Book Review of 'Ashley Bell' by Dean Koontz

 

Plot Synopsis

Bibi Blair, a funny, clever and fierce young woman – a writer by trade – is a girl who said 'no' to death.  When her doctor told her she had one year to live, Bibi replied “We'll see!”

And, suddenly, she is completely free of the rare, and fatal, brain cancer she has been diagnosed with. Bibi astounds medical science.

After returning home from the hospital, Bibi meets a mysterious woman who convinces her that she escaped death so she can save someone else; someone named Ashley Bell. 

Who is Ashley Bell, where is she, and why does Bibi Blair have to find ~ and save ~ her?

Bibi now finds herself on the run from threats that are both mystical and ordinary. It all appears to stem from a rich and very strange cult leader who has terrifying ambitions. One of his aims is to kill Ashley Bell. 

Summary

Bibi Blair is a delightful character whose story is told in sections. There is the present time when she is 22, on the verge of becoming a successful writer, and engaged to Pax, a Navy Seal, plus her friendship with her childhood surfing friend, Pogo. And there is the past when she is first 6-years-old, and we learn all about her special friendship with The Captain, who rents the garage apartment at her parent's home. And later at age 10 when 'Olaf' the Golden Retriever suddenly appears one afternoon and becomes Bibi's faithful companion. 

Bibi also has been writing stories since she was a child and this fact becomes very important as the plot unfolds. The story flips back and forth between 'young' Bibi and present-day Bibi. 

This is a fast-paced story with a fascinating heroine who has a good heart and a troubling gift we learn about in a twisting plot filled with many surprises. A suspenseful thriller with a mystery to solve.

Ashley Bell was published in 2015 (and somehow missed by me until now). It is listed by Amazon as Book 1 of 1 in the Ashley Bell series. I just discovered that Koontz also wrote a Trilogy entitled Darkest Desires: The Makani Trilogy, which leads into the Ashley Bell series. Darkest Desires is available in Audible Book form. 

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Links to other Reviews of books by Dean Koontz:

• Elsewhere
• Devoted
• Quicksilver
• The Big Dark Sky

*Book Review of Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz written by Wednesday Elf. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reading, The Gift that is Helping Many Through "Covid" Times

Through these last few months many friends have taken up reading to get them through lock-downs and the inability to be with others!

Reading books can take you away from where you are, just let the words sink into your mind.  You could be travelling to India, Switzerland, Russia, the Historical Midwest or a thousand other places.

It is all possible within the covers of a good book!  But where, oh where do you find all those GOOD BOOKS?  Let me help you with that!

Review This Reviews.com has always had a wonderful group of writers that are willing and able to  share their reading preferences with you.  Everyone loves a good novel, autobiography, the latest How To, and so much more.

Sometimes we are drawn to a book because it has spent some time on the Best Sellers Lists of several Newspapers, The New York Times for example.  Other times we are drawn to a book because other literary giants are endorsing this new Title or Author.  Or if we are Amazon people,  they also rate their books too!

There are several ways to find out what's trending in reading materials and also several places to find totally new authors and titles.  

If you are a member of GOODREADS, you can sign up for their newsletters and see what others are reading.  If you don't know about GOODREADS, then you can sign up here! You can also recommend books to friends who are also members of this reading community.  I love Goodreads, because it helps me keep on  track to reading a certain number of books a year.  It's also a great place to leave a review and even follow an author. 

Why would you want to follow an author?  Well I can think of a few reasons.  If you really like a book they have written and you are following them, you might be one of the first to know when a new title is coming out.  You can sometimes join an authors night and hear what this person has to say about their own books, giving you insights that may not have come across at first reading.  But most importantly you are part of the group of people who encourage an author to continue honing their skills in telling a story. 

 

There are two more places that I love to find my next book to read.  These are two places where you can get Advanced Readers Copies (ARC).  These books have not yet been published, but are made available to avid readers.  Their only conditions are that you leave a review for the author!   Netgalley is one and Voracious Readers is the other!

Each of these sites are geared to new authors and new titles!  You can sign up with them and they will want an indication of your preferences.  Simple to do!  Then just watch your email "inbox".  It is that simple and that easy to do.

You will need an electronic book, Kindle or iPad to download the books.  These are electronic books you will be receiving.  Once you download them, you are free to start reading and enjoying a new author!

Facebook also has a page I love to find new books on.  My Book Tribe  has about 12,000 plus members.  Quite often new authors and established ones will have book give aways that you might be interested in.   If not, it's still a great place to find new titles and new authors.

Of course right here on Review This Reviews you can find lots of great books that have "our" stamp of approval. Just clicking on the Tab at the top for Books and a whole list will drop down for you!  Read a review and then get your book, it's that simple.

Just remember, that reading can take you to places, when you have no where to go!

 

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Stellar Resume Writing by Gregory Austin – Book Review

Source: Pixabay Image enhanced by Fotojet

Secrets from a Corporate Recruiter on How to Land Interviews

Have you been sending out your resume in search of a job and never hear anything back? Have you wondered why, even though you feel you are qualified for the position, you seldom get a call for an interview or even that initial phone interview? Perhaps it is not your skill set or your experience, but your resume giving off the wrong impression. 

You may have all the  'right stuff' a recruiter is looking for in a particular job, but your resume does not impress them. Why is that? If it is not your qualifications that are lacking, then what about your resume doesn't say what hiring managers are really looking for and what they really want to see?

If you are a beginner at writing a resume, getting back into the job market after a long career, or a seasoned resume writer looking for some higher-level tips, you can find value in this book. 

Stellar Resume Writing

Available on Amazon

In Stellar Resume Writing, Secrets from a Corporate Recruiter: How to Land Interviews, Gregory Austin covers some very good 'best practices' and some things you absolutely must do. He explains what a personal brand is and how your resume can represent this and who you are. Even if you are applying for an entry-level position, making a good impression immediately with an outstanding resume can mark the beginning of what could become a wonderful career. 

Shotgun vs. Targeted Job Search

Source: Pixabay

Gregory explains the two ways to go about a job search. Each has its pros and cons and the author explains the differences. 

1. The Shotgun Method is quicker and may be fine for just “any” job. 
2. The Targeted Job Search Method is the best approach if you are seeking a job in a more specialized field that will utilize your skills and experience and give you job satisfaction in the long run. 

Each of these methods requires a particular type of resume, and this book will go into the details you need to write a resume that gets the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager.

Recruiters and hiring managers read hundreds of resumes looking for quality candidates for their companies. They 'key in' on particular points. For instance, some resumes may be from a well qualified candidate, but lack any contact information. This may seem unbelievable, but it happens more often than you would think. There is a circular file near the desk of these recruiters for such resumes, as you can imagine.  A recruiter spends hours upon hours reading resumes. Therefore, when writing your resume you need to be aware of a few “Must Do” points to include.

Author Gregory Austin

Gregory Austin

Gregory has been a recruiter for over 10 years, starting as an agency recruiter finding candidates who would be an excellent fit for a variety of organizations. 

Today he is a corporate recruiter finding quality candidates for the company he works for. After reading thousands of resumes over the years, he has nailed it down to the essential elements you need in your resume to really get noticed. 

During his career he has always found the most pleasure in helping candidates. Even if he cannot hire them at a particular time, he recognizes their potential and is passionate about helping them gain more confidence in their own job search and in giving them more tools to be successful. Thus, he wrote this book for that purpose, and is in the process of writing other helpful books aimed toward how to handle yourself in an interview and on counseling the job seeker.  

Summary

If you are looking for some excellent tips on how to create a resume from scratch or a needed tune-up to sharpen your resume, Stellar Resume Writing is for you. It is a short book that reads more like a workbook or a how-to document to give you some tangible and tactical knowledge to include in your resume and help you get noticed by a desirable employer. This edition also contains two valuable bonuses ~ a complimentary resume template and a social platform networking boost!

Discover How To Write Your Resume 

So Recruiters And Hiring Managers Will Call You!

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

For More Book Reviews, see ReviewThisBooks on ReviewThisReviews.com

(c) Wednesday Elf. 8/17/2019

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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