Month: May 2020

Catalyst by Tracy Richardson- The Write Reads Blog Tour

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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. (taken from Amazon)

As always, a huge thank you to The Write Reads on Tour for allowing me to join in the reading fun. I was provided with this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was different. Really, really different. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this wasn’t it. This is a book written from a place of concern, and full of big ideas. It sent a strong message, never watering it down. It’s not what I expected in a fantasy book, but I respect the author for using this medium to tackle real life issues (well, with an added fantasy bent, of course).

There were some issues with the pacing for me. It felt like things moved too fast in some parts, but really slowly in others. I couldn’t ever feel a rhythm to the story, if that makes sense. Life happens in fits and bursts, but it made to awkward reading at times.

The characters were creative, and I can say with complete honesty that I have never read a book like this.

About the Author
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 20200529_213834
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.

 

There Will Be One by Todd Sullivan

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For generations, Windshine has chronicled the exploits of young men on quests to become heroes. Most suffered brutal deaths, and distrust of the Dark Elf grew until rogue officials offer sixteen-year-old archer, Woo Jin, the chance to eliminate her. If he succeeds, they will name him hero. If he fails, he can never return home.In the company of musicians, veterans, and the wielder of the glyph blade, Woo Jin sails from Jeju to the mainland. Their quest— to evacuate Goseong, the village of children, from the devastated borderlands of South and North Hanguk. Unbeknownst to Woo Jin’s companions, he studies Windshine for weaknesses even as he wonders what evil lurks in the Dark Elf.Reaching the village, the companions encounter a fierce horde of northern soldiers. Battling to survive, Woo Jin spots the perfect opportunity to fulfill his mission, but will he assassinate the Dark Elf to become a hero? (taken from Amazon)

                        Thank you to the author for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available for purchase now.

There Will Be One is the sequel to Hollow Men (you can find my review for that book here). I will do my best to keep this review free of spoilers for book one. I really enjoyed Hollow Men; I loved There Will Be One.

Woo Jin joins a group on their quest to evacuate a village of children before battle reaches it. Ostensibly, he is there to help. In reality, his quest is far different: to assassinate a member of the party. His victim? A dark elf, the only foreigner on the quest.

This book tackles racism and morality against a backdrop of rich lore, epic battles, and fantastical creatures. I didn’t always love the main character, but I enjoyed seeing his eyes open and his viewpoints shift. This character matured more in less than two hundred pages than many characters do in long novels. He began with a quiet sense of right and wrong, a disquiet about his mission. What that seed of doubt grows into is fascinating to see.

Another thing I loved about this novella was the bold choice made in the narration. Despite being a sequel, the main character is an entirely new addition. There are tie-ins that make it more than just a different tale told in the same world, but the decision to use a different voice was a really cool one.

The world is fantastic, the Korean elements made the book more realistic (and were absolutely fascinating), and it moves quickly. Plus, there are dragons! I strongly suggest reading these novellas. Todd Sullivan is a talented voice in fantasy, and one I’m excited to see more from.

 

Westside Saints by W.M Akers- ARC Review

Westside Saints - W.M. Akers - Hardcover

Return to a twisted version of Jazz Age New York in this follow up to the critically acclaimed fantasy Westside, as relentless sleuth Gilda Carr’s pursuit of tiny mysteries drags her into a case that will rewrite everything she knows about her past.

Six months ago, the ruined Westside of Manhattan erupted into civil war, and private detective Gilda Carr nearly died to save her city. In 1922, winter has hit hard, and the desolate Lower West is frozen solid. Like the other lost souls who wander these overgrown streets, Gilda is weary, cold, and desperate for hope. She finds a mystery instead.

Hired by a family of eccentric street preachers to recover a lost saint’s finger, Gilda is tempted by their promise of “electric resurrection,” when the Westside’s countless dead will return to life. To a detective this cynical, faith is a weakness, and she is fighting the urge to believe in miracles when her long dead mother, Mary Fall, walks through the parlor door.

Stricken with amnesia, Mary remembers nothing of her daughter or her death, but that doesn’t stop her from being as infuriatingly pushy as Gilda herself. As her mother threatens to drive her insane, Gilda keeps their relationship a secret so that they can work together to investigate what brought Mary back to life. The search will force Gilda to reckon with the nature of death, family, and the uncomfortable fact that her mother was not just a saint, but a human being. (taken from Amazon)

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available now.

I read this book without having read the first one in the series. I was able to follow the story-line without any problems, but I’m sure I would have appreciated it more if I’d read the first book.

I put off writing this review for way too long because I wasn’t sure how to put all my thoughts into words. I’m still having that issue, but I think this review is just going to be a weird one. That works, because the book is best described as “weird.” I like a little weird, so that is in no way an insult.

This book was a bit of a downer for me, to be honest. I found myself picturing the entire thing in varying shades of gray (even the things that were specifically described by color). I went into the book expecting light and funny, which wasn’t quite what I got. Gilda, the detective, was an intriguing character. I think I missed some character development in the first book, because she didn’t seem to grow all that much in this one. Her cynicism definitely got on my nerves from time to time.

There was some quippy dialogue which I appreciated. I love a good quip. Or a bad quip. Pretty much any quip. It wasn’t quite enough to pull me out of the oppressive atmosphere of the book, but it did garner an appreciative nod from me.

There were some bits that felt a little choppy to me. It’s a very strong possibility that it was intentionally written that way, and I just didn’t get it. Sometimes an author and the reader just don’t jive. It’s abundantly clear that this author is very talented, I just couldn’t connect.

I think I can chalk this book up to “wrong book for right now, right book for another time.” I’ll probably reread this at some point in the future, when a little bit of a hopeless vibe isn’t going to mess with my happy.

Would I recommend this book? I honestly don’t know.

The Obsidian Tower by Melissa Caruso- ARC Review

The Obsidian Tower (Rooks and Ruin, #1) by Melissa Caruso

One woman will either save an entire continent or completely destroy it in a captivating epic fantasy bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties, and broken magic.
“Guard the tower, ward the stone. Find your answers writ in bone. Keep your trust through wits or war–nothing must unseal the door.”
Deep within Gloamingard Castle lies a black tower. Sealed by magic, it guards a dangerous secret that has been contained for thousands of years.
As Warden, Ryxander knows the warning passed down through generations: nothing must unreal the Door. But one impetuous decision will leave her with blood on her hands–and unleash a threat that could doom the world to fall to darkness. (taken from Amazon)

                               Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be available on June second.

This book was a mixed bag for me. There were things I liked, and other things that just didn’t work. You can’t please everyone all the time, you know? I’ll talk about the good, the not-so-good, and the annoying.

First of all, I liked most of the characters. The main character, Ryxander, confused me with her odd choices (if there’s something actively dangerous going on, maybe save the half-hearted attempts at diplomacy for later?), but the supporting characters were great. I really enjoyed Foxglove and Ardith. They were both so unique in their own ways. Ardith, in particular, was a blast to read. They had a devil-may-care attitude that just might have covered something far deeper. It was an intriguing thought.
The magic system in the book was fascinating. I liked that Ryxander had an incredibly strong power, but it was considered “broken” because it was so dangerous and impossible to control. Seeing how that power affected her negatively, as well as anyone else unfortunate enough to be caught in its path, was really cool.
The idea of a dangerous secret lurking deep within a castle was an interesting one, and the actuality of the secret was really cool. It was not at all what I expected. Where things went from there, though…
I felt like I spent the majority of this book waiting for something to happen, with no payoff. There were so many times where I thought, “Ah! This is it! It was all setup and now I get to see why!,” only to find more exposition, and more reiteration of the same political situation. There’s a possibility that it will all pay off in the second book, but I don’t know if I want to take that chance.
I also could not get a handle on Ryxander. She seemed to be very smart, but only in one aspect. Most of her choices left me scratching my head (metaphorically, of course). I didn’t understand why she prioritized things that were less of an immediate problem, as opposed to serious dangers.

One last thing that rankled at me: the use of the word “chimera” for creatures that were truly anything but. Now, this is a problem with me, not with the book. A chimera as I’ve always read it is a two-headed monster (one is a goat head, the other a lion head) with a snake’s head as the tail. While the chimeras in this book were incredibly creative, I wish they’d been called by any other name. Again, this is just an issue with my weird fantasy hang-ups and in no way affects the quality of the writing.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t for me.

The Ranger of Marzanna by Jon Skovron

The Ranger of Marzanna (The Goddess War (1)): Skovron, Jon ...

When their father is murdered by imperial soldiers, two siblings set out on opposite paths–one will destroy the Empire forever and the other will save it–in this thrilling new epic fantasy.
Sonya is training to be a Ranger of Marzanna, an ancient sect of warriors who have protected the land for generations. But the old ways are dying, and the rangers have all been forced into hiding or killed off by the invading Empire.
When her father is murdered by imperial soldiers, she decides to finally take action. Using her skills as a ranger she will travel across the bitter cold tundra and gain the allegiance of the only other force strong enough to take down the invaders.
But nothing about her quest will be easy. Because not everyone is on her side. Her brother, Sebastian, is the most powerful sorcerer the world has ever seen. And he’s fighting for the empire. (taken from Amazon)

Thank you to Angela Man and Orbit books for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available now.

Before getting into my thoughts on the book itself, I have to mention the gorgeous cover. Before even reading the blurb, I was interested in this book, based on the amazing artwork. The blurb made me want to read it all the more.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. The idea was a great one: two siblings who find themselves on opposite sides of a war, told from their points of view. The Slavic influences were intriguing, and I really enjoyed the wintry feel of the world in general. As far as fantasy settings go, I dug this one.

The main characters are Sonya and her brother Sebastian. Sonya is the last surviving member of the Rangers of Marzanna, an elite warrior group. She has special gifts that are given to the rangers, which made her a pretty hardcore fighter. She was rather underdeveloped as a character, though, and I struggled reading about her. There was so much potential to her, but it wasn’t fully realized. Yet. She may become more three dimensional in the following installment.

As for her brother, Sebastian…have you seen The Force Awakens? There’s a scene where Kylo Ren throws a temper tantrum and the stormtroopers that were heading his way just turn and walk away. Reading about Sebastian felt like watching Kylo Ren’s tantrum. He really needed someone to put him on timeout. The two of them together…oy vey.

However, the other characters were fantastic. They made up for the less than stellar main characters, and each brought their own brand of extra something to the book. My favorite was Jorge, an apothecary who ends up involved through a strange set of circumstances.

While I didn’t love the book, I liked it enough to be curious about the next book. Sometimes a series improves as it goes on and the author gets their groove. I’m hoping that will be the case for this book.

Storytellers on Tour Blog Tour: Duckett and Dyer: Dicks for Hire by G.M. Nair

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I’m going to pull a fast one: I’ve already read (and loved) Duckett and Dyer: Dicks for Hire, so I’m going to review the second book in this series, Duckett and Dyer: The One-Hundred Percent Solution. Thank you to Storytellers on Tour for the opportunity to join in and rave about these books.

There might be some slight spoilers for Duckett and Dyer: Dicks for Hire in this review. Honestly, the books are so deliciously bizarre that you wouldn’t believe me if I gave you a play-by-play, although I’ll refrain. If you haven’t read the first book, you can find my review here).

Duckett and Dyer: The One-Hundred Percent Solution picks up pretty much right after the events of book one. After hopping through multiple universes, each one weirder than the last, life has returned to semi-normalcy for both Michael Duckett and Stephanie Dyer. Stephanie is attempting to ruin her detective business (totally on-brand for her), and Michael is working a soul-sucking job. There are a few changes, though: Michael has vowed to be a better friend to Stephanie. Stephanie, after a heart-to-heart with a future self, has made it her mission to protect Michael from any possible harm.

Unfortunately, Stephanie’s mission to destroy her own detective agency comes at a very bad time: Michael gets fired from his job. Fortunately, the detective duo finds themselves with something new to detect. They only get weird cases, and this one proves to be no exception.

The main characters are delightful. Michael has turned eye-rolling and long-suffering sighs into a fine art, and Stephanie is a walking Murphy’s Law. Of course there are many other fine characters, including an Illuminatist and an octopus-wearing cult member. It all makes sense in a zany sort of way.

The problem with this book is that it’s too freaking funny. I was forced to ignore any and all responsibilities to laugh my way through. It’s a real problem, I tell you. Also, I guffawed too loudly, almost spit my coffee across the room, and subjected my poor husband to snippets of the book without giving any context. Basically, this book turned me into an obnoxious jerk. I loved it.

Read this series.

Duckett & Dyer: Dicks For Hire - Kindle edition by Nair, G.M. ...

Aline and the Blue Bottle by Carolina Ugaz-Moran

Aline and the Blue Bottle: Carolina Ugaz-Moran: 9781734072822 ...

In the beginning there was only One World, where creatures with white magic, with black magic, and with no magic lived. As their powers grew, so did the thirst for power until it all ends during the War of Magic. The One World is divided into 8 worlds: 7 with magic and 1 with no magic–the human world.

For thousands of years, the 8 worlds live in peace. But secrets begin to brew to either protect or to threaten the peace. One secret, was Aline, who lives in the human world with no awareness of the other seven magical worlds. Where nothing special ever happens to her. She lives a plain life with horrible school mates where she has no friends.

On her 12thbirthday, on Halloween, she has to flee to a new magical world. In this world she learns that she has magical powers and must figure out how to use them in order to defend herself from a horrible warlock named Dashiok. She meets two sisters, Cristina, a nature sylph, and Sofia, a sense sylph, who become her best friends. Together they receive powers from magical meteors in an Endowing Ceremony.

During her training sessions with the sisters, she discovers that a magical blue bottle needs Aline’s help. Dashiok wants to use the powerful blue bottle to take over the 8 worlds. This leads Aline to go on her first quest. Some of the members of the High Wizard Council join Aline and her friends and they become the quest carriers.

The quest carriers travel through the Winding Forest, the Bleak forest, and finally the Southern Shores where they fight an army of hobgoblins, enchanted colossals, and yawares to find the blue bottle. Here Aline faces Yakar, the first and only vampire.

Aline finds out that before she was born, when Dashiok was trying to take her, he transfers some of Yakar’s powers to Aline and this creates the only real connection Yakar ever had to another leaving being.

The link between the Yakar and Aline secures her safety, and the quest carriers are able to take the blue bottle away from Dashiok.

See if you can uncover all of the secrets hidden in the magical worlds where Aline and her friends have their adventures…(taken from Amazon)

 

Thank you to the author for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is available for purchase now.

This sort of premise always interests me. The idea of an “ordinary” person suddenly being transported to a fantastical world and having adventures is so much fun. I was very much looking forward to seeing a new take on this classic idea.

There were a few hiccups for me. First of all, there is a lot of exposition. I mean, a lot. While I found it interesting, I think the book would be better served if all the additional explanations were put in the back, instead of before the beginning. I know I would have enjoyed it more if I’d already had a chance to become acquainted with the characters and story. As it was, it dragged a bit. It felt a bit like the Silmarillion; it would be better appreciated after reading the main event.

Once the story got going, I really liked it. The author’s strength lies in her attention to world development. There’s origin mythology, and complex descriptions. If you’re looking for a fast-moving, simple book, this isn’t it. There is a wealth of detail in everything, which was alternatively very good, and not-so-great, depending on what was happening.

The characters were all great, especially Aline. She was so upbeat, no matter what was going on. Ultimately, I’m glad I read this book. I think the series will continue to improve as it carries on, and the author “finds her groove,” so to speak.

Interview with a Middle-Schooler: Fantastic Fantasy

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My oldest is a huge reader. He likes most kinds of books, although he tends to gravitate toward sci-fi and fantasy. I like to interview him every few months and get his take on books that he’s read and enjoyed. Today, I’m asking him about his favorite fantasy books. If you’re looking for middle-grade fantasy books to read, here are some he recommends.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl (new cover) (Artemis Fowl (1)): Colfer, Eoin ...

Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn’t know what he’s taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit.  These aren’t the fairies of bedtime stories; these fairies are armed and dangerous. 

            Artemis thinks he has them right where he wants them…but then they stop playing by the rules. (taken from Amazon)

My oldest says: “I really liked it because it’s written in a smart way. Artemis Fowl was around my age and he used words that I like, like he had good dialogue. There’s one character that I don’t like because all his jokes are about flatulence. The story was fantastic and I also like that it’s a long series because I got hooked on it. The action is pretty good, even though the main character isn’t athletic at all. That’s one thing I liked about it; he’s really smart. Like Tony Stark, instead of Captain America.”

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid: The Graphic Novel: Rick ...

Since his mother’s death six years ago, Carter Kane has been living out of a suitcase, traveling the globe with his father, the brilliant Egyptologist Dr. Julius Kane. But while Carter’s been homeschooled, his younger sister, Sadie, has been living with their grandparents in London. Sadie has just what Carter wants — school friends and a chance at a “normal” life. But Carter has just what Sadie longs for — time with their father. After six years of living apart, the siblings have almost nothing in common. Until now.

On Christmas Eve, Sadie and Carter are reunited when their father brings them to the British Museum, with a promise that he’s going to “make things right.” But all does not go according to plan: Carter and Sadie watch as Julius summons a mysterious figure, who quickly banishes their father and causes a fiery explosion.

Soon Carter and Sadie discover that the gods of Ancient Egypt are waking, and the worst of them — Set — has a frightening scheme. To save their father, they must embark on a dangerous journey — a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and its links to the House of Life, a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs. (taken from Amazon)

My oldest: “I like that it has ancient Egyptian mythology. There’s a ton of action, and the magic is really cool. They use actual Egyptian words for it, I think, which is really neat. The magic has a lot of interesting results, like it can blow stuff up and put it back together. It’s a three part series. My favorite Egyptian mythological character is Anubis and he’s featured a lot, which is cool. The characters are around my age, which I like. It’s also written like it’s a tape recording and the characters don’t get along very well, so there’ll be arguments between chapters.”

The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom: Healy, Christopher ...

Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You’ve never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change.

Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, the princes stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it’s up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be.

Christopher Healy’s Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom is a completely original take on the world of fairy tales, the truth about what happens after “happily ever after.” It’s a must-have for middle grade readers who enjoy their fantasy adventures mixed with the humor of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. Witty black-and-white drawings by Todd Harris add to the fun. (taken from Amazon)

My oldest: “It’s absolutely hilarious. It’s chock-full of funny, sometimes fourth-wall breaking jokes. It’s got good action and the characters are written in humorous ways. If it wasn’t for the fact that it’s actual fantasy, you could say that it’s like a bad D&D campaign. It’s a lot of fun.”

The Once and Future Geek (the Camelot Code #1) by Mari Mancui

Amazon.com: The Once and Future Geek (The Camelot Code (1 ...

When young Arthur of Camelot accidentally time-travels to the 21st century and Googles himself, he discovers the not-so-happily ever after in store for him once he pulls the sword from the stone. Yes, he’ll go from squire to sovereign basically overnight, but he’ll also lose the love of his life to his best friend and eventually die in battle. What’s a once-and-future king to do? Easy: stay in the future, where he’ll actually have a future-and join the football team instead.
Now, with the help of the great wizard Merlin, modern-day gamer-geeks Sophie and Stu find themselves in a race against time to get that sword pulled from the stone and the stubborn soon-to-be-king Arthur back to the past where he belongs. Complicating the plan? Lady Morgana-Arthur’s sister and greatest enemy-has traveled to the future as well, determined to take Arthur out and seize the throne. Can Sophie and Stu use their gaming abilities to defeat the evil Morgana and set the timeline right? With the very existence of their friendship, their families, and the world as they know it (including pepperoni pizza!) at stake, they’ll use every skill, power-up, and cheat code they know in their quest to save the day. (taken from Amazon)

My oldest: “It’s a different version of the King Arthur and the Sword and Stone legends. It was like if you took King Arthur and made it really nerdy. I liked the first one better than the second one, even though the second one is still good. Stu was my favorite. He’s not very athletic, although he does come through at the end when he’s given a weapon. Mostly, he prefers video games.”

Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan

The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1): Flanagan ...

They have always scared him in the past – the Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now 15-year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger’s apprentice. What he doesn’t yet realize is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied….(taken from Amazon)

My oldest: “It’s just an overall really good fantasy. The main character, Will, was my favorite. He’s around my age, and he was really good with a bow and arrows. He was a good fighter.”

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

For centuries, mystical creatures of all description were gathered to a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic in a cynical world. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite…

Kendra and her brother Seth have no idea their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws give relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken, an arcane evil is unleashed, forcing Kendra and Seth to face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save her family, Fablehaven, and perhaps the world, Kendra must find the courage to do what she fears most. (taken from Amazon)

My oldest: “I reread it and returning to it was really fun. There’s a lot of fantastical creatures in it and one of the characters is a big trouble maker. The other is a big rule-follower so it’s a fun contrast. There are goblins, fairies, and a witch. I’m not sure if it’s a classical witch, but it’s a female magic-user. It’s actually a series. The trouble-maker, Seth, is my favorite character. He is kind of goofy. Plus, yet again, he’s close to my age from what I can tell.”

 

 

 

 

 

Craigslist Confessional: A Collection of Secrets from Anonymous Strangers by Helena Dea Bala- ARC Review

What would you confess if you knew it would never get back to your spouse, your colleagues, or your family? What story would you tell about your life if a stranger was willing to listen with no judgement, no stigma, and no consequences—just an unburdening and the relief of confession?

After graduating from law school, Helena Dea Bala was a lobbyist in Washington, DC, struggling to pay off her student loans. She felt lonely and unfulfilled but, after a chance conversation with a homeless man she often saw on her commute, she felt…better. Talking with a stranger, listening to his problems, and sharing her own made her feel connected and engaged in a way she hadn’t in a long time. Inspired, she posted an ad on Craigslist promising to listen, anonymously and for free, to whatever the speaker felt he or she couldn’t tell anyone else. The response was huge—thousands of emails flooded her inbox. People were desperate for the opportunity to speak without being judged, to tell a story without worrying it would get back to friends, family, or coworkers—and so Craigslist Confessional was born.

The forty confessions in Craigslist Confessional are vivid, intimate, and real. Each story is told in the confessor’s voice; they range from devastating secrets (like addiction, depression, and trauma), to musings on lost love and reflections on a lifetime of hard choices. Some confessions are shocking, like the husband who is hiding his crippling sex  addiction from his wife. Others are painful, like the man who is so depressed he rarely leaves his hoarder apartment. Some give us a glimpse into a brief chapter of someone’s life—like the girl who discovered that her boyfriend was cheating on her with a mutual friend, or the college student who became a high-end call girl. Others are inspiring, such as the woman who lost her son too young, but sees his memory live on through the people who received his donated organs.

Every confession presents a point of view not often seen, not often talked about. Craigslist Confessional challenges us to explore the depth of our empathy and it’s a call to listen to one another. (taken from Amazon)

 

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be available on July seventh.

I was originally intrigued by this book because it was described as appealing to readers of Postsecrets. For those who don’t know, the concept behind Postsecrets is this: people write their secret, whatever it may be, on a postcard and mail it anonymously to an address. The postcards are collected and printed. The secrets range from sad to uplifting. Craigslist Confessional feels like a longhand version.

First of all, people like the author of this book are rare. To be able to just listen to someone tell a story, without offering advice or judgement, is a skill that not everyone has. It’s apparent throughout that author Helena Dea Bala really cares about the people she speaks with, and it makes the book even better.

This book is really, really good. It’s also really sad. Often, the stories not shared by people are left untold because they’re so hard to tell. The book contains tales of drug use, death, and regret. However, there are also stories of triumph and encouragement. Five minutes in, I was tearing up. I don’t often cry at books (although when I do, I completely fall apart), but this book got to me.

That being said, this book will not be for everyone. Parts of it are incredibly harsh. To be honest, I skipped a couple of the stories, once I realized where they were going. I did that to avoid things that might upset my mental well being. Even though I had to skip a few of the stories, I loved the rest of the book. It is a reminder that, even though we don’t all share the same experiences, we all share the same emotions. We can all relate.

If you can handle reading about the tougher subjects, I recommend this book.

How to Start a Book Club in the Workplace

                                           As “stay-at-home orders” expire, and people slowly start working outside the home again, I figure this would be an excellent time to talk about book clubs. Quill has some fantastic advice on how to start a successful book club at work. So, without further ado:

All of us turn to different hobbies at different times in our lives. But there’s one hobby that many of us share, no matter if you’re into Zumba or if you’re digging into ultramarathons, and that’s reading. Reading starts with us being read to — sometimes even before we can talk — and continues for a lot of us throughout our lives. We often turn to all sorts of different types of reading, be it fiction or non fiction or history or memoir. And one of the great ways to share love of reading and to expose oneself to new types of reading is to start a book club at work.
    Before you begin, send out a survey or ask around to make sure that enough people are interested, and think about how you can create a schedule that’s respectful of work life and the need to balance while also being regular enough that you can carry conversations about the book without people forgetting. Here are more steps to get started.How to start a book club at workHow to start a book club at workInfographic by Quill