Location: United States
Member Since: Dec. 31, 2011

pamela chismar

Smashwords book reviews by pamela chismar

  • Not Really Mr. Smith on Jan. 25, 2012

    Not Really Mr. Smith is a well-written & engaging tale. I found myself smiling at the playfulness portrayed at times. The romance was there, but it didn't overwhelm the rest of the story. After Aden's mother's death, unable to cope she withdraws from reality. So much so that she even feels the need to rename everyone she meets. When a young man is hired to protect her from a imminent threat, Aden is intrigued by him, and therefore comes slowly back to her true self through love and fear. I found a few typos in my version of the book, which pulled me out of the story for a second, but otherwise it was thoroughly enjoyable.
  • The New Death and Others on May 13, 2012

    I appreciated the attempt at witticism and teaching of life lessons that many of the stories in this book had. Although some stories fell flat (such as Uncharted Isle, Compatibility, & The New God), many others were enjoyable (such as The Prince of Howling Forest & Under The Pyramids) I thought most of the poems were great. I (being a cat lover myself) loved My Cat Is Not Like Other Cats. I may frame it and put on wall in room were my cat sleeps and eats. As with Aesop, the stories have a moral to them that I think hit home and should really be heard and followed by todays society. I enjoyed the play with words in some cases. The gangsta tailors creased coats/ vest coats war for example. Singles Bar will probably cause me to never eat at McD's again. The new twists on Rapunzel and Rumplestilskin were cute. All in all, while not the best book ever written, it was entertaining. I recommend The New Death and Others if your looking for a fun read.
  • Exotics #1: The Floating Menagerie on May 17, 2012

    I recieved this book through Librarything Menber Giveaway Program. 8 year old Rachel's mom disappears. A week later, Raul (Rachel's friend and classmate) comes to the house. He is scared and in a hurry to get to mom's computer. Soon after, a couple of large dogs break into the house & chase Raul and Rachel. While on the run, Raul changes into a wolf. They are caught and this is where to adventure begins. These people who can turn into animals (they can speak while in animal form) call themselves Exotics. Rachel find that her mom is one. Most seem to be a form of dog. But there are also snakes, parrots, moles & other creatures. I loved this story. It kept my attention. Perfect for an easy read in the evening. Or to give to your preteen to enjoy. The ending left me hanging on the edge, waiting impatiently to read Book 2.
  • Toren the Apprentice's Tale, Book 1 on June 26, 2012

    I received this book through LibraryThing's Member Giveaway Program. After 10 year old Toren's parent die, her brother wants to get an apprenticeship to leave the vineyard. Instead he ends up selling Toren to be a wizard's apprentice. Since wizard's are all men, Toren must look and act like a boy. We are taken through her lessons and adventures for the first 2 years of the 7 she is expected to serve. I liked the story, even if I'm a bit older than the intended target age. It's a sweet story for tweens about courage and perseverance. The story's ending was rather abrupt, but it left you wanting to read book 2 in the series.
  • Endless (Crescent, Book 1) on Aug. 04, 2012

    I Received this book from The Librarything member giveaway. I loved this book. Initially starting as two separate stories, which both hold up on their own, then joining together. It is interesting, suspenseful, and touching. John wakes up in England to discover everyone is dead. There is no apparant reason for the deaths, it seems like everyone just drop right where they were standing. His only companion is a neighbors cat. He survives for months, when he suddenly sees a bright light and shadows moving from a distance. Telde and Ceria are on the run. They live on the planet Crescent, and are in a battle with the half-man and his Endless (creatures made of light). Their hometown is under seige and they want to find a way to save it. Suddenly John finds himself on Crescent and in the company of Telde and Ceria. Now the true journey begins. I am so looking forward to the second book in the series.
  • Draykon (An Epic Fantasy of Dragons) on Dec. 07, 2012

    I enjoyed Draykon. The story was well thought out, flowed nicely, & had a few surprises. Llandry and Eva seem to share the main character role, and are both very likable. As well as their male companions, Tren and Devary. The slight horror side of the story keeps you somewhat on edge. The landscape for the scenes are all beautifully described, they sound like places I wish to go. The ending is a nice surprise but leaves you hanging for book 2. I personally can't wait to read it.
  • Dreamwater on Oct. 19, 2013

    Dreamwater is comprised of 3 short stories. The writing is good, but the concepts are a little lacking. Indra's Return --- A young warrior returns to avenge the wrongful death of his beloved. But is surprised at what he finds. I liked this story with the surprise ending. Even if I realized what was happening shortly before the big reveal. World of Shells --- Young man set out to find girl before night sets in, despite the terrors and difficulties he must face. I didn't care for this one. It was a bit boring. And the ending really didn't make sense to me. The Wolf Game --- Werewolves, werefoxes, and werelions: Where is the line for taking it too far? Not very good in my opinion. Concept not a total lose, but need to be done better.
  • Dirty Little Angels on July 11, 2016

    I won this book from Library Thing member giveaway. I just loved this book. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it back down until I was finished. The story of 16 year old Hailey Trosclair and her family. After her mother has a miscarriage, the family seems to fall apart. Hailey is a good girl but falls into all kinds of bad situations, due to things such as environment and friends. The story is gripping and realistic. There was never a dull moment. This is one of those stories I could see myself reading again in the future.
  • Awaken His Eyes: The Awakened Book One on July 14, 2016

    I really liked Awaken His Eyes. I will get the second book to the series. There was a lot of action, mystery, & betrayal. Sometimes events had a tendency to drag on for too long, that is why I gave a 4 instead of 5 star review.
  • The Colleen Colgan Chronicles-Book1-Flowers from Cannibals-2nd Edition on July 16, 2016

    I thoroughly enjoyed myself with this book. Great for teens and adults alike. The plot, the characters, & the storyline, all believable, fun & fastpaced.
  • The Vampire's Warden (Undead in Brown County #1) on July 16, 2016

    Sarah has just lost her father, and must take over the family business; a B&B. She just finds out that her mother, whom she was told died many years ago, is still alive (sort of). First she meets Alex. An ex vampire (somehow his undead condition can be reversed). Then she meets Micheal, a vampire who has lived on her property since her dad was a child. Sarah finds out her family are wardens to a field of sleeping vampires, and Micheal who was sentenced there for some wrongdoing. This is the first book of a series, so we don't really get all the answers to what is happening. How a vampire, or anyone for that matter, could live on your property under your nose for 20+ years is something I don't understand. Sarah believes she has many friends. But they all knew and kept important secrets from her. The vampire field, her dad's responsibility as warden,her mother changing to vampire and still being alive. I found this story a nice way to pass some time, but wasn't really thrilled with the plot.
  • Life Descending (The Cry of Havoc, Book 1) on Feb. 08, 2017

    Hearing voices, Tom Navo decides to kill himself after murdering his boss. After stepping off the roof of a high rise, he changes his mind. He rescues himself only to die in another way. But did he really die or did someone swoop in from another planet and take him. Tom finds himself in a room. It looks like heaven's waiting room. Once again he hears voices, they are telling him what afterlife door to pick. When he picks his door, he is dropped into a stranglehold with talking animals. Anakor'in is a human turned lizard. He has magic powers that he somehow makes Tom forget his old life, and gives him all new memories for the world he is now in. Tom goes on an errand for Anakor'in, which starts his adventure. I really liked the story and concept of this book. The characters are likable and well detailed. Some of the author's wordplay was lame. Such as changing day to circuit (then using terms like tocircuit, birthcircuit, etc.). I would recommend this to teenagers who like science fiction/fantasy.
  • Lowcountry Ghosts: Stories of Alice Flagg, Confederate Blockade Runners, and Haunted Beads on Feb. 12, 2017

    This is a collection of ghost stories set in South Carolina, between Myrtle Beach and Georgetown. They are told in the fashion of a couple of hostesses (Miss Genevieve and Cousin Corrie) in a museum trying to amuse the guests. The White Lady of Hermitage == The first story is about Alice Flagg. It is placed at Brookgreen Gardens. Typical story of forbidden love in the 1800's between a rich plantation owner's sister and a young man who is "beneath her stature". Alice dies young, and her ghost is said to still walk the plantation searching for either her true love or the ring that was lost to her. Ghost Ships == Started out talking about ghost ships seen in Merrull's Inlet by the Methodist Church. Then turned into a history lesson about the church itself. The Wachesaw Ghosts == When asked about a string of colorful beads, Miss Genevieve tells a story of an archeological dig for indian relics and bones. And the belief of ghosts connected to the items found. These tales were taken from a longer book (Tales from Brookgreen: Folklore,Ghost Stories, and Gullah Folktales in the South Carolina Lowcountry). Maybe that is why I found this book just short of entertaining. It was a history lesson about the Waccassaw area and the Belin/Flagg family.
  • Bubba and the Dead Woman on Aug. 18, 2017

    I received this book free in return for an honest review. This is a humorous tale of murder and false accusations. Bubba's ex-fiancée is murdered on his property. Everyone is looking at Bubba, because he is the only one who knew her. He was at work alone with no way to prove that he didn't leave the premises. Bubba has a part time girlfriend in Lurlene, and finds himself infatuated with the new female Deputy: Willadean. His mother runs a underground poker game and is not afraid to speak her mind. The townsfolk believe Bubba did it but are all on his side. Throw in a few ghost, a treasure hunt, and a bit of a twist at the end: you have the perfect story. There were a few typos (errors in wording, spelling, or punctuation), but I didn't feel it took away from the story. I loved this book. I found Bubba, his mama, his townspeople, even his dog hilarious. I laughed over and over.
  • Marked (Eternal Guardians #1) on Sep. 09, 2017

    Theron is an Argonaut, sent to find the chosen one from a prophecy. Casey thought she was a typical human, just doing what she could to make it through life and keep her grandmother's business running. The princess Isadora in Argolea is dying, and needs her unknown sister. Sparks fly as soon as Theron and Casey meet. Typical romance theme. Boy falls for girl - girl falls for boy. Neither will admit their feelings and they make themselves miserable. There is a good plot to the book, with Casey being the chosen one to save Argolea. We have demons, Argonauts (heroes from Greek mythology) and Gods. I enjoyed the story line and the characters. I liked watching the growth and change in Isadora. This is book 1 in the series. Book 2 deals with Zander, an Argonaut who is cursed (or gifted depending on your point of view) with immortality.
  • The Change on Oct. 07, 2017

    When Erin Radkey gets into a fiery car accident that should have killed her, her whole life changes. She learns that she is a sort of super human called Unbounded, and she can only die one way: dissection. She must let everyone believe she died, and forsake her entire life to follow her new "friends". Ava, who claims to be an ancestor of Erin's. Ritter, which Erin can't help but feel an attraction to. Stella and Lawrence and Dimitri also calling their group the Renegades. The unbounded are in a fight for survival against another group of Unbounded: the Emporium, and humans calling themselves Hunters which know about the Unbounded. I liked this book, although it wasn't much of a thought provoking read. The plot was cool, the characters were likable, and the writing style was good.
  • The Path of Oneness on Jan. 18, 2023

    I received this book free from LibraryThing in return for an honest review. I am new to reiki and chakras and such. I had a bit of trouble understanding what to do or expect. The attunement directions were slim. "Just relax and ask for attunement." But I did feel a slight pressure in my head when I did the chakra meditations. And I think I may have opened up my ability to empathize. I took a family member to the doctor's. In the same building is a pain clinic and dialysis clinic. After about a half hour in the waiting room, I got a severe headache and very nauseous. When I was leaving, a woman was being taken out on a stretcher. Her daughter said that her blood pressure dropped to dangerous levels during the dialysis treatment. I'm going to continue with the attunements and read a few other books to learn more. Hopefully I learn to understand this and it helps bring peace and clarity into my life.