Location: United States
Member Since: Nov. 19, 2011
Shell Moore
Books
This member has not published any books.Smashwords book reviews by Shell Moore
- Online
on Dec. 11, 2011
This book very much surprised me. It was not what I expected, but better. I loved the suspense. The several storylines were woven together nicely. Just as I was starting to get into what I thought was going to be the whole plot, Mr. Blackburn adds a twist, and then another, and then even more. The characters are written so well that you feel emotional about what happens to them, good or bad. I do admit, as a computer geek, it was a little creepy for me. It made my imagination run wild. As with Asimov and his stories being fodder for the future of science, I can somewhat foresee this happening as computer technology advances.
- India Was One
on Dec. 25, 2011
I was given this book and asked to review it. I enjoy learning about other cultures, and this book did not disappoint. I was eager to read the book based on the synopsis. India is a culture I knew little about although I have many Indian acquaintances. I had no idea when I started reading this book how enthralling it would be. Not only was the story line very interesting, but interwoven in the story was the culture of a modern day Mumbai. The culture is explained as part of the story. One doesn't feel they are reading a school book, but they are still learning so much. The story takes the reader through the college life of Jai, his group of friends, and the girl he falls in love with. It tells of the traditional marriage, how it's planned and the ceremony of it. The reader learns how one adjusts to moving to a different country and learning a different culture. And, one learns just how very important family is. When living in America, they hear the news of unrest in India. They immediate decide to return home to check on their parents, as all communication has been cut. They learn they have to return to their ancestral state and their states are now in different countries. If they go back, they don't know when they will see each other again. They go anyway. It's a story about love; love of each other, love of parents, love of friends, and love of country. A beautifully, well written book that was hard to put down.
- Up in the Attic and Other Stories
on Dec. 26, 2011
Disclaimer: I received this book free in exchange for reviewing it. This review contains my honest opinion about the book. I thought it was an interesting read, especially at Christmas time. The short stories all have a Christmas theme. They aren't exactly horror or ghost stories, but they were a little on the creepy side. Some seemed to end too soon. If you like the genre, it's a good, quick read. I like the genre and I liked the stories, some more than others. Two of the stories really stick out in my mind. The Gingerbread Massacre is one. Find out what happens when a department store has a somewhat hostile takeover and changes the baker that does the annual gingerbread Christmas display. It's a fun, but macabre story. The other I really liked was The Holiday Lift. I actually found this story to be quite a warm story, but it had a heck of a twist at the end that left me wanting to hear more of the story. This is a good book for those who like short, macabre stories. It doesn't need to be read just at Christmas. It's a good read any time.
- Saturation
on Dec. 28, 2011
Disclaimer: I received this book free and was asked to write a review. The review is my honest opinion. Jennifer Place writes about her struggle to get sober. As someone who has alcoholics in their family, I was very interested to learn why it is so hard to not drink. I thought it was just a matter of willpower and wanting to stop. This book showed me there was so much more involved. While reading the book, I was not fond of Ms. Place. She wrote herself as being very unlikable, someone with no tact whatsoever. I believe this is how she was until she got sober. Although many people do not like bull, she seemed to take her dislike to extremes, especially when in treatment. I think the book has more potential than how it is now written, The book could use better storytelling and better editing. I learned a lot about alcoholism. The ability of one's body to adapt to the amount of alcohol consumed, the bad choices one makes when not sober, and what it really takes to get and stay sober. Although I didn't like the way the author wrote herself, I couldn't help but root for her throughout the whole book. I wanted her to succeed in getting sober, once and for all. It's worth the read if only to learn more about alcoholism and overcoming it.
- The New Death and others
on Jan. 13, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this collection of poems, flash stories, and longer works. It made me laugh and made me think. The poems were great to read out loud with the rhythmic pattern of writing. The longer stories were very interesting, but the flash stories really made me think. The collection is a mishmash of dark fantasy, ironic fairy tales, satire, and twist minds, which obviously Mr. Hutchings has. My favorites are The Auto-Pope, where a robot is elected Pope, an untitled poem that will make you stop and think, and My Cat Is Not Like Any Other Cat, in which Mr. Hastings must have the sibling of my cat! I normally do not read collections, but the subject matter peaked my interest in this book. I am very glad that I read something so different for me. It made me laugh out loud on the bus and that's totally out of my comfort range, but I just couldn't help it. I know I will read pieces of this collection again and again. Mr. Hutchings has written a winner!
- Aesop Revisited- Book 1
on Jan. 23, 2012
(no rating)
I did not like this book at all. That could be because I've never been a fan of Aesop's fables to begin with. I wanted to read this book in the hope that a modern twist on the fables would make them better. Unfortunately, it didn't. The modern version of the fables I thought were more like cracked fables. The best part of the book was the comments by 'Aesop'. In the forward he states not to bother to read the book. I should have followed his advice. The comments are the only thing that made me not put it down immediately.
- Bacterium
on Jan. 23, 2012
This is one great book! It is chocked full of action, suspense, and a little bit of stupidity. Two scientists decide they want to kill of the world population using a modified version of the Ebola bacteria. They arrange this with members of a world wide environmental group, offering to vaccinate them against the virus in exchange for their help. But, the only people that actually get the vaccine are those that have something to offer after all the other people are gone: doctors, communication specialists, agricultural specialists. Those type of people. When the world population has faded away, the group picks up a radio communication from a couple seeking help. Why didn't they die? The group decides the couple can't be allowed to live, so the hunt begins. A hunt that takes place in a world of no people, no electricity, nothing to depend on but yourself. This is a fantastic end of the world thriller. The characters and story are so well written it was like watching a movie in my head. It's an exciting read, one that I had a hard time putting down.