nadenetotallyaddictedtoreading's review
3.0
Happy Book Birthday to Things Mysterious!
Things Mysterious
Genre: Romance (Mystery)
by Matthew Chabin
Publisher: Roane Publishing Release Date: June 22, 2015 Keywords: Mortality, Literary
Dasan Garret is a disappointed man. Recently divorced and just returned from a traumatic tour of duty in Iraq, he moves back to his hometown of Portland, Oregon only to find himself unexpectedly alone. His old friends are all gone, moved away, locked up, or dead. Women seem to occupy a parallel universe. With no community and few prospects, he takes a job as a night watchman and withdraws ever deeper into the shadows of his mind. Until one day when he meets Edenia, and she lights up his world like a bolt of pure energy. She seems perfect: vibrant, gifted, kind, sexy, a sudden and unlooked-for reprieve from the sad ruin of his life. And yet there remains a nagging sense that something isn’t right. Could it be that he is merely slow to trust the happiness she offers him? Or is there something behind that waver in her laugh, that fleeting look of sadness in her eyes?
The mystery deepens when one day Edenia disappears. Dasan believes he must find her in order to go on living. But to find her again, he will have to confront a devastating truth about her life, and his.
Purchase Links:
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What inspired me to sign up to register and review Things Mysterious was the blurb. I found it to be quite interesting. In addition to this the book was promoted as a dark romantic suspense and being a fan of this genre I figured that this would be the perfect read for me. As I immersed myself into the book, I soon realise that it was not what it purported to be. There was no romance, mystery or suspense. This story took me on a whole different level than that I have grown accustomed to. It forced me to think outside the box.
Things Mysterious tells the story of Dasan and Edenia. Dasan is an ex-soldier who is recently divorced and is currently working as a security guard. He led a rather lonely life, but this would change when he met the lovely Edenia. What follows is a story that will have you questioning and wondering what the heck is going on.
This book is a unique and interesting read. The author’s writing style is philosophical and metaphorical. There were times I found myself re-reading paragraphs as I wanted to ensure that I understood what the author was trying to portray. The characters are complex and you will definitely be drawn to them. You can’t help but to like them. You will find yourself wanting to comfort Dasan as you go along. When I figured out what was happening, I could do nothing more than empathize with Dasan. The ending was not at all what I expected. It was abrupt and rather disappointing. I simply could not visualise how it tied into the whole narrative.
Overall, I thought this to be an ok read and I would definitely read more from this writer.
Matthew Chabin was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico and grew up in Portland, Oregon. He served four years in the US Navy as a ship crewman, journalist and public affairs liaison. He studied literature and philosophy at Southern Oregon University. After graduating in 2010, he started teaching English abroad, working in the Czech Republic and volunteering with the Dalai Lama’s affiliate organization, Tibet Charity, in Dharamsala/Mcleod Ganj, India. He currently lives in Nagano Prefecture of Japan with his wife, Marie, and cat, Futa.
His work has appeared in Gravel: A Literary Journal, Southern Pacific Review, Piker Press, and Black Denim. He is the author of a memoir, Equaling Heaven, which he hopes to see published in the near future.
Matthew’s Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.chabin
GIVEAWAY!
An ecopy of Things Mysterious and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing's marketing department.
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