Book Review: The Fire Inside by Raymond Rose

Photo taken from Goodreads

Book Info

   

Title:  The  Fire Inside

Author:  Raymond Rose
Publisher:   Christopher Williams Books

Language: English

Format:  E-book (Adobe Digital Edition)

Pages:  339 pages
Source:  Advanced reader's digital copy from the author, Raymond Rose

Buy this book on Amazon 

Summary

From Goodreads: 

"Ten years ago, Jack and Bruce barely survived a battle royale between good and evil that left half of their city destroyed. Over the years, they’ve drifted apart – their lives going separate paths. Now Bruce is back in town looking for Jack’s help. Because what’s about to happen is worse than anything they could imagine!"

Review

Can you say X-Men with a twist?  The Fire Inside, the first book in the Sidekicks series by Raymond Rose should have been made into a graphic novel, what with all the action-packed scenes and death-defying heroics by its totally amazing characters.

If you ever wondered what happened to Batman, Spiderman, Flash Gordon, and all the other popular super heroes out there when they got older and needed to retire - or perhaps needed to start anew after their real identities were revealed - then The Fire Inside is perfect for you.  This book, with its world-weary and reluctant former super hero, perfectly captures what could have been a super hero's life after saving the world.  Bruce and Jack were part of the Teen Protectors, an elite group of super heroes who used their powers to defend mankind against The Villains.  Ten years later, with the two friends drifting apart and Jack leading a quiet, unexciting life, Bruce returns and asks for Jack's help that turns their lives - along with others like them - upside down.

This book was awesome!  A little predictable but hey, the fight between good versus evil has always been the issue and admit it or not, we all want good to win and have a happy ending.  I am not saying that that is what happens in this story, but I assure you that you will get a bit of that, plus a whole lot more than you can ever imagine.

It was such an adrenaline rush to read this book because of all the running and the fighting and the guessing that I literally found myself gasping for air as some shocking development was revealed.  The excitement never stops and when I turned the last page, my  first thought was I have to ask Mr. Rose to release the next book soon!  This book was on my mind for days after I have finished it and all the scenes kept coming back to me.

Bruce and Jack were very strong characters in this book.  They were the best of friends but they could not have been more different from each other.  Bruce is level-headed, analytical, and had a very satisfying family life with his parents.  Jack is emotional, volatile, and had never known any family until he became part of the Teen Protectors and met Bruce and others like him.  I swear, after reading about them, a part of my mind was somehow convinced that people like them do exist and that I had to find them.  Another part placed them along the ranks of other super heroes that I know.  They were so relatable and very likable and I enjoyed witnessing their friendship and their adventures.  The other characters were equally good as their own individual stories provided very credible information about each person.  They were very interesting and I liked reading about their powers.

That said, I am looking forward to the next  book off this series, as I hope to see more of these characters and their powers, and what would happen to them next. 

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice

I received this book free of charge from the author, Raymond M. Rose, in exchange for an honest and truthful review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.  

Book Review: Better Together by Raymond M. Rose

Photo taken  from Goodreads

 Book Info

Title:  Better Together 

Author:  Raymond M. Rose
Publisher:  Christopher Williams Books

Language: English

Format:  E-Book

Pages:  290 pages
ASIN:  B004A14V28

Source:  From the Author

Buy this book on Amazon 

Summary

From Goodreads:

"Paul Rhoads, a successful horror novelist, has moved back to his hometown in Pennsylvania. Moving back home turns out to be more than just returning to his roots but starting up a relationship with his high school sweetheart, Annie. Annie, recently divorced, is the mother of a precious eight month old, Max. However, when Annie dies in a freak car accident, Paul finds himself catapulted into the role of father and decides to do something he would never have imagined himself doing: raise Max as his own."

Review

When I was younger, I had this silly fear that I was just adopted.  The fact that I never looked like any of my parents back then only added more to this fear.  It was only when my brother was born and he was my spitting image that I was finally able to quell this insane thought.

Paul was supposed to live with Annie and her little son Max happily ever after, but Annie died and left Paul with Max just shortly after getting married.  Stunned with grief by the sudden departure of his beloved wife, he becomes overwhelmed by an even bigger responsibility of raising Max as his own son.  This book details the ups and downs that Paul (and every parent) encounters when dealing with raising kids and striving to be the best parent a child ever had.

Remember how you used to understand and remember stuff better when it's told through a story rather than listening to usual instructions?  This book, Better Together by Raymond M. Rose is certainly a good story for parents who are tired of looking for that perfect self-help parenting book.  This will not tell you everything about raising a child, not really about how hot the bath water should be but more on how to deal with the emotional side of taking care of your little one.  Instead of getting all too preachy as some parenting books, this book is like a friend who tells you everything he/she experienced during his/her own time raising children and passing all the knowledge to you.

The premise is unique and the events occur in such a way that the reader gets caught off guard by the turn of events despite a small touch of predictability.  Endearing and sweet, this book will completely hook any reader, especially those who have had children as they are taken back in time in the early stages of their children's lives.

But as amazing as this book may sound, I just have a few problems with how this was presented:  Told from a third person perspective, the voice sometimes shift from different characters rather too quickly that sometimes, the reader gets confused as the points of view get jumbled up.  One minute you were reading about Paul's thoughts, another minute you realize the narration has shifted to Annie's.  But it does get better as you turn the pages and finally get a good grasp of the voices within this book.  As for the text, there were a few typographical errors that was a bit distracting but once you get past that, you will definitely be in for a treat as you read this heartwarming story.

An important lesson to be gained from this book is this:  Children should be loved not because they carry your blood in their veins, not because they look like you, not because they were born from you - but because they, as human beings, deserve to be loved, not matter who or what they are, or where they came from.

Rating

If you have any questions on this particular rating, please refer to my ratings system here.

Notice 

I received this book free of charge from the author, Raymond M. Rose, in exchange for an honest and truthful review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Please contact me for questions, comments, and suggestions.