The Reincarnationist

The Reincarnationist was captivating. Rose naturally creates suspense by seamlessly weaving plots and time periods. I was most impressed by the ease with which she handled transitions in time, when characters past lives invaded their consciousness in the present. The yearning of the characters transfers to the reader, and I found myself flying through the book, chasing answers to all the questions raised in every chapter. Rose's sense of scene firmly grounds the reader- whether in an underground archeological dig, a church, or an Italian grove in 391 A. D. While her style is direct and readable, there are moments of sheer beauty in her descriptions.

I enjoyed this book and was really drawn in by the evocative descriptions of settings, both modern and historical. You really get the feeling of being there in the story, standing by the characters, seeing, smelling and hearing what they do. And the story had several twists I wasn't expecting at all, which is a fun thing for a reader who's taken quite a few turns 'round ye olde library. :) This one kept me up reading until the wee hours!

Josh Ryder did not believe in reincarnation. That is, he did not believe until the day of the bomb exploding in front of a church, that he was standing near, in Rome. From that point in time, his life would be forever changed. As he recovers from the wounds he obtained in the blast, he starts to experience new sensations. Over and over again he is visited by the slight scent of jasmine and sandalwood, and brief flashes of light. These are also accompanied by images that seem to be intimate memories. Memories that are decidedly not his own. Rather, they seem to be the memories of a man long dead. They belong to Julius, a high priest during a time of great unrest in ancient Rome. He is trying to keep his fellow priests and the Vestal Virgins they protect to survive when the many varied religions practiced in the Roman Empire have been outlawed in favor of Christianity. Josh turns to the help of his uncle, and the Phoenix Foundation to try and make sense of the baffling images that have plagued him, despite the physiological tests that say nothing is wrong with his mind. The Phoenix Foundation works with children. More specifically, they work with children who are struggling with their own past life memories. Josh, is drawn into the foundations work himself adding his talents to the foundation's staff, he helps with the regression therapy, and takes photos of the children. Trying to capture the light aura he sometimes sees around a child with an old soul. The foundation is asked to visit an archeological dig site outside of Rome. The tomb being excavated is thought to hold an ancient treasure. Inside, is the well preserved body of a vestal virgin and a box containing what is thought to be the memory stones. As Josh visit's Rome for the first time since the accident, and the dig site, his memory flashes become more frequent, with an urgency he finds he can't ignore. His wages, coupled with the visions that he has been witnessing, tell him to save a woman named Sabina, and the treasures she carries. But in this time of no one seeming exactly who they are, the question remains; who is Sabina land can Josh save her before she dies again? The Reincarnationist is M.J. Rose's ninth novel. It is, in this reviewer's opinion also her strongest one. The story grabs onto the reader's imagination and easily transports them into a story packed with intrigue, passion, and mystery. Fans of thrillers and fans of historical fiction will find things they like in this complicated plot which spans the centuries.

What MJ Rose accomplishes in this novel is a balance of mystery, history and excitement that will leave the reader turning the pages so fast they'll be in danger of paper cuts. As other reviewers have pointed out, the book alternates between scenes in ancient Rome and scenes in the present, and the scenes set in the past were the ones that held the most fascination for me. Rose's vivid description of life as a Vestal Virgin will make you feel incredibly sorry for the Vestal who falls in love with a pagan priest. Their love affair appears doomed, and the reader is left with the question of whether a wilted love affair in a past life can bloom in the present. This is an exceptional novel for anyone interested in ancient history, modern thrillers, and certainly reincarnation. Highly recommended.

Josh Ryder has a knack for showing up in strange places, accompanied by a feeling of deja vu and impending danger. Therapists tried to convince him it was the aftermath of a near-fatal accident, but he's starting to believe otherwise. Now he just needs to prove it. Drawn by forces he barely comprehends, Josh finds himself at an archaeological dig outside of Rome, Italy . . . a place he shouldn't have been able to find unless he'd been there before. Professors Chase and Rudolpho have uncovered what they believe is the find of the century. While the "Memory Stones" have value as the massive gemstones they are, their true worth is only legend. But, if true, they could change the face of organized religion and humanity as we know them today. As Josh and Gabriella Chase, along with Josh's mentor, Malachai Samuels, begin the task of tracking down the stolen Memory Stones, Josh's visions seem to be sucking him inside more often---as though a former self is trying desperately to send a message from the past to save the future. M.J. Rose's latest novel, The Reincarnationist, is easily the most complicated book I've read in years. Yet, Rose seamlessly blends three separate stories from across the centuries, including a host of characters, into an entrancing tale of love, deceit and hope for the future. Whether as Josh Ryder in the twenty-first century, Julius of Rome in 391 A.D., or Percy Talmage of New York City in 1884, the hero is independent, smart and willing to sacrifice to protect those he loves. I can't say enough good things about this book for someone who's looking for a challenging, thoughtful read that will leave you breathless at the surprise ending