The Enlightenment

Many thanks to Melinda Hills for her gracious review of The Enlightenment, Book Two in the Tori Cooper Novels!

 

Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers’ Favorite

Agent Gabriel Hunter is called to the scene of a brutal murder that he knows is just one of several committed by the same killer. That means Tori Cooper will soon be involved since she has the unique ability to communicate with the spirits of victims of a violent death. The Enlightenment is Book Two of the Tori Cooper Novels by Vicki Stewart, following the development of Tori and her friends as FBI cadets. Already surviving a murder attempt, Tori becomes embroiled in this new case and discovers a new ability as well – she can pick up the emotional residue of the crime by touching an item related to it. In the quest for the creator of beautiful hybrid roses, the FBI team uncovers evidence that points to the killer who is a pawn of Satan, a figure that has become real to Tori in vivid dreams. These dreams not only move Tori along in her ability to find and face the killer, they also begin to explain her connection to an ancient time when fallen angels roamed the earth and lived among the people. How deep will her relationship with Satan become and will Tori hold onto her pure heart and caring nature in the face of his demands?

Tori Cooper is an amazing character with depth and heart, and this is an incredible story. Vicki Stewart has created a wonderful series based on Tori’s unique abilities and her quest to become an FBI agent attached to the Behavioral Analysis Unit. Well written dialogue, fast-paced action, terrific supporting characters and a strong paranormal sub-plot make The Enlightenment, Book Two of the Tori Cooper Novels well worth reading on many levels.

Have you ever gone to see movie that has been based off one of your favorite books, and then be disappointed afterwards while leaving the theater?

Most often, when we read, we form strong attachments to both the characters and the details of the story.  Our minds paint highly detailed images of what we believe the characters look like, and the locations where the story takes place.  Those visual translations between our minds and the mind of the movie director, rarely come close.

I remember when I was about eleven or twelve years old, I read the book, ‘The Amityville Horror’.  The images my mind conjured up while reading that book literally terrified me! So much in fact, I actually had to go back to using a nightlight at bedtime because I was so afraid of the dark! Then, many years later, I saw the movie and thought, “Meh – it wasn’t THAT scary.”

Not that I really want to instill that kind of terror into my readers, however part of what I enjoy most while writing a story, is creating those vivid visuals and sensory stimuli that pull the reader directly into the room and make them feel as if they are part of the actual story-line.

In chapter one of ‘The Enlightenment,’ we join Agent Hunter at the scene of a crime, where a young woman named Marsha Foster was murdered.  Mrs. Foster was a very pretty, twenty-eight year old woman with blonde hair, an athletic build, was married but had not yet had any children and lived in a small, elite, peaceful community, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean’s Crystal Coast.

Have you already begun creating an image of Mrs. Foster in your head?

As you and Agent Hunter walk into Mrs. Foster’s bedroom, imagine seeing her lifeless body on top of her blood soaked bed, posed in a sleeping position on her back.

Now place a single, long-stemmed red rose in her right hand.

Welcome to book two.

Have you ever been late for an important meeting or appointment, driving in your car towards an intersection and thought, ‘Yes!’ to yourself when the light stayed green long enough for your car to get through?

What about a time when you were about to step off a curb to cross the street and something felt like it was holding you back, right as a car sped by in front of you, mere inches from where you were just about to go?

Depending on the type of person you are, your answer might be different than mine.  If perhaps, you believe in random events, you would say those moments are just pure, simple luck, go buy a lottery ticket.

If on the other hand, you are a believer like I am, you would say those moments are divine intervention and God has one of His angels watching out for you.

One of my favorite movies in the late 90’s was ‘City of Angels,’ starring Nicholas Cage and Meg Ryan. The thought of angels being around us, guiding us in our moments of need, was comforting to think about.  After all, if darkness is said to be able to freely walk the earth, why can’t angels as well?

The inspiration for my first book entitled, ‘First Sight,’ was revealed to me in a dream, which became the opening warehouse scene between Tori and Ben.   As the story evolved and I introduced Tori’s parents and the spirit of her sister, Aubrey, I kept seeing fleeting images of an angel watching over Tori, gently guiding her when she needed direction.  At the time, it felt like that angel wasn’t someone new in her life, he or she was someone who had been with her, her entire life.

Then, as I began writing ‘The Enlightenment,’ I had another one of those vividly dream-filled nights. This wasn’t one of those, white fluffy cloud dreams, where angels in long white gowns played harps and sang choir music all the time, it was a dream where the earth was stripped naked of all the veiled promises and lies that Satan uses to trick the non-believers, and the half-truths and the ‘does the Bible really say that?’ questions he uses to tempt believers in moments of weakness and doubt, kind of dream.  It was a dream where there was a formidable contender for the master of darkness who would show Tori who and what she was capable of as long as she believed.

It was a dream about an Archangel named Ramiel, who prefers to be called Remy.  An angel with grey, comforting eyes; long grey hair, most often worn in a ponytail; leather biker jacket; graphic t-shirt; denim jeans and riding boots, kind of angel, who would look perfectly comfortable on the back of a Harley.  The kind of angel where if you saw that back of his jacket, it could possibly say, ‘Biker’s for Jesus.’  He’s a slow to anger, long on patience kind of angel, with a southern drawl who still talks to and remains obedient to the Father, even in his fallen state.  I woke up feeling comforted and at peace from that dream so I knew he would be perfect for Tori.

What I enjoyed most of all towards the end of ‘The Enlightenment,’ was the relationship between Tori and Remy.  They have a special bond that no two have ever shared before, and it will be Tori’s love for both Ben and Remy that will become the biggest challenge for her in book three.  Both men will continue to play a pivotal role in her life, one of which may force her to choose between them.

Personally, I don’t know if I would be able to choose.  Would you?

The end of May is the time for graduating students and limitless opportunities for new directions in life.

In ‘The Enlightenment, Book Two in the Tori Cooper Novels’, Tori and Ben attended and graduated from the FBI training academy, and are now ready to embark upon their new journey as field agents with Agents Hunter, Nichols and Hughes.

I have some ideas in mind where book three will take us, however I’m curious what some of my readers envision for our favorite couple and think it would be fun to involve you in the story!

For those of you who have already said, “Turn up the heat between Tori and Ben,” keep in mind, I have a young teenage daughter reading my books! (Wink)

Besides, there are plenty of other authors out there selling sex.  It’s much more fun to chill your blood, than to boil it!

I look forward to hearing from you!