Saturday, August 2, 2014

Book Review: Abandoned Memories by MaryLu Tyndall


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Title: Abandoned Memories

Author: MaryLu Tyndall

Series: Escape to Paradise #3

Genre: Historical/Speculative Fiction

Audience: Adult

ABOUT THE BOOK

Something sinister lurks in the lush Brazilian jungle ...

It is 1866 and the fledgling Confederate colony of New Hope is Angeline Moore’s last chance at a normal life. Running from the law, she longs to make a fresh start in this new Southern Utopia. But a series of strange disasters threaten to destroy everything the colonists have worked for, and strange visions threaten to reveal a past Angeline is desperate to hide.

James Callaway failed at both doctoring and preaching, but he hopes that his move to Brazil will give him another chance to become the spiritual leader he so desires. He longs to create a world free from the immorality that plagued every street corner back home and ruined his life. And he believes Angeline is just the sort of refined woman he needs to keep him on the right track.

But something is amiss in New Hope: haunting visions, the discovery of crypts beneath an ancient temple, and an archaic Hebrew book, set the colonists’ fears on edge. When one of their own is murdered, a series of disasters leads them to believe God has brought them to Brazil to defeat an evil that, if unleashed, could wreak havoc on the entire world.

~ MY REVIEW ~
**4 stars**

Abandoned Memories is the third and final book in the ESCAPE TO PARADISE series by Marylu Tyndall.

In here, we finally delve into the life of the mysterious Angeline Moore. And also the rather complex doctor/preacher, James Callaway. Both characters are majorly flawed; yet they truly care about their friends and each other. Determined to destroy an ancient evil, James tries to ignore the whispers from his past. Meanwhile, Angeline is trying to destroy her own past, but is finding it creeps up in the most unlikely places. To make matters worse, a romance is blossoming between the two that simply can’t continue. So were evil beasts roam free, and the dirty past ever looms, will James and Angeline be able to find forgiveness and a path to God’s heart?

While Abandoned Memories all in all was really a fantastic book, it just left me uninterested a many parts. Partly because I wasn’t in a very good reading mood, and partly because … I don’t know. Things become a little repetitive I think.

And I wasn’t exactly sure where Marylu Tyndall was going with all her crazy fantasy ideas smack in the middle of post-Civil War days. That part actually turned out quite well, though. I found myself really fascinated by this spiritual theme, and the truth behind it. Deception, Delusion, Destruction … yeah, those are beasts alright! I wasn’t quite sure about the ending [well, the epilogue was quite interesting and almost funny! *smiles*]; but all in all the “fantasy” element of Abandoned Memories was quite powerful and thought-provoking. A great lesson.

This book was rather deep. Some dark, sad issues were kind of sorted through. Because of that, I would caution younger readers on this book. Older teen to adult would be the preferred audience I think.

So yes, if you want a historical-romance with a rather startling spiritual side, do pick up the ESCAPE TO PARADISE series. It’s a great series overall.

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