As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”–one you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
A library puts books in the laundromat I use. A sign invites people to choose a book to read while they are waiting for clothes to finish.
One day I picked up Terri Blackstock’s Southern Storm. A chapter or so later, and after some debate (I have a lot of books here at home to read, so why bring another home?) I decided I had to know how it ended!
From the start of the book to the finish, I was on an emotional roller coaster. Just when I thought the protagonist was out of trouble, I found that wasn’t so. New complications and difficulties quickly emerged, leaving me wondering how he was going to fare.
Along with the protagonist’s problems, his friends faced their own share of difficulties, some relating to him, others not. Some characters were not who they seem to be, further complicating matters.
The novel is in the Cape Refuge series. I had never read any of that series, but enjoyed reading Southern Storm as a stand-alone.
Also, for anyone wanting to try his or her hand at writing a thriller, reading Terri Blackstock’s book is like attending a writing class. You see a good example of how to do it:
the tension starts on the first page and doesn’t let up until the end
fast-paced action
description just enough to help reader place the scene
dialogue works to keep story moving
characters and situations are realistic
If you want a book that’s hard to put down, try Terri Blackstock’s Southern Storm.
©P. Booher
Country Ripples 
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