Tag: book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: A Beautiful, Terrible Thing by Jen Waite

by Karen, posted in author, book reviews, books

I liked this book because it’s raw and honest.

In A Beautiful, Terrible Thing, the author is telling a tale as old as time: she marries a man who betrays her. The story here, though, is the spectacular manner in which this is done. About 3/4 through it I considered stopping. It was a little annoying that she was so obsessed with this guy after what he did, but the way it unfolded to her–and therefore, to us, she really doesn’t know for sure that he was the dick-wad that we all suspect that he was. She was holding out for proof and hey, who am I to judge her for making unwise choices in her relationships? I have a long history of doing that myself.

My favorite part in the book:

The author’s therapist says: “Something inside of you was saying, ‘Whoa, hold on, this doesn’t add up,’ but you ignored that voice and plowed on. What we need to figure out is why and start to arm you with some concrete tools that you can draw on until you truly learn to listen to your intuition.”

I mean, Boom! Right?

You will probably enjoy this book.

Disclaimer: Bad wi-fi so video quality isn’t great. Proceed at your own risk.

BOOK REVIEW: ANGEL OF EVENTIDE by Elle Powers

by Karen, posted in Angels, author, book reviews, books, Brave books, family, relationships

I was pulled right in to the conversation between the angel and the woman at the outset of the book. But, is it an angel? Who is this woman?  I have many questions and so I press on, intensely interested in how the answers would they reveal themselves.

This is not only a story of compassion; it’s an epic love story.

It’s not a typical love story, however. I don’t want to give too much away, so I will tread carefully here.

It is the love story of Maren and Sea (pronounced “Shay” for Seamus). Maren is different from other girls. She doesn’t get sick. The ‘magic brownies’ her peers are eating don’t have any effect on her.

Maren is also a girl whose reckless behavior has placed her at the brink of death many times in her young life. At the age of ten, she is assigned an angel who literally rescues her from death and then proceeds to watch over her. What is unusual is this: Maren can see him. Maren has always been able to see the ‘folks’, as she refers to them. She has always has this special ability, to be able to see behind “The Mystic Curtain”, as her mother refers to it.

This book is so much more than a “romance between a fallen angel and a lost girl” (p 169). It is also the story of parents’ love for their child. Of God’s love for us. It’s a brilliant exploration of what it means to be mortal and immortal, angel and human, and how we all fit together into the larger story of life. When life feels like a punishment, perhaps it’s because we can’t see the whole story.

Near the end of the book is a reference to a song that only Maren was hearing (P 282-283) .

“Maren stirred to its dreamy rhythm, understanding that this was the song of the world–the composition of creation.”

This sentence immediately brought a song to mind. To me, it felt like a perfect description of this song sung by Andrea Bocelli, Canto Della Terra (Mighty Sun).

There are several quotes that I loved at the outset of each chapter, including one from The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer, one of my favorite books ever (p 225), so it was hard to  narrow it down to one favorite, but I managed.

My favorite quote from the book (P 214):

“The truth was that they were living out this story together; every heart in every age was essential and connected…and so their each and every choice mattered to the whole.”

Beautiful. Thank you, Elle Powers! Get this wonderful book, Angel of Eventide.

I leave you with this invitation: Treat yourself and listen to this song undistracted.

BOOK REVIEW: The Story Of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg

by Karen, posted in books, Life's too short to read bad books, relationships

I just closed this book and I have tears streaming down my face. Usually, I wouldn’t care for a book that left me in this emotional state. This book was different, however.

This is one of the best books I have ever read, maybe in my whole life.

I was looking forward to this new book by Elizabeth Berg, The Story of Arthur Truluv for months. I have read all of Berg’s books, but I can’t remember when the last one was. It has been a while, that’s for sure.

It was so worth the wait!

This book is a love story, but not a typical one. You will be drawn into the lives of these people immediately. This is a book you will not be able to put down, and yet you must, because you are going to want to go slowly and savor the characters and the story, to make it last as long as you can.

You will truly love this book. The characters will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Read this book!

BOOK REVIEW: A MIND OF YOUR OWN by Kelly Brogan MD

by Karen, posted in book reviews, books, Brave books, health, Meditation

A Mind of Your Own by Kelly Brogan MD is an important book. There is no other way to say it. If you are taking medication for depression/anxiety

this book could quite possibly change your life!

Even if you decide not to follow the protocol she outlines. How? Because after you read this book, you will know.

And once you know, you can’t NOT know.

This book is very readable. Even though it’s written by a doctor, most of it feels more like you having coffee (whoops–I mean roasted dandelion root. Or, you know, water) with a friend. A very caring friend who believes in you and your ability to support your wondrous body in healing itself. And who, with any luck at all, will convince you of this.

Full disclosure: the protocol itself recommended by the author kind of terrifies me.

I’m wondering if I treat it like menu suggestions rather than maxims, if I can get the same benefit. (Probably not).  There are recipes included in the book, some of which sound good to me.  The author is Italian, after all, so there’s a good sporting chance that they’ll be good. Finally, I am a big fan of coffee, but am not excited about the idea of inserting a tube into my rectum to introduce it to my system. I love me some spicy eggnog coffee o.ral.ly. ‘Nuf said.

 

You need to read A Mind of Your Own by Kelly Brogan MD

 

BOOK REVIEW: Informed Consent: Critical Truths Essential to Your Health and to the Health of Future Generations by Michele Stanford, M.Ed., CHC

by Karen, posted in author, Being BRAVE, book reviews, books, Brave books, Catching women being brave, Clarity, health, no fear, writing

I began to read Michele’s story and as a woman, my heart was filled with compassion and empathy for her and the situation she was in. As an RN, my heart was filled with rage for how this patient was treated by her physician! Michele was not defined by her circumstances, however. Rather, she decided to educate herself and therein lay her power, and now she is offering to share her results with all of us.

One quote resonated with me very early in the book, as the author described her experience with “continual roller coaster ride courtesy of allopathic medicine,” perfectly capturing what can happen if you are not empowered with the information you need to evaluate medical information and make good, informed health care choices for yourself and your loved ones.

Many other sentences speak to my own beliefs. On page 92: “The pharmaceutical industry is not interested in your health.”  Truer words have never been spoken. Also, on page 108: “The corruption at the CDC runs deep and wide and the health of the American public is not the sole priority, or even a priority at all.”

The chapters dealing with the pharmaceutical industry and vaccines will provide you with especially valuable information.

I highly recommend this book. Buy it here: Informed Consent

Spoiler alert: Cheez-its lovers, you are about to have your heart broken. J

 

Michele Stanford, M.Ed., CHC#InformedConsentTheBook

BOOK REVIEW: Come Running When I Call by Kimberly Sue McGlaughlin

by Karen, posted in author, book reviews, books, writing

I met the author, Kim, when I first started going come runningto the Community Market of the Kennebunks on Saturdays.

I just finished reading her book, Come Running When I Call, a memoir about a girl and her horse.

You know, the horse.

But don’t think you have to be a girl who loves horses to enjoy this book–although if you are, you certainly will!

Anyone who loves reading memoir will enjoy this story of how Kim learns about herself and her own strength and limits as she learns to love and care for her horse, Trixie.

One fascinating part for me was when Kim describes her tenth birthday, from what she wore to what she ate to what was said that day. So impressive! I have a photo of myself on my tenth birthday, but only because I had a party with friends invited, a very unusual occurrence in my family. Even though I have the photo somewhere, I still can’t remember what the heck I was wearing that day…

The author also describes the difficult years growing up with a father who possessed a big, unpredictable temper. Many of us can relate to living in a home where you feel like you are walking on eggshells much of the time.

What is great about this story is that it shows how even a little girl with no money can set an intention for what she wants, and then the universe starts conspiring to deliver it to her. Like the little boy who wants a bike in the movie, The Secret, what she needs starts showing up. She finds people to teach her how to take care of her horse. She finds ways to earn the money that she needs to buy her horse.

Amazing.

Enjoy the story!

If you are local, you can come to The Community Market of the Kennebunks most Saturdays to buy your copy and get it signed by the author! Or click on the name of the book (above) to find it on Amazon.com.

If you come to the market and want another great book to read, stop by my table to take a look at One Brave Thing!

As an aside, if you are not familiar with the movie, The Secret, here’s a link to watch it for free:

How to post a book review on Amazon

by Karen, posted in author, books, Brave books

If you follow my author page on Facebook, then you know I have been asking people who enjoyed reading my book to put up a review on Amazon.com. I never stopped to think that maybe not everyone knows how to do this.
Sorry!

So here’s a quick tutorial:

  1. Find my book on Amazon.com

amazon cover

 

 

 

 

 

2. Scroll down to the Customer Review section

how to post a review 1

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Click on ‘Write a Review”

how to post a review 3

 

 

 

 

 

4. Click on the stars to rate it (Hint: 5 stars is good… 🙂 ) and then write whatever you want in the “Write Review Here” box. You can put a photo or a headline if you want, but it’s not necessary.

5. Hit SUBMIT!

That’s it. There is a short delay before your review goes live and others can see it, so don’t worry.

P.S. I found out that Amazon only considers 4 or 5 star ratings good. Any rating 1-3 is NOT considered good, so please remember this when you are composing a review.

THANK YOU!

 

Book Review: The Box of Daughter

by Karen, posted in Adult children, author, books, Brave books, family, no fear, relationships, writing

I wanted to read Katherine Mayfield‘s book ‘The Box of Daughter‘ for a long time before I finally did. This is one of The Box of Daughterthe few times I knew the author before I knew the book. I met Katherine through a Wells-Ogunquit Adult Education class I took several years ago when I was working on my own novel. If you have ever the opportunity to take a writing class with Katherine, do it. You will love her low pressure and motivating teaching style. She creates a wonderful, safe environment in her classes, such that even I, who was always terrified to share my writing with others, found myself reading aloud to the class an essay that I had just written.

Anyway, I was interested to see how she wrote. I immediately related to Katherine’s childhood and teenage years of family dysfunction, trying to please everyone, and chronic ‘I’m sorry-ing”. The feeling of walking on eggshells at home, trying to keep the peace at all costs is oh-so familiar. Katherine gives an honest account of her life with her brother and her parents which (be forewarned) may bring up some of your own difficult memories as you read.

The belt? Check. Bullying? Check. The shock of seeing your grandmother’s teeth in a glass for the first time? Check.

I love Katherine’s reference (p 98) to looking at life through ‘pain-colored glasses’…right? It wasn’t all bad, though. There was some card playing in the evening. The Youth Group in California. Finding her voice in environments that stifled it.

In the end, Katherine’s book reminded me that, most of the time, our parents were doing the best that they knew how to do.

If you like this book, maybe read my book next: One Brave Thing!

Poetic license, people! Heard of it?

by Karen, posted in author, books, quest for the best, The write words at the write time, writing

writers thesaurusI have been reading and reviewing books for years.

Years.

I haven’t loved all of them, but with only one (to my knowledge) notable exception*, I was not ever unkind to the author in my review. If I liked or loved a book, I said so. If I didn’t, then I moved on. Just because it wasn’t for me didn’t mean it was okay to ruin it for anybody else.

So, I was not prepared to deal with the negative feedback I got about one word that I chose to use in my book, One Brave Thing: ‘fleusy’. The first objection was to my repeating the word. Repetition is a tool that I use in my writing. I like to have my characters repeat words for emphasis. I am fairly sure that I am not the first writer in history to use this technique.

The second objection was to how I chose to spell ‘fleusy’. She wanted me to spell it ‘floozy’. I thought about spelling it that way, but I didn’t like how much it reminded me of ‘boozy’, so I decided to spell it differently. ‘Fleusy’ reminded me of ‘fleur‘ and I liked that better.

Hello? I am a wordsmith. If a word doesn’t work for me in my writing, then I change it up or make up a new word, if necessary, to get the feel that I want.

So, shut up. I can.

*The notable exception: Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper. I wasn’t critical of her actual writing. I just hated how she chose to end the book. Just an artistic difference of opinion.

Book Review

by Karen, posted in books, Midlife Crisis, relationships

Seating ArrangementsSeating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thought that this book was going to be about a wedding, but it’s really about a man’s midlife crisis. Okay, it’s also about intimate relationships of all kinds. I ended up really liking this book anyway. I love the writing, the metaphors, and the funniness (I hope that is a real word). Even the parts that just don’t seem to belong in there at all were still a pleasure to read. Overall, it was a great book; worth the time it took to read it.

View all my reviews