Tag: Book review

Book Review: The Sun Zebra by Rolando Garcia

The Sun ZebraBook: The Sun Zebra
Author: Rolando Garcia
Publisher: R. Garcia
Date: November 18, 2011 (5th edition)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Genre: short stories, “adventures in living”
Pages: 66
Price: $1.79 on Kindle

My rating: a great little book that puts a smile on one’s heart

 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Sun Zebra is a collection of five short stories written by R. Garcia. They are wonderful stories about the adventures in the life of a little girl, Nell, and her parents, and are told by her father. Perhaps this does not sound very intriguing, but don’t be fooled. Mr. Garcia writes with heart and humour, drawing the reader in as he cleverly tells his tale in an entertaining way, giving the reader the feeling of being there.

Five stories. Five adventures:

  1. The Sun Zebra – after which the book was named;
  2. Bob the Intrepid Insectnaut!;
  3. Raven-Lenore;
  4. The Meaningless Christmas Tree;
  5. Birdman and the Fairy Tale

The preface begins, “This book is best described as a children’s book for grownups.” – and that’s a great way to begin. Each story inspires the reader to look at the seemingly insignificant things in life a little differently, and challenges one to see through the innocent eyes and understanding of a curious and thoughtful young child. As a delightful and easy read The Sun Zebra is enjoyable, interesting, funny, thought-provoking.

R. Garcia also writes under the pen name of Phantomimic. He has a following on Scribd.com where he shares his work, and which encouraged him to write a book. The Sun Zebra is the result of that decision. It is well worth his effort and a pleasure to read.

You can find The Sun Zebra on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

 

Book Review: On Our Own: Widowhood for Smarties – by Thelma Zirkelbach, Barbara B. Rollins, Becky Haigler, Robyn Conley

On Our Own, Widowhood for SmartiesBook: On Our Own: Widowhood for Smarties
Author: 67 different contributors
Publisher: Silver Boomer Books
Date: August 31, 2012
Genre: non-fiction anthology
Pages: 216
Price: $14.00
My rating: a bittersweet collection well worth the read
 

I was asked to read and review this book some time ago, and I’m glad I was given the opportunity. It was compiled by Thelma Zirkelbach, Barbara B. Rollins, Becky Haigler, and Robyn Conley.

On Our Own: Widowhood for Smarties consists of almost one hundred stories, poems, and essays from sixty-seven different widows and widowers who are working through the grief of the loss of their life partner. It is a journey through the grieving process someone in that situation will understand, while not being too far removed from the appreciation of others not yet there.

Some entries will put a tear in your eye, others a smile on your face, and a few may cause you to chuckle.

I like what it says on the back cover, so will include it here:

Widowhood…a status with some deference but a role few seek. A new beginning usually greeted with dread rather than anticipation. The writers of this collection express the range of emotions at the loss of a spouse but the overwhelming message is affirmation of the strength they find to create new lives after deep loss. Widows and widowers will read these stories and poems with knowing nods, sighs and smiles. Other readers will find insight into a common human condition and perhaps courage to face their own unsought new beginnings. As the subtitle suggests, this is widowhood for smarties, for those who acknowledge the pain of loss but who are learning to live in spite of it, even to build on it.

It’s obvious there was much thought put into the creation of this book. Along the bottom of every page there is a continuous appropriate offering of quotes, adding to and complimenting the main content.

Examples:

  • “Someone who thinks death is the scariest thing doesn’t know a thing about life.” – Sue Monk Kidd
  • “I don’t mind dying, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” – Woody Allen
  • “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” – from a headstone in Ireland
  • “Grief can’t be shared. Everyone carries it alone. His own burden in his own way.” – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
  • “The pain passes, but the beauty remains.” – Pierre Auguste Renoir

This anthology gives a well-rounded taste of the experience of widowhood, the deep profound loss, the pain and grief, but it also is encouraging and hopeful. On Our Own: Widowhood for Smarties is not only for the grieving of the loss of a relationship, it is a glimpse into the experience and definitely a good read for anyone.

You can find On Our Own: Widowhood for Smarties on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Book Review: Shadows in the Stone: Book 1, The Castle Keepers – by Diane Lynn McGyver

01dlmcgyver-shadows-in-the-stone-smallBook: Shadows in the Stone: Book 1, The Castle Keepers
Author: Diane Lynn McGyver
Publisher: Quarter Castle Publishing
Date: September 2012
Genre: fantasy
Pages: 368
Price: on Amazon – paper, $15.91 CDN; for Kindle $5.31
My rating: A memorable fantasy world with characters that will stay on your mind.
 

I had the privilege of reading this book, Shadows in the Stone, before its release. It had to brew in my brain awhile, as some stories do, so it has taken me a long time to write my review, for which I apologize to the author – but here it is! 

Fantasy is one of my favourite genres to read. This story took me to a different place and even yet some things have stayed with me. Diane Lynn McGyver created a whole new world, with characters the reader quickly cares about, and suspense, drama and mystery to keep the pages turning.

Having said that, I would not recommend Shadows in the Stone to young readers as some battle scenes may be disturbing, and there are very descriptive scenes of relationship intensity and some violent scenes.

The main character, Corporal Bronwyn Darrow, made up his mind to never love again after being deeply hurt by a woman he trusted. That is, until he meets the enchantress Alaura of Niamh. Bronwyn tries to keep his focus on his duty as he wants to move up in the ranks of the castle guard but he is very distracted by this troubled mysterious woman. She needs his help, though, and he cannot resist the challenge, being an honourable man. 

What nagged at me the most may not even be an issue for another reader. Bronwyn constantly runs through his emotions and thoughts regarding Alaura,  for whom he soon cares deeply. There were places I felt should be left to the reader to ‘get’ the first or second time and know from there without the constant repetition. Even so, the author built characters of dimension and heart.

There are warriors, royalty, peasants, villains, secrets, betrayal, danger, heroism, love, passion, suspense, exciting moments that are magical, and more, all leading to a satisfaction for the reader in the way events unfold. The author describes scenes and situations very well, weaving pictures in the reader’s mind. Where the author ended this story leaves the reader waiting for more. There are several unanswered questions relating to Alaura, the castle, the child Alaura cares for, and more mysteries. Fortunately, this is the first in a series, so we have more books to watch for in which we can anticipate those answers.

All in all, this is a good read fantasy lovers will find captivating and fascinating.

You can find Shadows in the Stone listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Come back for my interview with Diane Lynn McGyver, the Canadian author of Shadows in the Stone, here on January 30’14. She has two copies of her book to give away to visitors who leave a comment after the interview! Don’t miss out!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 
 

Book Review: Dracula – by Bram Stoker

Dracula, a mystery by Bram Stoker (1897)
 
Book: Dracula, a mystery story
Author: Bram Stoker
Original Publisher: Archibald Constable and Company (UK)
Original Date: May 26, 1897
Genre: horror, gothic, mystery
Pages: 408
Price: Kindle currently $0.00 on Amazon; paper $10.51 (sale)
My Rating: WOW! Read this book! Captivating, exciting, spooky.
 

For some time I had considered reading Dracula, but not being interested in the modern vampire and zombie movies and television programs I avoided it until a year ago.  I decided to read some of the classics and chose this one because I had seen the Dracula movie long ago and wanted to be able to say I had read the book. I found it on YouTube and began by listening to it, but then found it for free on Kindle so finished it that way – which was better for me.

This story so captivated me I had to keep reading. Bram Stoker’s writing style and beautiful use of language is thrilling to read, and the characters he created made for such a good story. The only problem was that I had to put the book down when it got late into the evening. It freaked me out a little! Not that I believe Dracula to be real but Stoker’s brilliant writing and settings really spooked me! I couldn’t read it after dark. Now that is good writing. I am so glad I read this book.

The story is written like a diary but with each person writing from their own perspective. If that sounds boring or as if it would be hard to follow, it isn’t at all. It makes it very interesting. The reader wants to keep reading to know what is going on since last hearing from each character, where is Dracula in his plotting, who else is going to meet with trouble at his design, how are they going to defeat him.

Points of interest:

  • Other titles Stoker had for this book were The Dead Un-Dead, and The Un-dead, before deciding on Dracula
  • His main character was called Count Wampyr until Stoker came across the name Dracula while researching for the book
  • Dracula is an old story, but not quite the original vampire story since Stoker borrowed some details from a couple of previous authors, but he built on that and made it better.

Vampire stories told now could not be what they are without Bram Stoker’s Dracula. If you think you know about vampires from what is currently written, do yourself a favour and read Dracula for the ‘real’ story, even though it’s fiction. 🙂  I don’t believe you will be disappointed.

You can find Dracula listed on my BUY THE BOOK!

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Book Review: Triangles – by Kimberly Ann Miller

Triangles - Kimberly Ann MillerBook: Triangles
Author: Kimberly Ann Miller
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Date: June 18, 2013
Genre: young adult
Pages: 216
Price: $9.95
My rating: a fairly good read based on a fascinating concept
 
 

I received this book (ARC) from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This story is told mostly from the point-of-view of a seventeen-year-old girl, Autumn, who is an unhappy complainer. She gives her sister a hard time, their dad died, their mother is very ill, and we find out she is not happy about a nice guy who is constantly bestowing her with little gifts at work – which she rewards by attempting to get rid of his attention through her rude behaviour toward him.

When Autumn agrees to go on a cruise with her sister she does so with reluctance. It was what she thought would be a good temporary escape, a chance to get away from the pain they are going through in their family life. What she gets on this cruise is a trip through the Bermuda Triangle that is confusing and very strange.

Each time Autumn has an alternate reality experience she is as shocked as before, even though she is aware it is happening. Her life gets more messed up each time a change occurs, but it doesn’t change her rude and hateful attitude.

The author did a convincing job of making Autumn an unlikeable person and – if I remember correctly – she is the only one in the book to use bad language. She comes across as crude, rude, and a hateful brat a lot of the time.

On this cruise she is pursued by two guys, and in each alternate reality shift they also change in personality and circumstance. Terrible things happen, confusing things happen, surprising things happen, and Autumn’s fear is that she will be trapped in the Bermuda Triangle forever and not be able to live the life she is learning she really wants.

Triangles – by Kimberly Ann Miller – is a fairly quick read. The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle is a fascinating topic to write a fictional young adult novel around. Although a few places did not make sense to me and tripped me up a bit, the idea of someone getting caught in the Triangle and living through it is an interesting one. It certainly makes the reader think.

You can find Triangles listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

Book Review: Unglued Devotional: 60 Days of Imperfect Progress – by Lysa TerKeurst

Unglued Devotional by Lysa TerKeurst
Book: UNGLUED Devotional: 60 Days of Imperfect Progress
Author: Lysa TerKeurst
Publisher: Zondervan
Date: December 18, 2012
Genre: Christian devotional
Pages: 208; paperback
Price: $12.99
My rating: An excellent, inspirational book of encouragement and comfort for women
 

I received this book from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Lysa TerKeurst is a bestselling author of fifteen books and a national speaker. She is also the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries (www.proverbs31.org), helping women learn to live lives centered on God in the midst of whatever life brings.

This devotional was written for the purpose of being a companion book to her bestselling book Unglued, which I have not read. As someone who knows what it is to become unglued, I thoroughly enjoyed each daily devotional. Lysa TerKeurst writes from a woman’s heart to a woman’s heart in such an understanding way. In doing so, she draws attention to God while He uses her words to minister to the reader.

Unglued Devotional: 60 Days of Imperfect Progress. If we are honest about it we all can testify to making imperfect progress. Lysa TerKeurst speaks from that place in easy conversational writing. She has put together a wonderful 60-day devotional that I wished could have been longer. It takes less than five minutes to read one day’s devotional, which begins with a scripture reading, followed by a Thought for the Day, and then a short reading usually consisting of a very suitable anecdote from her experience. Some are funny, some are painful to read because they are so familiar, all are encouraging and insightful. Each devotion ends in a very brief prayer that is an easy lead-in for the reader to continue on her own.

I like finding good devotionals. This is one of the best I have found. The author does not preach or talk above the reader, or talk down to the reader. She is honest, sincere, and transparent in her writing and addressed common issues in a way that made THIS reader stop and think.

If you are wanting to find a devotional that is real to your own life, easy to read, and suitable for those days when you have maybe five minutes to spare … try this one. Unglued Devotional: 60 Days of Imperfect Progress by Lysa TerKeurst is likely to stir your heart and encourage you in your walk with God and in your relationships with the people in your life.

You can find Unglued Devotional: 60 Days of Imperfect Progress listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂

 

 

 

Book Review: Sinking Deeper OR My awesome brilliant Questionable Heroic Decision to Invent a Sea Monster – by Steve Vernon

 
Sinking Deeper by Steve VernonBook: Sinking Deeper OR My awesome brilliant Questionable Heroic Decision to Invent a Sea Monster
Author: Steve Vernon
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing
Date: September 1, 2011
Genre: Young Adult
Pages: 168
Price: $12.95
My Rating: a bizarre maritime adventure not to be missed
 

This book has the longest title of any I have reviewed so far.  🙂

Sinking Deeper OR My awesome brilliant Questionable Heroic Decision to Invent a Sea Monster could be called hilarious, or it could be called reminiscent of younger days – for those of us who are old enough to have “younger days” and who found themselves in impossible situations, or it could be called adventurous, or … well, you get the picture. This book is all of the above and more.

Steve Vernon, known for his very creative storytelling, has written this enjoyable story based in the fictional laid-back fishing community of Deeper Harbour, Nova Scotia. His main character, who is relating the adventure, is a fourteen-year-old boy trying to do the right thing, but – as a member of a rather dysfunctional but loveable family – he is persuaded to do the unusual and ofttimes the outlandish, by his two best friends – one being his grandfather!And it’s his grandfather who adds the most to the craziness.

The emotional thread is that this teen boy, whose name is Roland, is determined to find a way to stay in Deeper Harbour. His parents are divorcing and his mother has decided to move to Ottawa, Ontario, taking him along. He has to do something to change her mind. What he ends up doing is creating a sea monster, but – through events that grow and grow – what transpires is far greater than anything he ever could have imagined.

I would like to tell you more but I don’t want to spoil it for you. What I will say is Steve Vernon included everything – humour, adventure, suspense, sadness, mystery, hilarity, unexpected twists and turns to keep the reader involved, and did I say it’s funny? It’s funny.

Oh, and I will also say … I urge you to add this action-filled, entertaining book to your ‘to be read’ pile. It’s great for middle-grade readers right on up to, and including, grandmas. (I very much enjoyed it. 🙂 ) Its short chapters are very convenient when one does not have much time to read in one sitting, but you really won’t want the time between readings to be long.

This book has been noticed in high places, which the author will tell about, so … Please come back on Thursday, January 31, for my entertaining  interview with Steve Vernon. He is offering a copy of “Sinking Deeper  OR My awesome brilliant Questionable Heroic Decision to Invent a Sea Monster” for one of you who leaves a comment after that interview.  you’ll love it!

You can find Sinking Deeper  OR My awesome brilliant Questionable Heroic Decision to Invent a Sea Monster listed on my BUY THE BOOK! page.

Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings!  🙂