Book Review: Intrusion by Teresa Odom-Surgick

Intrusion

by Theresa Odom-Surgick

Publisher: Theresa M. Odom-Surgick

Published: Apr. 29, 2014

ASIN: B00K1CKUQ6

Amazon Synopsis:

Devin Vandelyn has done nothing but ruined lives. From raping his own sister to causing the death of his beloved aunt, his life has been one that has wreaked havoc and lost love from the beginning of time. How will he handle things when he is suddenly on the receiving end of misery and pain? He is now put into a situation of having to pay for his past sins in this drama filled story. How will he cope with his adversaries? A line is drawn in the sand...who will win? 

As he evolves, you will begin a love-hate relationship with Devin and root for him as he goes through adversity to pursue victory. Will he finally figure things out when his past comes to haunt him with trials as he struggles to admit his wrong doing? Nothing is settled without a cost. His breakthrough comes in a mysterious way that even he cannot begin to comprehend. 

You'll meet his sister, Rachel. Her hatred of her brother is long-lived. A new love comes into her life. It is this love who helps her come to a threshold in life that turns her life around. Her interaction in this story brings in a little love and a bright side to this drama. 

Another character that will catch your attention is the rich and powerful, Michael Stern. He has a vendetta against Devin and his determination for revenge has pulled Rachel into the forefront of his evil plan to get her brother to pay a fatal price. 

So come with me on an exciting journey which is filled with drama, tension, intrigue and finally love in the lives of the Vandelyn's.

Book Links

Amazon  *  Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Rachel's Aunt Myra is found dead in her home but Rachel isn't sure whether it was an accident or not. She ends up having her aunt's body exhumed for an autopsy even though an autopsy was against her aunt's wishes. This was the only way to settle whether there was any foul play. Unfortunately, the autopsy was inconclusive.

Rachel and her brother Devin are also at odds with each other for a variety of reasons. Aunt Myra had taken the house keys back from him too. His life was a mess. At the reading of Aunt Myra's will, everyone there received an envelope with a check containing an undisclosed amount of money that Aunt Myra felt s/he deserved. Everyone that is, except Devin, who received nothing because of his thieving and lying ways as he grew up with her.

Intrusion is a novel about the choices we make - one of the main choices being revenge or forgiveness when we have been wronged by someone. This novel allows us to explore what could happen to us if we choose to walk down the path of revenge (to it's uttermost) and what might happen if we should walk all the way down the path of seeking forgiveness.

I liked that in the final analysis, each individual realized that they did have a choice. It wasn't always an easy choice, but it was a choice and it was theirs to make.

I liked the "coincidences" that occurred - for example, Rachel's friend showing up just in time to keep the stranger out of her house. To me, these weren't coincidences, but evidence of God's hand at work in her life.

There were a lot of twists in the plot, but again, I believe they were just the moving of God's hand in the lives of different people that we don't know about. In Intrusion we have the ability to see that because we can see what is happening in all of the character’s lives. We see the plot twist happen when Michael Stern reads Melinda's diary for example.

The only thing I would say that distracted me when I was reading the book was that the writing would switch from past to present tense within sentences "Delia became quite concerned about her Uncle George, whom she affectionately calls Unkie.

I liked the pacing of the book. It moved along at a good clip and I finished the book in just a couple of short sessions. The language was clean and there were no explicit sex scenes.

I gave Intrusion a rating of 4 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts are mt own.

About the Author

Theresa is an accomplished writer and has written several plays, which include "The Gift", "Murder at the Reunion", "Baal's Revenge", the dramatic presentation of "Born to Die" and has also written several skits entitled the "Conference Room" that were used for altar call presentations at her former church. Her first published book is a non-fiction entitled "My Life Tested: Earthly vs. Spiritual Things", and fiction novels are "Jalena Dances with God" and "Intrusion".

Today her major focus is on using all of the gifts that God has invested in her through singing, songwriting, presenting and writing dramatic plays with DMO Music and Creative Arts Drama Department. This organization was birthed by God and is named after her mother, Delila Melrose Odom. Her hearts desire is to touch the lives of people creatively, in song and drama. 

On September 17, 1995, Theresa was licensed and ordained as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today she is an active member, and leader at Empire Christian Center, under the leadership of Pastors Tre and Christina Staton.

She is the loving wife of Arnold Surgick and proud mother of Krystal-Rose, Antoine, Andrae and DeShawne Surgick. Adopted mom of Christopher and Shayla Armand and grandmother of six.

Author Links
Website  *  Twitter *  Goodreads

Coming November 2015!

Synopsis:

James and Jayda Winn are siblings with a rivalry that began at childhood. Jayda was always the tattletale and James was always the troubled son.  As children, Jayda, the good girl, would look for any opportunity to get her mother's attention and love, oddly enough, by tattling on her brother. This would cause him to seek revenge in this love-hate relationship. 

Time has passed and now as adults, things remain the same, but have turned into more than just child's play and tattling. Jayda's words have landed her brother, James behind bars. He knows that he was wrong, but anger and childhood feelings have resurfaced - he remembers his sisters meddling ways. Now, getting revenge has taken over his insidious mind. 

As he sits between the steel barriers of prison walls and consorts with dangerous alliances on the outside, James schemes to get his vengeance on his sister without committing the ultimate crime of murder, or so it seems. Vengeance is a love story that is mystery driven, drama-filled, and suspenseful.  How will the story end? Will James get his revenge? How will Jayda survive the wrath of her own brother?