Marlene F. Cheng's Blog
April 30, 2022
5 star review for A Mystical Embrace by Marlene F Cheng
Though I don’t typically reach for romance novels, this one was recommended to me and I was intrigued by the title. It is a quick read—and a bit somber—but certainly entertaining. The beautiful twists kept me turning pages. It really is a lovely story with special main characters and a well-developed supporting cast.
Though there is a certain sadness with the themes of death and things that are gone, there is joy here too. In that way this book is a mirror of life.
I enjoyed the well-developed descriptions of the scenes and seasons, not just visually but visceral as well. I could feel the atmosphere. I also liked the integration of the five life elements.
I’ve added books 1 & 2 to my TBR list. I think I’ll read this one again once I have more of the backstory. This one haunts you a bit and tugs at the heartstrings, but in a pleasant, human kind of way. It has inspired me to reflect on the flow of my own life and the need for deeper roots.
Well written.--Charlotte Nystrom-author.
Though there is a certain sadness with the themes of death and things that are gone, there is joy here too. In that way this book is a mirror of life.
I enjoyed the well-developed descriptions of the scenes and seasons, not just visually but visceral as well. I could feel the atmosphere. I also liked the integration of the five life elements.
I’ve added books 1 & 2 to my TBR list. I think I’ll read this one again once I have more of the backstory. This one haunts you a bit and tugs at the heartstrings, but in a pleasant, human kind of way. It has inspired me to reflect on the flow of my own life and the need for deeper roots.
Well written.--Charlotte Nystrom-author.
May 22, 2019
WONDERFUL REVIEW FOR 'A MYSTICAL EMBRACE
Mystical Embrace: Our Rekindled Bond
Marlene F Cheng
Independently Published
Paper: 978-1-7752477-0-8 $14.99
eBook: 978-1-7752477-1-5 $ 3.99
Author Website:https://marlenecheng.wordpress.com
Ordering Link: https://www.amazon.com/author/marlene...
Estimated pre-order date is early June, 2019
Mystical Embrace: Our Rekindled Bond is the third book in the "Bond" series. Prior fans familiar with the characters and setting of its predecessors will find that this new addition vastly expands the story, adding further developments that profile the results of a romance between NHL hockey player Y, who has a family in Sweden but tours the world, and Geneva, an emergency room doctor who falls in love with him.
Now Y has two families—and when the media exposes his affair and the child which has resulted, lives are changed and hearts are broken. Can love emerge victorious from such adversity?
Mystical Embrace's special talent lies in its ability to closely examine not just the choices of its characters and the consequences they face on many fronts, but the added challenges of a health crisis and the social issues that swirl around them.
It should also be noted that events and mysticism are steeped in First Nation references right from the start, from Cloud's crushing grief and discovery of a farewell note from Raven Sings to Geneva's 'mystical home' and connections to not just her child and lover, but the world.
Marlene Cheng's voice is evocative throughout as the characters view their world, return to their roots, and steep themselves in their chosen lives and cultural inheritances: "...in keeping with Island ways, I shared with them what had happened to Krys and how I was handling it, in bits and pieces, at opportune moments: while walking the beach, keeping an eye for interesting drift-wood garden statues; over warm, buttered, lemony scones and lattes while waiting for the moon to be eclipsed, hoping for the clear night to hold; when thoughts were triggered. They never pushed, realizing that some details were difficult in their coming. Some were even too sensitive for their empathetic ears."
With her slow, lazy prowess at painting scenes with words, Cheng draws readers into lives unexpectedly entwined not just by life circumstance and choice, but by mysticism and fate.
Because multiple lives are explored in the first person, Cheng is careful to include the names of each character when changing perspective. This makes it easy for readers to follow their evolution and changes.
Warm, psychologically introspective, culturally and spiritually revealing, and filled with the gentle flow of interconnected lives, Mystical Embrace: Our Rekindled Bond enhances the series by pursing the threads of previous books as it contrasts the life and adrenaline rush of a NHL hockey star with the gentler perspective of characters who move beyond the lure of considering life as either a win or lose proposition.
Under Marlene Cheng's hand, everyone wins in different ways. And so does the reader, for pursuing an evocative story of magic, change, and the concurrent challenges of ALS and a legacy of love.
--Diane Donovan, Author/Editor, California Bookwatch
Marlene F Cheng
Independently Published
Paper: 978-1-7752477-0-8 $14.99
eBook: 978-1-7752477-1-5 $ 3.99
Author Website:https://marlenecheng.wordpress.com
Ordering Link: https://www.amazon.com/author/marlene...
Estimated pre-order date is early June, 2019
Mystical Embrace: Our Rekindled Bond is the third book in the "Bond" series. Prior fans familiar with the characters and setting of its predecessors will find that this new addition vastly expands the story, adding further developments that profile the results of a romance between NHL hockey player Y, who has a family in Sweden but tours the world, and Geneva, an emergency room doctor who falls in love with him.
Now Y has two families—and when the media exposes his affair and the child which has resulted, lives are changed and hearts are broken. Can love emerge victorious from such adversity?
Mystical Embrace's special talent lies in its ability to closely examine not just the choices of its characters and the consequences they face on many fronts, but the added challenges of a health crisis and the social issues that swirl around them.
It should also be noted that events and mysticism are steeped in First Nation references right from the start, from Cloud's crushing grief and discovery of a farewell note from Raven Sings to Geneva's 'mystical home' and connections to not just her child and lover, but the world.
Marlene Cheng's voice is evocative throughout as the characters view their world, return to their roots, and steep themselves in their chosen lives and cultural inheritances: "...in keeping with Island ways, I shared with them what had happened to Krys and how I was handling it, in bits and pieces, at opportune moments: while walking the beach, keeping an eye for interesting drift-wood garden statues; over warm, buttered, lemony scones and lattes while waiting for the moon to be eclipsed, hoping for the clear night to hold; when thoughts were triggered. They never pushed, realizing that some details were difficult in their coming. Some were even too sensitive for their empathetic ears."
With her slow, lazy prowess at painting scenes with words, Cheng draws readers into lives unexpectedly entwined not just by life circumstance and choice, but by mysticism and fate.
Because multiple lives are explored in the first person, Cheng is careful to include the names of each character when changing perspective. This makes it easy for readers to follow their evolution and changes.
Warm, psychologically introspective, culturally and spiritually revealing, and filled with the gentle flow of interconnected lives, Mystical Embrace: Our Rekindled Bond enhances the series by pursing the threads of previous books as it contrasts the life and adrenaline rush of a NHL hockey star with the gentler perspective of characters who move beyond the lure of considering life as either a win or lose proposition.
Under Marlene Cheng's hand, everyone wins in different ways. And so does the reader, for pursuing an evocative story of magic, change, and the concurrent challenges of ALS and a legacy of love.
--Diane Donovan, Author/Editor, California Bookwatch
May 19, 2019
5 Stars for 'OUR BROKEN BOND'
Our Broken Bond, Marlene F. Cheng
May 14, 2019 by Aimee Ann
Literature & Fiction
In this warm and engaging sequel to Our Precious Bond, accomplished author Marlene F. Cheng closely follows the life stories of three characters who are as unique as their names: Raven, Oriole and Tree.
Raven is the now-grown son of Geneva, from the first book, and his NHL hockey star father, known only as “Y.” He turns one day from a PhD path and impulsively joins the Canadian army, eventually becoming a superior sniper. And even though his parents are nonplussed at his new life choice, he never looks back through two harrowing tours of duty in Iraq.
Oriole is a downtrodden refugee camp survivor who miraculously emigrates to America one day, sponsored by, of all organizations, a college fraternity. There, he finds new brothers to replace the family that was brutally gunned down so many years before by rebels, when he was a child in his native Sudan.
And Tree? She is the U.N. relief worker who discovers Oriole in the dusty back byways of the refugee camp, aids in his emigration, and finally follows him to Canada.
Our Broken Bond is a captivating, exciting, and charming novel that will have its readers turning the pages with haste into the early hours of the morning. As I began to read Our Broken Bond, I immediately knew that this was going to be an incredible sequel.
It is an intriguing, unique novel unlike anything I have read before, that captivated me with its heart-pounding moments and phenomenal literature courtesy of the excellent author Marlene F. Cheng.
If you are a reader who loves being taken on a journey that is full of many amazing moments, then you will love Our Broken Bond.
It captured my attention immediately thanks to the fast-paced story, enigmatic characters, and a thrilling plot. I was honestly in awe; it was like a present was being unwrapped before my eyes and the more the pages turned, the more excited I got for the finale.
Marlene F. Cheng is a newly discovered author of mine, and I have to confess, book lovers, that I am kicking myself for not having found Cheng’s work sooner! Never before have I been so entertained by a novel!
To write a good book the reader needs to be fully immersed in the story and feel as if they are experiencing the same events as the protagonist(s) and Cheng manages to accomplish this with her writing in Our Broken Bond. Cheng is most certainly worthy of an abundance of praise.
Overall Our Broken Bond is a gripping novel that is guaranteed to keep readers entertained for hours on end, so I, of course, have to award the story FIVE STARS!
Aimee Ann from https://redheadedbooklover.com
May 14, 2019 by Aimee Ann
Literature & Fiction
In this warm and engaging sequel to Our Precious Bond, accomplished author Marlene F. Cheng closely follows the life stories of three characters who are as unique as their names: Raven, Oriole and Tree.
Raven is the now-grown son of Geneva, from the first book, and his NHL hockey star father, known only as “Y.” He turns one day from a PhD path and impulsively joins the Canadian army, eventually becoming a superior sniper. And even though his parents are nonplussed at his new life choice, he never looks back through two harrowing tours of duty in Iraq.
Oriole is a downtrodden refugee camp survivor who miraculously emigrates to America one day, sponsored by, of all organizations, a college fraternity. There, he finds new brothers to replace the family that was brutally gunned down so many years before by rebels, when he was a child in his native Sudan.
And Tree? She is the U.N. relief worker who discovers Oriole in the dusty back byways of the refugee camp, aids in his emigration, and finally follows him to Canada.
Our Broken Bond is a captivating, exciting, and charming novel that will have its readers turning the pages with haste into the early hours of the morning. As I began to read Our Broken Bond, I immediately knew that this was going to be an incredible sequel.
It is an intriguing, unique novel unlike anything I have read before, that captivated me with its heart-pounding moments and phenomenal literature courtesy of the excellent author Marlene F. Cheng.
If you are a reader who loves being taken on a journey that is full of many amazing moments, then you will love Our Broken Bond.
It captured my attention immediately thanks to the fast-paced story, enigmatic characters, and a thrilling plot. I was honestly in awe; it was like a present was being unwrapped before my eyes and the more the pages turned, the more excited I got for the finale.
Marlene F. Cheng is a newly discovered author of mine, and I have to confess, book lovers, that I am kicking myself for not having found Cheng’s work sooner! Never before have I been so entertained by a novel!
To write a good book the reader needs to be fully immersed in the story and feel as if they are experiencing the same events as the protagonist(s) and Cheng manages to accomplish this with her writing in Our Broken Bond. Cheng is most certainly worthy of an abundance of praise.
Overall Our Broken Bond is a gripping novel that is guaranteed to keep readers entertained for hours on end, so I, of course, have to award the story FIVE STARS!
Aimee Ann from https://redheadedbooklover.com
May 1, 2019
5 Dazzling Stars for 'Our Precious Bond.'
Marlene F. Cheng is a talented wordsmith; her brilliant story combined with her flawless narration amazed me and had me turning the pages with haste.
Cheng’s sensational book is perfect and makes for a brisk, steady read that is full of twists and turns galore. I adore her plot device of twists and turns as they kept me intrigued and ensured that I never once got bored.
Overall'Our Precious Bond' is a truly spectacular novel full of many beautiful moments and brilliant intrigue, and so I have no choice but to award this stellar book a dazzling five stars! It is a truly exceptional novel, and it would be a crime not to read it, so read it, as I promise you will be captivated by this exceptional story!
AIMEE ANN FROM REDHEADED BOOK LOVERS.
Cheng’s sensational book is perfect and makes for a brisk, steady read that is full of twists and turns galore. I adore her plot device of twists and turns as they kept me intrigued and ensured that I never once got bored.
Overall'Our Precious Bond' is a truly spectacular novel full of many beautiful moments and brilliant intrigue, and so I have no choice but to award this stellar book a dazzling five stars! It is a truly exceptional novel, and it would be a crime not to read it, so read it, as I promise you will be captivated by this exceptional story!
AIMEE ANN FROM REDHEADED BOOK LOVERS.
February 3, 2019
Review of The Library Book
The incredible amount of research that Susan Orlean , did for The Library Book is mind-boggling.
I imagine her sitting in her writing room surrounded by pile-upon-pile (up to the ceiling, running out the door) of articles, published papers, books, interview notes, newspaper clippings, paraphernalia, odds and ends.
As much as this picture amuses me, it is more likely that she stored it all in hundreds-upon-hundreds of folders on her lap top.
Be-that-as-it-may, the point is: The book is investigative journalism at its best. But it is not just that. It is, also, a mesmerizing, beautifully written spellbinder about the mysterious fire of April 29, 1986 that destroyed the Los Angeles Public Library.
Orlean is investigating the question: Did someone purposely set fire to the library -- and, if so, who?
Through her immersion journalism and her brilliant writing she brings to life each library department and a unforgettable cast of characters who have run the library -- past and present.
Most poignantly, "she reminds us that, perhaps especially in the digital era, they [libraries} are more necessary than ever."
The bright fire-red cover of The Library Book shines on my book shelf. It's a keeper. I treasure it.
I imagine her sitting in her writing room surrounded by pile-upon-pile (up to the ceiling, running out the door) of articles, published papers, books, interview notes, newspaper clippings, paraphernalia, odds and ends.
As much as this picture amuses me, it is more likely that she stored it all in hundreds-upon-hundreds of folders on her lap top.
Be-that-as-it-may, the point is: The book is investigative journalism at its best. But it is not just that. It is, also, a mesmerizing, beautifully written spellbinder about the mysterious fire of April 29, 1986 that destroyed the Los Angeles Public Library.
Orlean is investigating the question: Did someone purposely set fire to the library -- and, if so, who?
Through her immersion journalism and her brilliant writing she brings to life each library department and a unforgettable cast of characters who have run the library -- past and present.
Most poignantly, "she reminds us that, perhaps especially in the digital era, they [libraries} are more necessary than ever."
The bright fire-red cover of The Library Book shines on my book shelf. It's a keeper. I treasure it.
June 1, 2018
Our Precious Bond
REVIEW of OUR PRECIOUS BOND
Our Precious Bond by Marlene F Cheng
Reviewed by admin@thebookreviewers.com
amg38@hotmail.co.uk
I was a little unsure about the title of the book before commencing reading, it sounded rather old fashioned, however while reading my mind kept returning to the title wondering to whom it referred; this is a story about many different bonds between families and lovers so it was not immediately clear. In the end I decided it was probably meant to refer to them all and as such works well.
Set mostly in Vancouver, Marlene Cheng’s book centres on identical twins, Venice and Geneva. Both intelligent, successful women with careers seemingly sorted but yet to embark on serious personal relationships. When a Swedish hockey player turns up at the ER to be treated by Geneva, this threatens to put the cat amongst the pigeons; not only is he famous but married too.
We learn more about the central characters through the first person, with the perspective switching every couple of pages or so either to hear the other side or to take things off in a new direction.
Initially, the tale seems to be a rather straightforward love affair with fairly predictable complications thrown in along the way. However, there is more complexity to the lives of the sisters than we first thought as Venice has been quietly struggling with keeping on top of her job with a prestigious legal firm. Her life rapidly disintegrates to the point where she loses her way completely and winds up needing to be cared for. These parts are well written and provide some insight into the mental turmoil sufferers struggle with.
The book benefits from the fact that it does get quite messy at times, like real life, and the reader is rarely sure about what might happen next. The characters are varied and quite well developed although this is slightly hampered by the perspective switching style the author has chosen. Overall, I think that I would have liked the book to have focused on Venice’s story as these parts were far more interesting to read and would have enabled a slower, more detailed study of the vicissitudes of her life and the impact on those around her. Nonetheless, Our Precious Bond is a readable book with enough depth and variety to keep the audience engaged and interested. 4 Stars for Our Precious Bond.
Our Precious Bond by Marlene F Cheng
Reviewed by admin@thebookreviewers.com
amg38@hotmail.co.uk
I was a little unsure about the title of the book before commencing reading, it sounded rather old fashioned, however while reading my mind kept returning to the title wondering to whom it referred; this is a story about many different bonds between families and lovers so it was not immediately clear. In the end I decided it was probably meant to refer to them all and as such works well.
Set mostly in Vancouver, Marlene Cheng’s book centres on identical twins, Venice and Geneva. Both intelligent, successful women with careers seemingly sorted but yet to embark on serious personal relationships. When a Swedish hockey player turns up at the ER to be treated by Geneva, this threatens to put the cat amongst the pigeons; not only is he famous but married too.
We learn more about the central characters through the first person, with the perspective switching every couple of pages or so either to hear the other side or to take things off in a new direction.
Initially, the tale seems to be a rather straightforward love affair with fairly predictable complications thrown in along the way. However, there is more complexity to the lives of the sisters than we first thought as Venice has been quietly struggling with keeping on top of her job with a prestigious legal firm. Her life rapidly disintegrates to the point where she loses her way completely and winds up needing to be cared for. These parts are well written and provide some insight into the mental turmoil sufferers struggle with.
The book benefits from the fact that it does get quite messy at times, like real life, and the reader is rarely sure about what might happen next. The characters are varied and quite well developed although this is slightly hampered by the perspective switching style the author has chosen. Overall, I think that I would have liked the book to have focused on Venice’s story as these parts were far more interesting to read and would have enabled a slower, more detailed study of the vicissitudes of her life and the impact on those around her. Nonetheless, Our Precious Bond is a readable book with enough depth and variety to keep the audience engaged and interested. 4 Stars for Our Precious Bond.
May 22, 2018
Review of The Look of Amie Martine
The Look of Amie Martine by Laurie PerezMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I think it was Einstein that said, "Intelligence is more than knowledge; it is also imagination."
The Look of Amie Martine is an exhilarating trip of vast knowledge and exquisite imagination.
Perez's mastery of word arrangements and interesting metaphors make for a delightful picnic along the way.
Her description of "oneness" explodes in my mind.
Robertson Davies said, "A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight."
The Look is one of those great books; it needs to be re- read and re-read, as its offerings are too great to be grasped in one go.
I also have the sequel, The Power of Amie Martine, but I'll keep it stowed. I want to get the most out of the current trip. When I am ready for added enlightenment, I will start on the sequel.
Marlene Cheng
View all my reviews
May 15, 2018
Rosewater
Rosewater: A Family's Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival by Maziar BahariMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
On one level, Rosewater, is an informative review of Iran's political history. I haven't seen the movie, and I wonder if the history lesson was as clearly shown as it was in the book.
On the deepest level, it is a gripping tribute to Maziar Bahari on his journey to freedom and his courageous family, friends and peers who never gave up the fight to get him released from Evin, the notorious Iranian prison.
It is heart-wrenching; however, it provides insight into a plausible future where the democratic impulses of an increasingly more informed youth might have some influence on the totalitarian government. One can only hope so, as I can't imagine being young and being so very repressed.
It's a very good read -- it makes one think about what it means to be free.
View all my reviews
May 8, 2018
Review of The Four Tendencies
The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better by Gretchen RubinMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's good that the personality profiles are called 'tendencies' because they are not cut in stone 'definitive.' I am not an absolute upholder: I am also part questioner and part obliger. I tip towards a certain tendency depending on what's happening in my life and who I'm relating with. None-the-less, it gives another way to look at how personality traits influence how we see the world and how we relate to others. This understanding would probably have helped, when I was trying to understand non-compliant patients.
The book is well written and the layout is clear, precise and easy to follow.
View all my reviews
May 3, 2018
Review of Pearls on a Branch
Pearls on a Branch: Arab Stories Told by Women in Lebanon Today by Najla KhouryMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I would prefer sitting around a fire, listening to elders. I had the great privilege of doing that in many African villages, but those are bygone days. So, 2nd best is to read these wonderful, bawdy, funny, universal tales. I'll keep the book bedside, and when I need a reminder about how life is, I'll check on the applicable story. Pearls on a Branch was my favorite ... be careful how you try to get revenge. Five stars plus for Najla Khoury for making the huge effort to keep her heritage alive. Marlene F Cheng
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