 An emotional rollercoaster wonderfully written and beautifully crafted.
Blurb: “When the body of their best friend, Derrick Zachariah, is found in the bushes along the January River, everything comes crashing down for Ethan and William McCoy, Jason Hawk, and Derrick’s sister Sarah in their idyllic small town in the southwest of Nebraska. Derrick’s sudden death completely changes their lives. Living in the tame and peaceful Greenfield with a secret becomes very hard, and almost unbearable for some of them. Things get worse for Ethan and his brother William after someone poisons Ethan’s golden retriever, the dog Ethan saved from near death when he found him on the banks of January River the previous winter. A few years later, when he has reached adulthood, William leaves Greenfield in search for a better, different life. It doesn’t take too long before Ethan follows the footsteps of his older brother and also leaves his hometown. He goes to New York City to visit Will, with hope to find solace, forgiveness and liberation from the ghosts of his boyhood. Instead, Ethan meets, falls in love and marries Susan Dupie, a successful editor of New York’s prestigious magazine, A Way of Life. Susan also falls in love, not only with him but with his writing too, and helps him become a best-selling author. But it is never quite that easy and Ethan’s idyllic life is shattered again by Susan’s illness. Only after Susan succumbs to leukemia does Ethan muster enough courage to return to Greenfield and after more than twenty years reveals the truth about Derrick’s death to his sister Sarah. Some things are better left untold, but the dark secret in Ethan’s heart lying buried in the silent waters of the January River is not meant to remain a secret forever.” Greenfield, a small American town, where diversity in terms of religion, nationality and personal interests were accepted and tolerated, seems to be the paradise on earth. Surrounded by great forests, a beautiful river, populated with wonderful people, isolated from all the happenings in the rest of the USA, this place is nothing far from the ideal place to live in. Ethan, the main character, had a wonderful and peaceful life in Greenfield, playing with his friends and his brother Will. Unfortunately, when only twelve years old, his life takes an unpredictable turn due to the death of Ethan’s good friend. Greenfield suddenly doesn’t look the same anymore. “In a voice as calm as the descending night, he spoke words as icy as the water of the January River in which Derrick, his belly up, floated at that moment. “Why did you let that happen? Why didn’t you help me?” His voice, distant and cold, echoed in Ethan’s head as he shook it from side to side, his eyes closed.” Ethan, his brother, and the other friends were all affected by the sad event and this will have a huge impact on their life. Ethan’s following his brother’s steps and leaves for New York. He got a job, got married, became a successful writer. After everything he’d been through, Ethan would have deserved to have the happily after. Even though at times things seemed to take a positive turn, life gave one strike after another. “Big decisions are often made suddenly. The biggest deals are made in a fraction of a second. It’s up to our wisdom, wits and shrewdness whether they will be worth the trouble or boomerang and hit us in the head.” I liked the fact how the whole story was centered around the January river, the river that passed through Greenfield. All the great and bad things happened there. There’s not a big coincidence why also the dogs that Ethan had were named after the river. Once by choice and the other time, by coincidence. This is a heartbreaking story, full of true love between brothers, parents and sons, friendship, and self-searching. The author managed again to create a real emotional rollercoaster wonderfully written and beautifully crafted as he did with the other books A world without color and Look for Me Under the Rainbow. My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website
0 Comments
 For the time being, some of the books are only available in their original language hence, my review will be in that specific language. This book is in Spanish, though a little bird told me that the author has plans to make it available in English. I hope so.
Un romance encantador, desgarrador y emocionante. Blurb/ Desc: “La sargento Bates toma la decisión de retornar a las calles para vencer la criminalidad en su ciudad. Su mayor enemigo, el destino. Tracy Mecher vive en las frías calles de la ciudad en una lucha incansable contra ese mismo destino. El sendero del destino es un relato de amor envuelto en escenas conmovedoras entre estas jóvenes mujeres con sus vidas encaminadas en el mismo destino. Dos mundos contrarios se entrelazan donde tienen que tomar complicadas decisiones para demostrar que el amor no tiene límites. Con una sublime narración, se llega a giros inesperados con los que se descubre la verdadera identidad de una de las protagonistas con sucesos llenos de romance, acción y suspenso. Es una historia que te mantendrá conectada hasta el final para descubrir, ¿cuál será el verdadero sendero a seguir en sus vidas?.” Esta es una dulce y a menudo triste historia de amor entre dos mujeres jóvenes. Al encontrarse, se les ofrece la posibilidad de un futuro más brillante. Es la historia de Tracy y Kristen, ambas de diferentes orígenes, hermosas y con un corazón incorrupto. Kristen es policía y se enamora de Tracy con solo mirarla. No importaba que Tracy pareciera estar sin hogar o que Kristen tuviera novio. Todo lo que importaba era que sentía la necesidad de estar con Tracy. Por otro lado, Tracy ha tenido algunos años difíciles dejando a su familia y viviendo en las calles, una decisión que tomó porque se lastimó al no ser aceptada por su familia. Tracy misma necesitaba algo de tiempo para aceptar quién era y, con la ayuda de Kristen, se las arregló. Fue el destino lo que los colocó juntos, aún así, el mismo destino pone en riesgo su relación y su vida muchas veces. Es un romance encantador, desgarrador y emocionante con mucho drama, giros y vueltas, y un final feliz. This is a sweet and sad love story between two young women. By finding each other they are offered the possibility of a brighter future. It is the story of Tracy and Kristen, both coming from different backgrounds, both beautiful and with an uncorrupted heart. Kristen is a cop and she fell for Tracy just by looking at her. It didn't matter that Tracy appeared to be homeless or that Kristen had a boyfriend. All that mattered was that she felt the urge to be with Tracy. On the other hand, Tracy had some hard few years leaving her family and living on the streets, a decision she made because she was hurt by not being accepted by her family. Tracy needed some time too to accept who she was and with Kristen’s help, she managed. It was destiny that placed them together, still, the same destiny puts their relation and life at risk many times. It is a lovely, heartbreaking, exciting romance with lots of drama, twists-and-turns, and a happy ending. My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s Facebook page  A paranormal novel about love, family, bullying, and special gifts.
Blurb: “Henrietta Bailey is a mysterious woman who has spent her entire life living in the town of Crescent, a sleepy beach community in Central Coastal California. She loves the beach, the ocean air, and the town itself. Her simple life fulfills her. However, she spends much of her time reminiscing about her long-lost love, a woman who left her devastated. Now, another woman awaits on the horizon; a wise, intelligent, and sexy lady who is sophisticated beyond her years. This woman yearns for her soul mate and lover. Will she be able to win Henrietta’s heart, or will Henrietta be fated to live the rest of her days alone? All her life, Henrietta has held a gift, one that most of the townspeople fear and do not understand. Still, this doesn’t deter her from pursuing these extraordinary talents, and she does what she can to help others improve their lives. Those close to her encourage her, and new people enter the picture who offer enlightenment. Personal secrets emerge that change the course of Henrietta’s life. Can she do the right thing and move forward? A long-lost mystery comes to the surface, causing upset among some of the town’s residents. Come meet this incredible woman who strives to attain the things in the world she values the most – family, love, and respect.” The story moves along nicely. It contains paranormal elements, and lots of intertwined stories combined with memories, one of them being a fictional lesbian one. Through the memories, we find out a lot about the history of the house in Crescent, his owners over the years and also about Henrietta and her relationship with her mother and grandmother. Henrietta was a good person as a child and also as an adult. “My life is a journey and I celebrate each step of the way with love and joy. I am all knowing, all loving, and an important being in this universe.” Emphatic, shy, hard-working, appreciated by few, including her employers but unfortunately not accepted by many others. She had the capabilities to do readings and talk to those that passed on the other side. Henrietta is now 60 years old, not married, with a tough past and suffering from anxiety because of it. She is quite an introvert, hardly speaking to anyone about the most intimate things. While we get pretty much into details into Henrietta’s life and thoughts we get to find out about Mary, the woman from her past, and also that she gave birth to a son, Andrew, when she was only seventeen. Mary, the love of her life was now trying to get in touch after 20 years after she finally divorced the husband she never loved. Sophia, the gorgeous Italian woman, 30 years younger than Henrietta, tried to seduce her and they had some intimate moments, to Henrietta's surprise having in mind the age gap. Henrietta had a special gift that made others refrain from accepting her, calling her a witch. “...thoughts create our reality and we are in control of them.” With all the added mysteries, the novel is easily gripping. This is a paranormal novel but it's about love, family, bullying, and special gifts. A very pleasant and intriguing read. My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website  Poignant and gripping novel.
Blurb: “Between the fast-paced New York City, a rural Mississippi town and a charming Pennsylvania college campus filled with secrets, two young girls learn the consequences of growing up too quickly. Amalia Graeme, abused by her mother for most of her life, longs to escape her desolate hometown and fall in love. Contemplating her loss of innocence and conflicting feelings between her boyfriend and the dangerous attraction she’s developed for an older man, Amalia faces life-altering tragedies. Brianna Porter, a sassy, angst-ridden teenager raised in New York City, yearns to find her life’s true purpose, conquer her fear of abandonment, and interpret an intimidating desire for her best friend, Shanelle. Desperate to find the father whom her mother refuses to reveal, Brianna accidentally finds out a shocking truth about her missing parent. Set in alternating chapters two decades apart, the parallels between their lives and the unavoidable collision that is bound to happen is revealed. FATHER FIGURE is an emotional story filled with mystery, romance, and suspense.” This was a truly engaging read. Structured in alternative chapters, it presented the story of two young women living twenty years apart, one desperately trying to run away and forget her past, the other one eager to find answers about her past and her true sexuality. Twenty years ago, Amalia suffered from the actions and words of an abusive mother. Her father tried to soften the pain, showing more understanding, but unfortunately not brave enough to stand up to his wife. He was the only person that comforted her in her young age. Still, she had to leave Brant and start a new life. Life plays with us often and it played big with Amelia too while she was in college. Instead of starting a new beautiful life, being happily in-love, she experienced a series of events that made her run away. What was supposed to be her way out proved to be another painful period. What did she do? She ran away and decided to keep the past buried. Was this the best decision? Did she manage to finally be happy and live a careless life? Was love again in the cards for her? The future will show. Now, twenty years later, Brianna was about to start college and turning 18 made her wish to find out who her father is stronger. She was at a point in life where she wanted to find answers about herself too, including her true sexuality. She felt the need to find out more about her family. Do we really need to know where we come from to know who we are? Humorous at times, this beautifully written and perfectly paced story deals with many themes (aggressive behaviors, physical and emotional abuse, family issues, sexuality, etc) that are far from being happy, but are definitely a part of the real life. The characters are strong, well-described, and unique. The twists and turns, with a dash of mystery, are often unexpected. A real page-turner and another proof that the author is one of my favorites. Quotes: “She can never know the truth. I'm not even sure I know the whole truth. I promise you with all my heart that I'll keep the past buried in the past for her sake and for yours. If she ever needs to know who her father is, I'll tell her you disappeared—that I never had a chance to find you, but you were a good man. A good man I will love until the day I die.” “Life just happens sometimes. You can't predict it. You don't know where it will drop you off unexpectedly. You only get to pick up the pieces when it's all said and done.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website  Humorous, heart-touching story.
Blurb: “He's a tall, burly carpenter who will be a great mother someday, with a little unexpected supernatural help. Lloyd has reached the age of 32 years, seven months, four days, and six hours without finding Miss Right and converting her into Mrs. Lloyd Schifflebein. Yes, Schifflebein. A name that is unromantic, unspellable, and way too long for signing checks and the backs of credit cards. Even if Miss Right appears, there is another impediment to wedded bliss: Lloyd obsesses over his six children. He doesn’t have them yet, but he is working on it. He has been filing adoption applications all his adult life. This leads many people to deduce that Lloyd Schifflebein is crazy. Big and strong, sure. Cute, maybe, but loony nonetheless. Somehow Lloyd finally convinces the Social Worker From Hell that he really is good father-material. Soon the Schifflebein household is a circus, with six special kids and their six neurotic pet bunnies. To become a forever family, however, they must pass a probationary period with surprise inspections at any time. Then things begin to go wrong: The Teapot arrives. The one that is certain to get Lloyd get officially labeled “insane,” removing any chance of successful adoptions. Miss Right appears, but she is engaged to someone else. Lloyd’s enemies attack him with false accusations and numerous lawsuits. The government takes away Lloyd’s children, pending his day in court. In his fight to keep his children, his livelihood, and his beloved bride, Lloyd definitely needs supernatural help – even if it comes in the form of a snarky, talking Teapot.” Oh goodness, what a sweet story! This was one of the cutest, funniest, heart-warming story I have ever read. The author’s easiness to write humorous lines is amazing, but I have to admit that the story brought also tears to my eyes at times. Despite the paranormal touch of the teapot talking and cooking tea by itself, I would love to see that Lloyd exists in real life. His past made him determined to adopt and take care of six young-children. He prepared all his adult life for this and despite the fact that people had him for being crazy, he never gave up. Were all his wishes fulfilled? I invite you to find out for yourself. For me it was definitely a gripping read that I would love to see turned into a movie one day. Well done! * At the time of this review the ebook is FREE on Amazon so I encourage you to grab your copy and see for yourselves how amazing it is. Quotes: “Lloyd had a philosophy: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If it ain’t on clearance (defined as at least 70 percent off), don’t buy it. If it’s less than 50 years old, it’s too good to get rid of. If it’s more than 50 years old, it’s an antique and therefore too valuable to get rid of. It was a blessing that Lloyd had never married because his philosophy probably would have driven some poor female to commit murder sooner or later….Despite his positive attributes, however, Lloyd had reached the age of thirty-two years, seven months, four days, and six hours without finding Miss Right” “Supernatural assurance had surrounded Lloyd Schifflebein since the day in his early teens when he realized, calmly, that no divinely-inspired couple would ever appear to adopt him into their warm, sunny, house full of hugs and homemade cookies. Lloyd’s joy and comfort from that day forward had been his absolute certainty that he was going to provide that home for six very special children someday.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon  Chaun Hutchins was like any regular 32-year-old. He had a wife, a full-time job, a comfortable home, and a baby on the way, but yet he was not at all satisfied in their marriage. During a fight on the way from a party, he finally got the courage to speak up to his wife, but the moment after a tragic accident left him a widower. Some would think that this is where his life will go down the road. But no, as the child survived he needs to be strong for the baby. Will he have the power to overcome the pain, the guilt and find the strength to move on? Will he get a second chance at life and love? The questions will be answered only when together with his parents and his new friend, Denise, will manage to solve the mystery of the paranormal events that are threatening their peace and putting some of them in danger. A really interesting read, a story that gives you hope only after the main character manages to find answers over the dark troubles from the past in order to have a bright and peaceful future. Aaron D. Brinker adds a touch of romance to the whole paranormal part, everything with a writing style that it is really pleasant to read.
Type of reader: Fans of mystery, thriller, suspense with a touch of ghosts and paranormal elements. I found this being an intriguing story, definitely, a must read. My favorite quotes from this book: “You had no way of knowing what was going to happen, let alone what minor differences would have caused things to change. No matter what we face in life, trials have to be taken as they come. We can never change the past, but only better ourselves for the future.” “You see, the night you died, you felt what I had been feeling our entire marriage.” My rating: 4/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon  Inspired by the journal of Helen, an animal activist aka “Rainbow Warrior”, on a mission to protect as many animals as she can, the author takes us on another emotional journey. After reading A World Without Color by the same author, I knew this was a book I had to read. The writing style of the author remained as beautiful as I knew it was, honest, poetic and full of emotions.
This time the author tells us about Danny, a harp seal pup, his parents and brother Jon. This could have been a happy story about all the funny stuff a seal pup could do, right? But no, unfortunately, due to the man’s ignorance and greed this is a really sad story written though in a relaxing way. It is a story of life, love, existence, and humanity at both its worst and very best. This is more than a novella, it is a cry for awareness and a call to action to anyone that wants to stop the slaughter of innocent creatures. In time, many organizations, and individuals, including the author, have been actively united forces and did what they could to slow down the annihilation and ease the tragic destiny of these adorable, innocent creatures. We are being offered with a set of links of different organizations for any one of us that wants to join. The message of this book was honest, sincere and it truly moved me. Type of reader: Readers of any age, lovers of animals and anyone else that searches for an emotional read. My favorite quotes from this book: “Man’s a great mystery. We know not where he comes from, nor where he’s going. Elusive, like a shadow, he leaves wasteland in his wake.” “I do not doubt I have a big heart and burning desire, but is that enough for a person to become a Rainbow Warrior, or is there something higher in us, something better? Something that lies hidden deep in our innermost selves, something only some of us manage to express and turn into what we have long missed—humanity.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website  The writing style of the author is simply beautiful; honest, poetic and full of emotions. I could feel his love for his dear cat, Marcel, and it made me think that some humans aren't capable to feel the same for another human being. And it is really a pity. I knew from the beginning that it will be an emotional, heartbreaking story, but I was impressed with how the author managed to transmit some of his thoughts and I do applaud him for the strong messages. Yes, it is a sad novella and I could feel tears in the corner of my eyes quite often. I felt lucky I never got to experience the tragic past days, months of pain, the loss of a pet, but I also felt admiration for what the author stands for. I am sure that Marcel was the happiest cat in the world. If only all the animals would face the same destiny. Or humans? We can do much more to make this world a better place. What is stopping us?
Type of reader: Lovers of animals, readers of memoirs and anyone else that searches for an emotional read. My favorite quotes from this book: “But we, humans, have a choice: the choice between good and evil, compassion and cruelty, empathy and ignoring, and we do not use it. We do not use common sense because our stomach blinds our mind and everything flows through it. At least most of us.” “There are the days when I feel like one of them—a hypocrite—when I am not persistent enough, stubborn and determined enough...” “I challenge death to the last duel. Defying it with the strength, I wish to believe, of not-wasted life. My actions will speak for or against me. And one monument I built.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website  I fell in-love with Kamand’s poetry more than a year ago and I was thrilled when this collection was published. It stands on my night table ever since and every once in a while I pick it up and I choose randomly a poem. Then I find myself turning the pages as words dance in front of my eyes and my heart feels the music. I see this collection of poetry as an eternal love dance. The dance of words. Some are about deep passionate reciprocated love, others about the inevitable pain when the love for someone it remains sadly one-sided. It is a declaration of love from the author to its muse presented in different section: love, attraction and infatuation, enchantment, heartbreak, devotion and obsession, understanding and unity. It is an emotional journey in the world of words. The message of each poem is deep yet easy to understand. To conclude, I would describe the whole collection as eternal beauty.
Type of reader: Lover of poetry and love in general. For those that admire how the words flow on the paper and take their time and reflect upon the infinite messages those words captured within. It is impossible to pick a favorite poem from this collection but here is one of the many: “Knowing you, I became mindless. Having wasted previous wishes, I’m riddled with regrets. Feeling you, I became hopeless. Adrift in chasms, I surrender to a caress. Loving you, I became love. My universe became love. Planets rotate on love’s axes and apples fall to be near their beloveds. No longer a rationalist, I assert my existence with love. I love, therefore I exist, therefore I love.” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon Author’s website  I really liked this sweet romantic story with kindhearted main characters. Kale, soon-to-turn 18, is a smart and beautiful girl who was, unfortunately, abandoned by her mother at birth and raised by her father that physically abused her the entire life. The only bright spot that gave her hope in her life was Wyatt, her best friend from childhood. Unfortunately, he had to move on with his family 6 years back, leaving Kale alone. While they kept contact through letters she was sure she won’t see him again. Yet, the reality was brighter, Wyatt returned and they both expressed their deep love. It was so lovely to see Kale how she finally enjoys her life, all the things that may be normal to many of us, for her were just about to be experienced. She was finally ready to leave her sad past behind and enjoy life at the fullest and let her dreams be fulfilled little by little, only with the help of Wyatt, starting with the embarking on a country road trip. It is heart-touching to read about such a pure and great love that they shared. As nothing goes always right, some shades appeared, luckily with a happy ending.
Type of reader: Lovers of the sweet romance genre, that are prepared to embark on a carousel of emotions, living and breathing with the main character, feeling her sorrow and crossing fingers for a better tomorrow. My favorite quotes from this book: “Everyone experiences ups and downs, but the trick to it is learning to get back up. Learning that there will be a bright spot in all that darkness.” “I knew I couldn’t love anyone else, because I didn’t have any more love to share. It was all for him.” “How could I not think the worst when from birth all I knew was pain and sadness? How could happiness like this be real?” My rating: 5/5. Find it on Goodreads Follow the author on Amazon |
Categories
All
Message to you:In order to be a good writer, one has to read a lot. And I do and I love it....and I chose to share my readings with you. Feel free to share with me any of the books you have read or wrote, if I find them interesting I will add them to my list. I'll post my reviews on Goodreads, Amazon and all my social accounts. |
RSS Feed
