who think they could win a war with us.

The probable truth tells a diverse story of alien victory. They possess the technology to travel copious light years (one can travel six trillion miles at the speed of light in one year) to commence their battle, and earth owns a space station and a few exhausted space shuttles providing meager protection.

The intelligence of invading aliens would eclipse the beings in Signs (one of my favorite movies) who can't open doors, traveled a prodigious distance while forgetting to bring along catastrophic weapons to kill the pesky humans and arrived on a planet that's seventy percent water which contains their deadly kryptonite. Just as the witch said in The Wizard Of Oz, "it burns, oh how it burns," the aliens knew of what she spoke of.

Unfortunately, they could produce a hostile takeover without excessive effort on their part, in the same manner the aliens in Trust conquer earth. The brilliantly planned strategy never had a chance of failure, since the adjustment of the human brain proved quite effortless.

When Tom confronts the alien, whom his brother called a friend, he asserts, "we aren't going to relinquish the earth easily." The alien proclaims, "look around Tom, we've already taken over," he spoke the truth, but the sad earthling wasn't equipped to comprehend the reality.
The alien explains that people are guilty of committing the same actions as the ones wrestling away the human's grasp of our world. Throughout history, people with power attain land through their might, uncaring of the rightful inhabitants.
His alien sensibility hasn't an ounce of empathy concerning the fate of humans, and even though it's a drop of water in a universe of oceans, I'm happy that Tom killed him.

Greed in aliens and humans surface abundantly, and the number one rule of the universe--if you're in possession of a substantial commodity, then quite possibly someone bigger and stronger will eventually attain it for themselves

I experienced two problems with Trust--one is the sexual content, which in this age of sex tortured to the point of wanting its mommy, implies that innumerous readers will consider it quite mild.
The second shows my complete lack of self-control, as I had trouble turning my Kindle off, and finished in the wee hours. Subsequently, my mind became a whirlwind of alien thoughts, which finally faded as sleep approached.

David Moody has developed into one of my favorite writers. His book Autumn revealed an amazing truth--I could love zombies, and my fear of Night of the Living Dead proved a terror of the past and vanquished from the present.
Though Trust isn't my favorite by Moody, my thoughts surrounded it for days, and that is a mark of a great book.

In the Days of the Comet by H.G. Wells

☆☆☆☆This review contains spoilers☆☆☆☆

When I discovered my love for reading, as a young teenager, I found myself skipping over paragraphs that I found boring. Over time, I realized the words I threw away contained crucial information to the story line, which subsequently stopped the habit, until now. I caught myself leaping over paragraphs to lessen my burden of the wrath contained within along with the boredom it produced.

On opening the pages, words viciously tumbled out, forcing an aspiration to seek safety from the onslaught. Seventy-five percent of the book dwells with the dreadful conditions preceding the comet, followed by the final words telling the story after the comet passes the earth, yet continues to cast dispersions concerning the past.
Dude, we get it and it was bad.

The leading character isn't a man that's easy to respect. He thinks too highly of himself, blames other people for his problems, has a disastrous slow boiling temper and makes terrible decisions while disrespecting essentially everyone, including his hard-working poor mother. Though, after the transformation, there emerges a tenderness for his mother, which creates a happiness that she richly deserves.

Willie's fury awakens a destructive force from within, which pushes him "to the dark side," creating a wish to destroy the woman responsible for breaking his heart.
He comprehends a true love existing between Nellie and himself, though he's rarely declared his love in person, as there's significant mileage separating the two.
His enhanced feelings find writing a torrent of letters outweigh his anticipation of the letters he receives (the British postal system became the basis for their entire relationship). As all pretentious and self-righteous people believe, he acknowledges there's more for him to teach than to learn.

There's more than one villain in the book, as Nellie deserves limited respect--running off with a rich man that will one day cast her aside when he's through with her. Strict conformity of class conscience permeates society well into the twentieth century.  A rich man who married a poor woman would be an outcast, since polite society would never receive him in their midst.
Women who made this decision, during that time period, left chaos and shame for her family to bear alone. Their selfish act would leave behind a decreased standing in the community, reflecting on younger siblings future prospects.

Willie buys a gun and hunts down the two lovers. At the moment he shoots, the effects of the comet create an unconscious state for the entire human race, or both would assuredly felt the sting of a bullet, if not for such perfect timing.

After the comet, all hatred ceased, as humans care for one another in extraordinary ways never imagined before. The wealthy destroy the class system, inviting the poor to live in the empty rooms of their mansions.
The thirst of knowledge  accelerates with a fervor, newly born in the heart of humanity. The destruction of tenements and other unsightly buildings brings forth the construction of extensive buildings, comparable to a communal persuasion, built with beauty and grace. Humanity strives for the happiness of the entire race, and not the select few.

While reading of the new love, I imagined the comet happening today, racists, gang members, mobsters, evil regimes and the greedy rich would vanish. Judging and hating others would cease, leaving only feelings of kindness, respect and love would prevail.
To think of the end of hunger, poverty, war, murder, rape exchanged for the beginning of  healthcare, food and lovely accommodations for the entire world--the visions of dreams becoming reality.
At what cost to us, would we lose that unique spark that makes us human, or become bored with all the love permeating the air we breathe?


Would horror movies or detective TV shows become artifacts from the past? The thought of a world tuning in every night to the Hallmark channel inspires the feeling of nausea, or conceivably TV and movies would become redundant, leaving the world forever.
What about rock music, car racing, hamburgers, fatty sweet desserts, roller coasters, Star Wars, wine, Las Vegas, partying, video games, lazy weekends, The Walking Dead, vacations, competitive sports, Starbucks.....I presume we'll never experience the true feelings of modern humanity, as it's very doubtful the events in the book will ever occur in our reality.

Though the book has serious flaws, I would still recommend it for the unique idea of a comet spreading love throughout the land. I guess the Beatles were right, "All You Need Is Love!"

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

☆☆☆☆This review contains spoilers☆☆☆☆

Hercule Poirot solves yet another murder that flourishes in his general vicinity, an occurrence that happens quite frequently. Should authorities engage in the deliverance of Poirot to an abandoned island to save the humanity around him?
Certain individuals may attract the dark side in unsuspecting humans, forcing their minds with a murderer's logic to kill, though the "certain individuals" appear guiltless of their power.
This brings to mind, Stephen King's television show called Haven--a town of people who innocently have "The Troubles," which harm others around them in a myriad of ways.
Poirot would not hesitate in adjusting his address to a remote location if murders occurred from his continued existence amid the populace. Though, when a challenging murder case hasn't presented itself for him to solve, boredom steps in for Poirot, as he has a need to continually exercise his little gray cells. He lives in a paradoxical world--detesting the actual deed that conveys contentment to his brain using order, method and psychology.

Traveling on the Orient Express, through the snowy night from Istanbul towards its long trek across Europe, officials wake Poirot to impart the news concerning a fellow  passenger's murder. His famous gray cells embark on a journey of truth as he delves into an investigation.
The Perp left twelve stab wounds on the Vic (wrong time period), implicating specific passengers. Delving further in pursuit, Poirot inserts additional people in the guilty spotlight, until the number of suspects match the twelve marks on the body. Poirot imparts two outcomes, one sets the group free and the second delivers the twelve to the gallows.

Netflix contains twelve seasons of Agatha's Poirot, displaying several of her short stories and an occasional novel.  It's impossible for each episode to follow a strict formula capturing the exact story line, and the episode of Murder on the Orient Express fails on all levels.
Poirot appears without a human soul, exclusively empty of empathy or compassion. This horrid human being, watching a woman stoned to death for adultery (this scene in Istanbul doesn't appear in the book), states nonchalantly she knew the consequences for such actions, therefore the fault belongs to her alone.
Poirot's anger at the end lacks intelligence or wisdom, and the script writer's delivery to the back lot for a beat down would bring a smile to the heart of a multitude (or a few) of Christie's fans.

Christie's opinion toward Poirot emanates puzzling reflections--she states he's a "detestable, bombastic, tiresome, ego-centric little creep."
Arrogance depicts his extreme personality fault, and forced to stay in his near proximity on a daily basis, might prove tiresome, yet a creep--it's not in his job description.
It's understandable that an author's capacity of exhausting a continuing story line might possibly assert feelings of animosity which taxes her soul. Killing the beast wasn't an option, and remarkably she kept trudging along for her fans close to sixty years.

A recurring character, named Ariadne Oliver, appears in several books with Poirot. Oliver, who personifies Christie, writes a series of books which feature a Finnish detective named Sven Hjerson.
Oliver detests her creation, and she repeatedly complains of writing situations which generate enormous difficulties for Hjerson in concluding his cases.
Christie's apathy for Poirot mirrors Oliver's loathing of Hjerson, and declaring her emotions through an imaginary identity is brilliant.


Even though this isn't my favorite book starring Poirot, it's still interesting enough to continue rereading every couple of years.

The Orient Express existed in reality as well as fiction. The train line operated continuously for over one hundred years. Various  revisions of travel destinations altered over time, though significantly the route started or ended in Istanbul.
The train offered high-class rooms, food and service. The thought of eating in the dining car, sleeping in a little room with a bed that a porter sets up every night and sightseeing through countries still largely untouched by western influences impresses the need for time travel.
I would still love to travel with Poirot in the 1930's, though there may appear a temptation  to shave off his little friend (mustache). Would his face appear in public until it grew out?
Of course, his wrath could consume me and I would be exiled from his life--my plans to shave it off would change to appearing in my daydreams.

The Darkness by W.J. Lundy

☆☆☆☆This review contains spoilers☆☆☆☆

Running, running, running, running, sprinkled with finite altercations against zombie aliens, could sum up the entire book, and complete my review.

I wanted to love this book, all the elements are in place to create a forceful story, aliens who find a way to "zombiefy" humans, and force them fight against us, a man desperately looking for his family and the human will to fight against all odds, yet there's a missing factor composing any enthusiasm for their welfare.

Jacob falls in with a small group of soldiers and civilians trying to reach safety, while trying to stay alive, and that's when the running comes into play. I would correctly surmise this book to be 80% running to and from danger, and 15% fighting and dabs of worry for his wife and child.

There isn't a cohesive bond present that guides the book into an acceptable story. The characters in Jurassic Park move about constantly, but the story emerged perfectly written, without boredom permeating the hours spent lost in the world of dinosaurs. In fact, we want the characters to succeed in Crichton's books, yet I found myself not caring if Jacob fell to the enemy. If a defection to the dark side had occurred, my interest would have peaked substantially.

The lowest depth, the book achieves, occurs during the reuniting with his family. Tears, happiness, and joyful words, would not appear amiss, in his reaction on perceiving his family, in his hospital bed.
The aloof reaction he portrayed emanated milk warm at best, and bordered on a greeting to a mere acquaintance, and not a beloved family member. 

I yearned for the hospital scene to be a farce in which two possible outcomes could transpire:
(1) He concludes his family and hospital workers are actually alien zombies, controlled by the aliens. The use of subterfuge, by the infiltrators, to discover military's plans of defense would be brilliant.
(2) His family's happiness turns to horror when they discover he's an alien zombie. Their loathing turns into panic, when he systematically destroys every human in the room.

Instead, the book ends with a soldier informing him that it's time to join the military "for reals." This implies the second book will also contain running and fighting, which brings about my decision to quit at the first book and not proceed further in the series. 

A Path to Utopia by Jacqueline Druga

👽Spoiler Alert👽

Oh, dystopian books, how I love you, and Jacqueline Druga is my go to dystopian dealer to feed my need for this genre in my life.

Druga resides in the realm amid my favorite authors, though occasionally there exists a modest dissatisfaction displayed in her writing--her characters may emit the feelings of meeting old friends, then the realization occurs--they may be a rehash of recycled individuals.
A Path To Utopia features Robi, a clone of Brett in Torn who's a clone of  Ellen in Beginnings. Druga should abandon this blueprint, and start over fresh--possibly the correct answer is quality instead of quantity.
Though there's one aspect I admire in her female characters--they posses strength, they fight hard and they never surrender to failure. In a disaster, I'd happily join their team to struggle through each hazardous day with them.

Twenty-five percent of the population survives a worldwide catastrophic event, in which the majority of people die, collapsing to the ground, leaving the survivors alone with their fears.
The concept of standing amid a dead populated planet isn't an original idea, though usually the populace finishes an illness to produce the same result as in The Stand by Stephen King. Autumn by David Moody also has the majority of the world drop to their deaths simultaneously, though they eventually rise as zombies. However it happens, the fear would intensify with the supplemented horrors of evil, zombies or aliens, pushing the sanest person to lunacy.

It's amusing to watch the progress of the characters, the clueless creatures struggling to detect the truth. We (the reader) initially perceived the accuracy of the story--patience is required while waiting for their eureka moment.
The same formula happens in horror movies, when a young woman decides to walk up the stairs (or a room, house or the woods) alone. The audience grasps the truth of imminent death, though the women are so young, so innocent and shortly so dead.
Obviously, aliens attacked the earth, yet our group believes it's world war III, though one person, an elderly doctor they travel with, has ascertained the truth. When they realize he's not senile, he relishes his "I told you so" moment.
Mas and Sam, are two unequaled beings in our diminutive group, who can create walkies out of baby jar lids, yet display extreme excitement for a trip to a mall. They're beings from a world that isn't our own, though they wish to assist in our fight. The Calvary travels from their planet to ours, though they will not arrive for one Earth year.

It's my belief that all stories may be enhanced with a few zombies thrown in, though it didn't fit in the story line, Druga threw in a scene with a mob of walkers which created a warm and fuzzy feeling inside my heart.
All in all, a satisfying book, though distinct components appear crude, rehashed, and predictable, I loved it, and recommend it to all dystopian lovers.

At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon

Mitford's small town life breathes a story that's revealed to us through the eyes of one Timothy Kavanagh, or as people prefer to call him, Father Tim.
Father Tim has led a solitary home life for the majority of his adult existence, though the certainty of that world will shift the year he turns sixty. His reality alters with the appearance of a massive dog, who's still a puppy, a young boy needing a home and an interesting neighbor, for which he's inadequately prepared.

The reasoning behind his bachelorhood isn't a reflection on his view of women, the problem evolved from the lack of a soul mate. He made an unconscious choice to live alone rather than forcing the fear of loneliness into a decision of an unwanted marriage.
At this point in his life, he believes he'll be single throughout his remaining years, though fate has other plans ready to thrust upon him, whether he's ready or not.

Is Mitford a realistic look at life in a southern village? The residents may appear a tad polished for a wee town in North Carolina. They're an engaging, giving, intelligent, interesting, hard working and essentially likable lot.
Mitford is situated on the top of a mountain with gorgeous views of the valleys below, and is a day trip tourist destination, and though the town welcomes visitors, there's an unvoiced slogan of "thank you for visiting, now go home."

Considerable reviews share Father Tim's imperfections. There's a belief  he should save everyone from everything, while never sleeping or meeting his own needs.
Does he have faults? Yes, he realizes he has a hard place in his soul from the result of a harsh father, and wants to deviate away from this flaw, yet this doesn't reflect on his giving spirit, for he metes out love to all he comes in contact with. He daydreams of running away, and self doubt isn't a stranger, and he'll be the first to tell people to put their trust in Jesus Christ and not in men, for men will always fail.
If you want to read a book concerning a perfect pastor--this isn't the book for you, though if you're willing to read of an unfinished (and aren't we all) person continuously looking to God for guidance, then read away.

Aftermath by Owen Baillie

I'm always interested in reading zombie books that happen in different countries besides my own--Apocalypse Z and now Aftermath contribute to that category.  Though, we're all human, and would react the same way (run, hide, fight and scream loudly) when a zombie wanted to eat our brains for a tasty snack, there're little nuances that show a difference (from cursing to weapons).

This zombie tale takes place in Australia, though by the time our group of lovelorn characters appear in the picture the apocalypse has finished it's foul work, and the majority of humans are now walkers.
Our group of five have camped out in a remote area for a month, and they're ready to face civilization again--the world they left behind. The story tells the way they find out what happened, and the means they adopt to survive.

One major problem discloses the love stories, akin to high school romance, continuing throughout. Greg loves Kristy who loves Dylan. Callan loves Sherry, who doesn't love him anymore and just had an affair with his best friend. Yadda! Yadda! Yadda!
Can romance have a place in zombie books? My answer would require me to say yes--there's copious amounts of zombie tales, presenting romance--creative authors deftly weave a love story into a zombie book without doses of romantic pain for the reader.

In the event of a zombie apocalypse(with all the running and screaming and killing), would romance have a place in anyone's mind after an arduous day of surviving, accompanied by tormented fears of the dead (and undead) appearing during the night? Perchance, a captured moment, perceiving another's love--would potentially help survivors maintain their sanity.

One component of the story features various breeds of zombies--the genius type(genius for a zombie) proved incredibly fearsome. They conceive and reason, understanding how to create plans for their desired results(brains), including the use of  weapons, resources and tactics.
If I ever come into contact with a zombie, my fingers are crossed they're the slow shuffling genre, and not an agile walker that accelerates it's speed when a brain becomes available, or the intelligent strain featured in this story.

Though the book has distinct flaws--I would recommend it to all zombie lovers.

Even in Death by Jason D. Morrow

☆☆☆☆This review contains spoilers☆☆☆☆
Even In Death is the final book of the Starborn Saga  trilogy, and I have finally accomplished the feat of reading all three books. This was not always a painless task, and though I liked the books, at times they were tedious, and the complaint my mind produced over and over again-- how drawn out the story grew, especially in the third book.

Are all current books treated with more words than necessary to preoccupy the pages with meaningless filler of thoughts and platitudes? This only brings bouts of boredom (begging it to end) and forced reading, which doesn't speak well for the book.

The author gave an interesting idea of knowing who created the zombies, how he's still alive and evil, years later and controls the known world, and the fact mutants with superpowers live, who must battle zombies while laboring to find a way to kill the Screven leader for the betterment of mankind.

There's considerable excitement and compelling situations, and the book is not always boring. Numerous moments are stuffed with strongly written story telling, plus there's zombies, which is always a plus.
The conclusion of the story pleased me greatly as I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

There's  another trilogy to the story, and that's called The Starborn Ascension, which I'm having a debate with myself whether I will read it or not.
Though the beginning of the end is revealed in Starborn Saga, Starborn Ascension delves  intensely into the story and Evelyn (a key Starborn) is featured in the early telling.
Hopefully, one day I will derive the bravery need to start again.

Pines by Blake Crouch

My first indication that Wayward Pines existed became apparent when the current television show of the same name launched on Hulu. Matt Dillon stars as Ethan, the main character (and he's the actor my son Dillon is named after). 

There's a modern Twilight Zone twist to this story of a man waking up in a small town where no one can escape and no one is allowed to talk about their past lives. 

I love books where I can't comprehend absolutely what's happening, and the entire time I'm working on understanding the underlying reality, yet when I feel I'm close, I realize that I'm not approaching the truth at all. 

If a citizen can't pretend or tries to escape--a fete (or a Reckoning on the TV show) is called forth. This event allows the phones to ring in their homes, which brings out all the inhabitants to murder the offender. 

In the story, everyone participates which brings to mind the book called The Lottery, where a name is selected every year, and the townspeople stone the chosen one in the town square. The Lottery has an ulterior motive of keeping the earth satisfied for the continuation of abundant crops will persevere every year. 

The citizens (though not all) murdering in Wayward Pines yearn to kill for pleasure, and frequently dress in elaborate costumes for the event. The disregard for human life forms the shadows of our past--enjoying the slaughter of thousands in the colosseum, the beheadings and hanging in subsequent years.

Today, we feel above such depravity, though on reflection, the fear of how quickly humans may fall back into vast savagery if forced into certain situations brings about uneasiness.

With the revelation of the truth, I felt happiness and pity for the residents of this meager town. This isn't your mama's Mayberry, and the scary monsters outside the walls aren't Yankees.