
“I feel a little like I’m stepping off a cliff into the unknown, but if I don’t move forward, I know I’ll regret it.”
– Tracy Richardson, “Catalyst”

Hi!!! Yes, I’m alive!! I know I haven’t been posting for the last couple of months, but I have been drowning in written assignments and exams. Coronavirus has definitely made my last semester of college 100% more difficult.
I’m slowly coming back to the book community, so please be a little more patient.
Today, I bring you my first ever #BlogTour! Thank you TheWriteReads for organizing this amazing #BlogTour and for letting me participate. I’ll be reviewing “Catalyst” by Tracy Richardson. I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Goodreads Synopsis:
“Marcie is spending her summer working on the archeological dig that her mother runs: Angel Mounds, a site of an ancient indigenous civilization. Soon after she arrives, she meet some intriguing individuals, and becomes wrapped up in a supernaturally-charged mission to save the planet from the destruction man has brought upon itself.
Marcie Horton has a sixth sense. Not in the “I see dead people” way, but . . . well, maybe a little. She feels a sort of knowing about certain things that can’t be explained-an intuition that goes beyond the normal. Then there was that one summer four years ago, when she connected with a long-departed spirit . . . But nothing that incredible has happened to Marcie since.
This summer, Marcie is spending time working at Angel Mounds, the archeological dig her mother heads, along with her brother, Eric, and his girlfriend, Renee. The dig is the site of an ancient indigenous civilization, and things immediately shift into the paranormal when Marcie and her teammates meet Lorraine and Zeke. The two mysterious dig assistants reveal their abilities to access the Universal Energy Field with their minds-something Marcie knows only vaguely that her brother has also had experience with. Marcie learns how our planet will disintegrate if action is not taken, and she and her team must decide if they are brave enough to help Lorraine and Zeke in their plan to save Mother Earth, her resources, and her history. It looks like the summer just got a lot more interesting.”

My Review:
I’m not usually a person who reads a lot of Sci-Fi, however, “Catalyst” by Tracy Richardson was a very interesting and enlightening story. It provided an insight into so many different things like archaeology, the protection of the environment, etc. I have always been fascinated with archaeology and being able to learn more about our past and other cultures. I think it was one of my favorite things from this book.
Marcie is the main character in the book and the story is told from her point of view. She has a “sixth sense” or how the blurb describes it: “an intuition that goes beyond the normal”. The setting for this book is on an archaeological site which was very fascinating. I really enjoyed getting to know more about the topic and all the techniques that are commonly used.
Fracking was a big thing in this book. I really liked the aspect of learning about fracking and how it is dangerous and it affects Mother Nature. It was very compelling to read how Marcie and her friends were so passionate about saving the planet.
On the other hand, even though I often enjoy romance, I felt it was a little bit rushed. I would have liked to see the characters slowly falling for each other, building up their feelings.
There were points on the book where I felt there was a lot of information and it was kind of distracting me from the plot and the characters. However, I understand that it is important and often necessary to add information so the reader understands what is going on.
Overall, this was a very unique story. There were some things I loved and others that I would have changed. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about protecting the environment and the field of archaeology.
My Rating: 3 stars

TRACY RICHARDSON wasn’t always a writer, but she was always a reader. Her favorite book
growing up was A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. In a weird way that book has even shaped
her life through odd synchronicities. She has a
degree in biology like Mrs. Murry, and, without
realizing it, she named her children Alex and Katie
after Meg’s parents.
Tracy uses her science background in her writing
through her emphasis on environmental issues,
metaphysics, and science fiction. When she’s not
writing, you’ll find her doing any number of creative
activities — painting furniture, knitting sweaters, or
cooking something. She lives in Indianapolis, and,
in case you’re wondering, yes, she’s been to the
Indianapolis 500.
