Heaven

What girl makes it through her teenage years without reading a V.C. Andrews novel? I’m not sure how popular her books are now but they were all the rage back in the 80’s and 90’s starting with the explosion of Flowers in the Attic. Andrews’s books seem to be brought up whenever the topic of guilty pleasures arises and they are certain one of mine, so today I chose review Heaven, the first book in the Casteel Family series. 

From Mind to Soul: A Review and Interview

"My feelings are unspoken without my voice." - Narinder Bhangu, In Search of Peace

I have a deep connection with poetry. I remember those years in high school and college where I would filling my notebook with thoughts and feeling creating poems. From Mind to Soul is a collection of poems written by Author Narinder Bhangu whos spirit you can feel as you read about life, death, spiritualism, social taboos, nature and more. For me, a good poem not only allows you to see the world as the poet does but it also gives you the opportunity to see that same world inside of you. When you can feel what the writer is feeling even though you have not experienced what they have, you know you are reading something special. I enjoyed From Mind to Soul and I found myself connecting with several poems. I had the chance to interview Bhangu and used that as my opportunity to further understand his love of nature and writing.

High Tide in Tucson

It was my first class at Marylhurst University, the general writing class every department requires you to take to ensure you've attained basic skills required to survive the remainder of college. Part of my required reading was Barbara Kingsolver’s High Tide in Tucson, a national bestselling book of personal essay from Now or Never.

Revival - Stephen King

This was a book that I had been eyeing for a many many months, possibly a year. Then one day while walking up and down the isles of our local library I noticed it on the shelves. There were four copies actually all in hard cover and all with the same jacket. I decided it was time that I picked up the book. Revival is a novel that centers around main character Jamie Morton and the relationship he has with his childhood pastor Charles Jacobs. The novel spans 50 years of Jamie's life where he is many times reunited with Charles.

I have previously mention that I often find reading certain books to be more of an experience  and reading Revival was no exception. It's like watching someone grow up before your eyes and being present for the most important, pivotal moments. I grew to know Jamie, as if he was a person sitting right next to me during those hours I spent curled up some place comfy exploring his exploring his life. The draw back of Revival was throughout the book, it felt like it could have been four completely separate novels; his childhood, his teenage years, adults hood and older adulthood. However, as King says in the text, "life is a wheel, and it always comes back around to where it started."

Once you reach the last few chapters of you will come to understand why you taken on such a long journey. Each of those separate stories as I call them start to weave its away together and it all makes sense.

How did I find the book? Well this was not my favorite book, however I did find it enjoyable. While reading it I wasn't hanging on the edge of my seat but now that it's over, I am kinda sad if that makes sense. I miss Jamie, I will miss walking along side of him while he lives his life and I will miss being in his head.

Warriors Don't Cry

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I was given this book by a teacher in high school. She wanted to start a book club and this was the first book she selected. Admitted my 17 year old self was extremely reluctant to read anything other than YM magazine (remember when that was around?) but after a few days of having this book lounging around my room I decided to pick it up and turn to the first chapter. I don’t remember what inspired me to read it, perhaps to keep Mrs. T happy but I did and I was happy that I did because it became an amazing, eye opening read.

Warriors Don’t Cry is a memoir written by Melba Plattillo-Beals recounting her experience during the first school integration in the south. A black girl integrating into a previously all white school proved to be a daily struggle for her and her 8 other peers who were walking the same path and experiencing the same hate and ridicule. Many parts of the story were difficult to read but there were loved characters that proved that not everyone carries hate in their hearts. Warriors Don’t Cry tells the tale of perseverance, survival and the human spirit that would not break.

Please read this book. If you do not like memoirs or non-fiction books I dare you to not like this. It is written like fiction to the point that you forget what you are reading is actually history. 

Purchase the book here: Warriors Don't Cry

Poison

My! I read this book many years ago yet it still sticks with me as one of my favourite books. Whether or not you enjoy a fantasy read or not is irrelevant when it comes to great writing with a strong female lead and lovable characters. 

Author Chris Wooding starts off by painting a world of faeries that live near a mash and are fearful of the marsh flies that tend to gobble unsuspecting faeries up. A teenage girl named Poison who dawns piercing violet eyes, discovers that her baby sister has been replaced with a changeling and sets out on a course to find her. 

This book is filled with adventure, fantasy, lightness and dark. It is located in the young adult section but believe me when I tell you this is an intelligent read with a list of wonderful cast members, Brahm and Peppercorn being my favourite. I can’t remember reading a book in recent time that made me feel this much once I finished reading the very last words. It was a mixture of emotions and really does a wonderful job of telling the story of love, loss, bravery, self-discovery and truth. I will warn you though, the book doesn’t really pick up until the 5^th chapter but from then on out it’s a page turner. 

Do you have an author, that if you could, you would steal their talents? Well Wooding is that author for me. There are several passages that have been highlight because I want to remember them, I admire them and I hope to possess half the talent he is able to showcase. 

"[Humans] have what no other race has: imagination. Any one of us, even the lowliest, can create worlds within ourselves; we can people them with the most extraordinary creatures, the most amazing inventions, the most incredible things. We can live in those worlds ourselves, if we choose; and in our own worlds we can be as we want to be." - Chris Wooding, Poison.  

Purchase the book on Amazon: Poison 

When Autumn Leaves

     I had first seen this book advertised in a magazine a couple years ago and with fall being my favourite season how could I not be attracted to the bright orange and black cover with the word “autumn” in the title? I know you are not supposed to judge a book by its cover but, anyways moving on! I also noticed that this book was penned by Amy S. Foster, the daughter of music legend David Foster. A man who has written some of the most beloved songs, surely his lineage would make a good write, no?

     This book is whimsical and wonderfully written. Foster has the ability to blend her words together in order to melt her imagination with mine. You know when you read a well written book and you feel a part of the story? I felt this way a few times. 

     The story takes place in the town of Avening we are introduced to the words left by Seraphina, a woman we know little of in the beginning other than the fact that she founded the little island town hoping to create a small garden of Eden  as a sanctuary to all who should seek it. Avening is a town far from the norms of typical society yet it has foundation in each individual. Throughout reading I was able to identify with certain aspects of each character. 

     The main Character is that of Autumn, the resident witch though she never calls herself that, but it’s hard not to place such a label on a woman of her beliefs and practices. Autumn is more than just spells and a seemingly bottomless pit for herbal tea, but for a lot of people in the town she is their spiritual guider but more important than that, a trusted friend. To the books title, it is Autumn’s time to go for she must leave behind the town of Avening naming a new woman to take her place. She holds a contest asking the women of the town to write an essay stating why they should take over Autumn’s store, Demeter’s Grove. We first read about each characters personal journey that delves into their spiritual essence and in some cases it cause them to question everything about who they are or who they that they were. The spirit in them asks each girl to bring forth who they are and their acme of abilities. Autumn must choose who out of the thirteen wonderfully gifted women is best to take her place. I will admit that it did start off slow and some of the events in the book were a little farfetched even for a book of this nature. It was not the best book I’ve read but I did enjoy this read and I would recommend it especially for this season. 

     When Autumn Leaves, is a delightful tale of sisterhood and the strength that each person holds in order to take charge and do what needs to be done in their own lives. It tells us that no decision comes without its daunting reality of the outcome but when we trust in ourselves and we trust in those who we righteously have all along that we can be more powerful than lightning in a bottle.

Purchase When Autumn Leaves on Amazon here