The Trapping

Rating:
Summary: "Joan of Arcadia" meets "The Shining"
Review: Anthony Vela's spooky-spiritual novel, The Trapping, revitalizes a cliché his intended audience might have yawned at, had he not mixed in a touch of "Joan of Arcadia," and a battle between angel and devil. Love frees the hero, Gabe, who in turn rescues Sara Livingston, his ladylove, and escapes his tyrannical mother, Martha Chaplin. Gabe becomes the artist he is working to become and to live his life freely. Even jaded teenagers can appreciate that denouement.

Rating:
Summary: Trapped, but in a good way
Review: I thought that I would spend at least a week or two reading this novel. No such luck!! I tell you, when I was younger, I never would've admitted that I like love stories, but I do. Not those corny, cheesy romance novels mind you, but novels like THE TRAPPING! This story for me begins to cut into what love is really suppose to be about--SACRIFICE!!! Support, sacrifice and pain! The aspects of love that I seem to have trouble with in my life. Like Steven King, Mr. Vela knows how to take a small town issue and make it a thriller. This story shows that love is not just pixie dust and glamour. Love can start out great, but more often then not, it can end in conflict and loose. The characters are 3- dimensional and easy to see. Gabe's mother and Sara are the most memoriable because they are total opposites of each other. Sara, with her seemingly supportive nature verses Gabe's mother's ability to fill Gabe with quilt is what's most appealing about the novel. Almost all men wants a woman like Sara, and wants to kill a woman like Gabe's mother. I only wish the story was longer because I finished the novel in two days! I HATE THAT! The
characters are so engrossing you might forget that their are some supernatural elements in the story. I look forward to reading future novels by Mr. Vela and I recommend this book to any that are into more realistic love stories, angels and small town issues. Keep it comin' Mr. Vela! Keep it comin'!

Rating:
Summary: Like a beacon of hope, innocent and naïve, an angel falls.
Review: In the small rural community of Southwick Gabe Chaplin, a struggling young artist falls for a high school student named Sara Livingston.

Sara works at newly opened Museum. From the onset of their meeting both Gabe and Sara feel strongly attracted to one another. However, bizarre things begin to make their known, such as: the birds, the tall thin stranger, as well as a weird thing Gabe notices about Sara at the restaurant during their first date.

In addition, Gabe and Sara's relationship is complicated because each of them feels trapped. Gabe from his day-to-day duty to care for his sick mother, and Sara feels the guilt of having survived the accident that killed her mother and sister.

The young couple soon discover that Sara is a supernatural being stalked by an evil being. Gabe does battle with this darkness to release Sara, so that they can be together.

What I liked most about the author's story is the depth of emotions involved. Not only does Gabe risk his life for love, but he also has unconditional blind faith in that love. Mr. Vela also reveals not only the abusiveness of Gabe's mother, but his dependency as well.

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