Ruth Hill

Smashwords book reviews by Ruth Hill

  • Sleight of Hand on June 24, 2011

    I have to admit that when I began this book, I really was not sure what I would think. It was a different sort of book than I normally read. I generally do not read books that deal with the afterlife. It was a little different to have the main character spend most of his life in the book as a dead man. As I continued to read the book, I was greatly impressed by the author's ability to tell a compelling story and create such intriguing characters. I cannot say that Daniel was someone I actually liked. I know a lot of reviewers felt sorry for him and grew to like him, but I cannot say I ever did. The end was actually a bit of a disappointment for me in that respect. I will say that the author minced no words when describing his depraved past. The thing that disturbed me most about the book was that it took a different view of the afterlife than I believe. I was able to set all that aside, but I do not like the idea of someone getting a second chance after death to make everything right--especially a character like Daniel. In my opinion, all the pain and suffering he felt after death did not atone for the atrocities he did while alive. I would have much preferred having the story follow the line of thinking in "A Christmas Carol" or "It's a Wonderful Life." I prefer the idea of changing your life while still alive rather than waiting for death. It would have been nice for Daniel to wake up at the end and realize everything was a dream and that he still had a chance to right some wrongs while alive. I realize that I come from the perspective of an evangelical Christian, and that could turn some people off to my review, and that is fine. The stories I mentioned are favorites of mine that deal with people coming back from the dead as angels or ghosts. Those stories can still be enjoyed by me in spite of my personal beliefs. Understand that my issues with the book were making things right while still alive instead of waiting until after death. My only other complaint was the ending. I felt that the author somewhat rushed the last chapter or two, and I would have preferred a little more explanation at that point. But that is just my preference. Would I recommend this book? I really depends on many things. If you are one who enjoys a well-written story about divine justice and the afterlife, this may very well be the book for you. I cannot fault the author for writing a book that embodied a clever tale with a variety of characters and situations. However, if you are like me and prefer to see people handle the issues of their lives before they die, this book may not be the one for you. I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are one hundred percent my own.
  • Black Purse on Oct. 22, 2011

    When I approached the author to review this book, I have to admit that I had no idea what to expect. I am a big fan of historical fiction, and I knew that was partially what this book was. I also knew it had something to do with native Americans. I also figured this would be a step outside my comfort zone, and I was certainly right about that. The first third of the book was very difficult for me to read. I have not ever been a fan of books written in the present tense. That is honestly just a personal preference, but as I went on, I got used to it. I didn't even notice this issue by the time I was two third into it. The other thing that made the first third of the book difficult for me was that the style of writing was reminiscent of another great author who is not a favorite of mine. "Streams of consciousness" is a style of writing that was popularized by William Faulkner, and I would say that Stephanie Sellers tends to write along those lines. Again, it is just a personal preference of mine. I prefer to read a book that tells a story in a very straightforward manner and does not go back and forth between present, past, and future. That is what streams of consciousness is. But enough of a literary lesson. By the time I was more than halfway through the book, I did find myself finally caring for the characters and quite interested in the story. And it seems as though the writing improved. It was as though the first style of writing was left behind, and I could finally grasp the story line. Speaking of the story line, the story in this novel is one that needs to be told. I have not ever read much about Native American prejudice, and I applaud the author for tackling this topic in a wonderful way. She also tackled other issues such as hate crimes against homosexuals and the struggles of those with mixed racial blood. Even in this day and age. I don't think I realized until reading this book how much these things still exist and are sometimes even acceptable in some societies. I would say that this book would appeal to young adults more than mature adult women like me. I struggled through the "overdone" romance scenes (I suppose I have become jaded in my older years), but I was grateful that there were no intimate details. I also appreciated the fact that the profanity was extremely limited--much better than most books I have read in recent times. I could have done without the big drinking scene, but again, that is just personal preference. I appreciated the history in the book concerning Native Americans and the Underground Railroad. Overall, I give this book a 3-star rating. While I did not always enjoy the style in which the book was written, the story itself is one that very few author would tackle. It is a story with lots of twists and turns, and it is told with real heart. Even though I cannot say it was my favorite book, I appreciated the story, and I believe that other people would as well. I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are 100 percent mine.