Moose Ridge: Ending to Beginning

Book One

Moose Ridge: Ending to Beginning

                    Book One

By Craig Hastings

Champagne Book Group

Albany, Or

97321

eISBN 978-1-77155-986-7

1^st Edition     337 pages

Inspirational Fiction/Romance

“Sometimes an ending is what we need to begin.”

~Craig Hastings

This delightful story takes us, the reader, on a journey of true struggle with emotion and experience. The author Craig Hastings pulls at our heartstrings by embracing his written characters with depth and credibility. He shows depth with their emotions and their decisions, and we instantly care for them.

The main character, Jazmine Strake faces incredible odds as she endures the great loss of her parents when her mother dies at the young age of five, and then again when her father goes to jail when she is only twelve years old. She becomes a foster child. She is sadly broken as she moves on through life.

She graduates college and finds herself in a small town in Wyoming as she follows, what she thinks is her soulmate and future husband. She is stunned as he has moved on and left her in an empty and bland studio rental house.

Shortly after spending time in tears and reflection, she meets Sadie. She is a sweet grandmotherly/mother figure that has the pulse of the small town. She becomes a facilitator of God and a welcome family member to the saddened Jazmine. Enriched by this relationship Jazmine meets Sadie’s son Jason.

*Spoiler alert* Jason and Jazmine eventually are linked in a sweet and slow-moving romance. 

This is an endearing story that takes the reader on a wholesome journey where perhaps “All things are possible for God”. You’ll find a happy ending with a story of adversity, faith, and a foundation of loving characters.

Mr. Hastings can be found at:

website/blog   http://www.authorcraighastings.com

Facebook       https://www.facebook.com/authorcraighastings

Twitter           http://www.twitter.com/ch875299_craig

Publisher: www.champagnebooks.com

Call Us What We Carry

Call Us What We Carry Poems By Amanda Gorman

Viking

An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

New York

2021

ISBN 978-0-593-46506-6 (Hardcover)

211 pages

16 pages notes & gratitude

When this book became available, I ran to get it. This is a poetry collection by a poetess named Amanda Gorman. I am as riveted and completely blown away by this book as I was when I laid eyes on her for the first time at the 2021 presidential inauguration. There Amanda Gorman poured her soul upon anyone within earshot, as she so eloquently presented us with the poem “The Hill We Climb”. She left us breathless and with chest heaving asking for more.

Here in this book, Call Us What We Carry, again she leaves the reader asking for more but giving us collective feelings of sorrow, grief, and yet full of love and of healing. She writes us to heal. Ms. Gorman shares with us our history and a chance to feel faith and atonement, all the while embracing the memorial of a place in time.

I felt the grit and angst and I’m feeling as a reader/reviewer, that we are witnessing, at least for me, the glory of the written word; the poetic stylings of a beating heart.

This collection of poetry is about all of us. It is about our history. It is about where we have come from, it is about where we have gone and finally, it is about where we are going as a nation and as a people.

In her Faith & Fury Chapter, I’d like to point out that she gives us lines and bits & quips that fill her and us with the love of country and humanity…like

…Language matters… grief gives us gratitude…black lives are worth living; worth defending, she calls these a smart prank then there’s …scars & stripes… Benevolent but bold… and finally, fierce & free… With these parts of lines in the poetry I pulled out she lays our collective hearts on the line. Ms. Gorman continues to pull us

On page 161 “The Truth in One Nation”

…”a nation’s cold pride will kill

choke us on the very spot we shadow

this is also called Chauvin[ism]

In her Resolution Chapter on pages 203 & 204 Gorman solidifies “What We Carry”

…words matter, for

Language is an ark.

Yes.

Language is an art.

An articulate artifiact.

Language is a life craft.

Yes.

Language is a life raft.

Further on page 207 in “The Hill We Climb”

… We lay down our arms

so that we can reach our arms out to one another

We seek harm to none and harmony for all.

Lastly, I felt she’s now walked us (the reader) into the healing process after showing us our visceral, intense personalities for on page 211 she brings us…

…the new dawn blooms as we free it

for there is always light,

If only we’re brave enough to see it

If we were brave enough to be it.

I think as readers and of poetry lovers, we feel immense pride to have this newly established poetess/writer in our community. She will give strength, hope, and resolve to those that read and witness this moment in time.

I highly recommend this book and the works of Amanda Gorman. This book is 5 ***** stars.

Amanda Gorman is a true wordsmith, she is a Harvard University cum laude graduate. She is the first person to be named a National Youth Poet Laureate, has written for the New York Times, she has numerous prestigious awards and appearances including attendance at the Obama White House, and Poets & Writers and Barnes & Noble writing awards. She currently has three upcoming books with Penguin Random House.

I can’t wait for more of Amanda Gorman.

The Paper Palace

The Paper Palace A Novel by Miranda Cowley Heller

The Paper Palace

A Novel

By Miranda Cowley Heller

Riverhead Books

An Imprint of Penguin Random House L.L.C.

New York

2021

386 pages

ISBN 976-0-593-32982-5

(Hardcover)

This novel of fiction is set in Cape Cod where a family summers every year. Their cabin home is picturesque with endearing landscapes where one could become one with nature; they have nicknamed it The Paper Palace. *No spoilers will be given* *This book comes with a trigger warning* Scenes of sexual nature, rape, and incest are mentioned.

The main character Elle Bishop returns to the cabin as a 50-year-old woman and married with her own children. She narrates and relives her story as she takes us, the readers, on the long and winding path of memorable events that took place in her life as she comes to age and adulthood. The author, Heller is clever as she intertwines the two narratives of the present and the trail of “one day in the past”.

Ms. Heller weaves this story poetically and her characters are deep thus, leading the reader to enthusiastically keep turning the pages.

Elle unwinds her memoir before us, and while some readers may have felt some scenes to be overly gratuitous; I felt that perhaps it may have been truly necessary. We, readers, felt the acrid sorrow after the unwanted sexual encounters, rape, and memories of the familial abuse situation; they are layers and layers of dizzying circumstances. They are profound and horrible. Ms. Heller’s story was written to ask the reader to feel deeply with each and every choice that Elle makes; whether flawed or not.

This is a deep and emotionally driven story. Elle will even be forced to make a decision to stay with her husband or with the boy she grew up with. As adults, they all reminisce of adolescence of summers spent together, or of times when relationships were new and fumbling in an effort to really get to know the other.

The ending may keep you guessing, or wondering of the significance of the symbolism placed on the front porch of the cabin for the reader to ponder. Many things are true to this novel, the travel through trauma and life-altering tragedy, along with this author’s prolific writing leads to a drama-filled page-turner that I had a hard time putting down. The vivid writing alone garners 5***** from me and it is also the reason this was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Choice and an optioned soon-to-be miniseries on HBO.

Miranda Cowley Heller grew up in NY and is a Harvard grad. She became a book editor and ghostwriter only to finally land as a senior VP and head of a drama series on HBO currently. She oversaw and developed the likes of shows such as The Sopranos, The Wire, Six Feet Under, Deadwood, and Big Love. This is Ms. Heller’s debut novel.

Her novel can be purchased widely where ever books are sold.

The Advocate

The Advocate by Teresa Burrell

The Advocate

By Teresa Burrell

Silent Thunder Publishing

San Diego, CA

92111

2009

ISBN: 978-1-938680-03-8

Paperback

286 pages

This debut book was a captivating read. The main Character, Sabre Brown is a juvenile court attorney and the author takes us on a journey into her world of cases that involve things like custody and the best interests of children. But Sabre Brown finds herself in a place where her life gets mysteriously intertwined with a case she’s working on. The case is that of a ten-year-old named Alexis Murdock. The author, Teresa Burrell hooks us into her immense story that includes a lot of twists and turns. Sabre’s story, ***While I won’t give out spoilers***slowly unwinds as she enlists the help of one Detective Carriage. While doing a background check on the little girl Alexis’ father, it leads suddenly to her own back story regarding her missing brother.

The story develops into a complex and even treacherous peril for Sabre as she continues on into the investigation of the child’s family. This leads to more intrigue and mystery, thrill and danger.

I thought this was a great work of fiction. The characters were compelling and helped to drive this story. I thought this was an interesting subject matter to write about. I was engaged and felt for the juvenile character Alexis all the way to the end. I would be interested to read her next book in the twelve-book series.

The author Teresa Burrell is indeed an Advocate and an attorney for a family court system in her real life. She truly has dedicated her life to children’s issues, her novels have been inspired by her many legal cases.

4****

I received this book for a #realandtruereview I’d like to mention Bookstagrammers.com for making this possible along with the author Teresa Burrell.

This book is available through the author’s own website at: teresaburrell.com/bookstore and at all booksellers. The author can be found on all social media channels including Facebook.com/teresaburrell

In Beta_

In Beta_

By Prescott Harvey

2020

Inkshares, Inc.

Oakland CA

94607

ISBN 978-1-947848-50-4

(Paperback)

379 pages

This book is a work of fiction that is set in 1993 where the two main characters, Jay and Colin are high school friends. They’re in their Senior year and are about to graduate when they happen to stumble upon a floppy disk that will change them forever.

These two friends were considered “underachievers”, but are extensive gamers and computer geeks. The floppy disk they found inside a gamers magazine was a game named “The Build”. This game was an exact simulation of their very own small Oregon town named Bickleton.

**Without mentioning any spoilers** Jay and Colin become the heroes of this story. They come of age and rescue the town from utter destruction. The Build game was perpetrated by one guy from Bickleton High School named Hal.

There are many twists and turns and scenarios of “geeks vs. jocks” bullying, there’s a prom and some police, and plenty of 1990’s nostalgia peppered throughout the story. This helps to levitate and pull the story; I found myself smiling a lot. The references were cute and funny. Some book reviewers found a philosophical bent, “what is the meaning of life” kind of thing, but I personally found it entertaining with characters that drove the story, but otherwise not too deep. I found some scenarios slightly lengthy, but for those with no gaming expertise, it made sense.

Overall, In Beta_ was interesting and had great usage of pop references that readers could relate to. The gaming references are also well thought out with relatable subject matter for those that do/did game.

Mr. Harvey did a great job with this novel and the story, he engaged me and made me think as I tried to guess what might happen next to his characters and this little town of Bickleton.

I’m giving this 4 Stars for the story, idea, and references, One less star for a small hinge of close to”nearing cliche” in some spots.

The author Prescott Harvey is a copywriter who has extensively contributed to gaming brands like Osmo, Crackdown 3, EA Motive Studios, and Shadow of War. In 2010 Harvey wrote The World of Warcraft Guide To Winning at Life; a Chronicle Books publisher.

Mr. Harvey can be found playing Xbox Sea of Thieves. I am hoping that he continues to write as I am a non-gamer and I found his writing verging into the Sci-Fi community, and gaming quite refreshing.

*I received this book complimentary for a real and true book review.

Tears of Change

Poems, Reflections, and Quotes for a Meanigful Life

Review

Tears of Change

Poems, Reflections & Quotes For a Meaningful Life

By Debbie A. Monteggia

2020

Christian Faith Publishing Inc.

Meadville, PA 16335

64 pages paperback

ISBN 978-1-0980-1176-5 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-0980-1178-9 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-0980-1177-2 (digital)

This is a book of poetry, and it is divided into 16 inspirational pieces of a spiritual and emotional journey the author Debbie A. Monteggia take us, the reader, on.

As the author opens in her introduction, she states that poetry is an expressive and creative form of awareness within oneself. Poetry is also a very healing venture. For those who need to write it and a true experience for those who deepen their souls by reading it. Here the author MS Monteggia truly traces a spiritual journey by channeling her feelings, even those of the unhappy times, as she charges forward with honesty, self-awareness, and heartfelt awakening.

Each poem is preceded by an inspiration that brought forth the stanzas of tears, hope and laughter. This enables the reader to further understand more about the chosen poetic steps through life that the author is enduring. Scattered among these are also simplistic quotes by notable people to further enhance her transitions.

Being venerable makes emotional pieces resonate with a reader and we feel this many times,

for example from the poem on page 15 Honor Your Tears…

…”with each new teardrop shed

A small door within, opens ever so slightly

Emotions connect your soul.”

And with the continued guidance of her faith, MS Monteggia was brought to a happy new place, she called, “rebirth” and has published this gift of her true heart with each of us.

I am hoping that MS Monteggia will continue to write poetry and deepen still her discoveries of life’s different stages, and I am hoping that she’ll continue to share them all with us.

4.5 Stars.

Thank you to @Books_That_Make_You

@Blackchateau @Bookstagrammers @BreeSwider and

Christan Faith Publishing for supplying me with this book complementary for review purposes.

In The Dark, Soft Earth

Poetry of Love, Nature, Spirituality, and Dreams

In The Dark, Soft Earth

Poetry of Love, Nature, Spirituality, and Dreams

By Frank Watson

Plum White Press L.L.C.

2020

ISBN-13  978-1-939832-20-7

ISBN-10  1-939832-20-9

Poetry/American/General

215 pages

This poetry collection leaves the reader to evoke imagery of sails to the lee, and the touch of a moss- filled forest on the fingertips. Mr. Watson brings us romance, love, and nature singing right through all of his poetry.

This poetry collection is separated into “books” One through Ten.  Each chapter is accompanied astounding artwork from various renowned artists that further enhances the reading experience. 

Romance and boats sail on moonlit serenades throughout the beginning of the book  with thoughts on life as seen on pg. 21 in the poem Leaf After Leaf in the Pure Wind

 (excerpt)

…trees and skies-

the generations grow

from leaf to leaf…

Showing the reader the full circle of life.

Mr. Watson continue to sing songs of jazz in Book 4 Percussion Mind pg. 64 in a poem entitled Subway to the Center of the Earth, one can hear the rhythm as you ride on this transitional poem

(excerpt)

Groaning men

and tracks

or women who know

the carnal gaze

of tattooed jazz

in deep bass…

And these beats go on as Frank Watson explores that dances of light we can feel his enticement. He revels in sweet poisons as he continues to meander on in Books 6 & 7 with raven’s caws and the power of the wolves and the moon that haunt his dreams. We feel the cold and death in the stanzas built on graves. By Book 8 we are raptly planted in his Tarot Garden. There are magical moonlit skies and eagles that fly. I adore Watson’s depiction and clever word play with “smiles a crescent moon” in the poem entitled High Priestess (pg. 157) and again in “he had her in checkmate at first glance” in the poem entitled Emperor(pg. 161) and one more “she plots the battle like a game of chess and leads the pawns to certain death”… in a poem entitled Chariot (pg. 167).

Mr. Watson continues to spin our spirits in Book 9 & 10. He brings out the cauldrons and witches where tattoos, darkness and light guide us to where lush green forests meet the clouds.

I especially loved the poem Bohemia (pg. 211) I could feel the texture here as a reader, it filled my heart with the forest.

(excerpt)

Filling me, the scent

of cedars and pines

along the rocks of centuries,

the beaches of summers

that never cease.

Frank Watson is a true troubadour, a lyricist that writes poetry like musical arrangement. He has great artful inner voice and creative energy that shows itself in musical fluency. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who has a love of poetry. Frank Watson has also written The Dollhouse Mirror, Seas to Mulberries, and One Hundred Leaves.

Frank Watson can be reached at:

@frankwatsonpoet  (Instagram)

www.frankwatsonpoet.com

frankwatsonpoet@gmail.com   (email address)

*I received this ARC for a real and true review.

Poems for Life A Special Collection of Poetry

Poems For Life A Special Collection of Poetry Selected by E.L. Doctorow. Allen Ginsberg. David Mamet. Tom Wolf. Joyce Carol Oates. Stephen Soundheim. Kurt Vonnegut. Elie Wiesal. And many more.

With a special introduction by Anna Quindlen.

Arcade Publishing

is a registered trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.

New York

1995

The Nightengale-BamfordSchool

ISBN 978-1-61145-350-8

Well, this was a wonderful for book for so many reasons. The Number 1 reason of course is poetry, and the number 2 reason it was great because of who contributed a piece for this book, and thirdly it involved children hungry for art and entertained by having meaningful literature in their lives!

This book comes as a project for a 5th-grade class at the Nightengale-Bamford School. Poetry is part of the curriculum there (also another great thing). This project took two years to complete. The students wrote to people in many fields, such as actors, authors, and politicians. The students asked of this chosen person to submit their personal favorite piece of poetry. The second part of the question was why? Why did they like it and why did they find the passage a meaningful one.

The children and teachers found it utmost entertaining as the students received their piece and then gleefully read it outloud to the class. Then the students had to learn about that particular poem/poet.

The second layer of the project is that the students from class V (from 1993 and 1994) compilled all the poetry into a collection for this book. The goodness continues; then the teachers and the student sold the book and chose to donate ALL the proceeds from the book to benefit the International Rescue Comittee, and to benefit a division within the group called the Women’s Comission for Refugee women and Children. The spirit of social service is also part of this 5th-grade cirriculum. (great again!).

Each of the senders submitted a beautiful note with their pieces to each student.

Joyce Carol Oats submitted a very profound bit of wisdom, as she shared

Emily Dickinson here;

“Tell all the truth, but tell it slant~ success in circuit lies

to bright for our infirm delight, the truth’s suburb surprise.”

“As lightning to the children eased with explanation kind, the truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind”.

This was a fantastic project by thoughtful teachers and to teach this into the 5th-grade spirit makes a truly 5 ***** star book. It is something these children will never forget and I’m hoping they’ll all grow up with a deep love for poetry and literature.

A Novel The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

• 

A Novel

The Alice Network

By Kate Quinn

532 pages

William Morrow

An Imprint of Haper Collins Publishers

New York, NewYork 10007

ISBN 978-0-06-265419-9

Ms. Quinn writes a stunning novel! The Alice Network quickly became a New York Times and a USA Today best selling novel.

*This book review may contain story spoilers. Ms. Quinn takes us on an epic journey with her two main characters, Charlie St. Clair and Eve Gardiner, as the two courageous women take to a time of war and of sacrifice.

The Alice Network is a powerful and intriquing story about how Eve Gardiner joins the fight against the Nazi’s as part of an intricate network of women spies. Based on some truth of real war time women spies; Eve and her network forge forth with extremely daring plots right beneath the enemy’s nose.

Ultimately, The Alice Network becomes uncovered and many went to go on to prision terms charged with war crimes. There is huge loss and sorrow and left most involved completely stung and remorseful. When suddenly Charlie St. Clair is on the trail to find herself and her history and this brings her into another epic journey; many truths are uncovered as a result.

Kate Quinn launches, us the reader, on a realistic journey that is filled with loss, female friendship, esponage, and historical unsung valor.

This book was easy to read and the chapters were heart-felt and there was even some humor amongst the sad times of war. Guaranteed a 5 star reading experience.

This book is part of my personal library and was read as part of my “Book Babes” book club.

The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth

The Mother-In-Law

by Sally Hepworth

2019

340 pages

St. Martin’s Press

New York, NY

10010

ISBN 978-1250120922 (hardcover)

ISBN 978-1250225177 (International)

ISBN 978-1250120946 (ebook)

In this the sixth novel, author Sally Hepworth reveals her masterful skill of the layered storytelling she is astoundingly good at.

In this novel, she has turned up the heat by entangling the depths of her characters with heart-tugging familial relationships.

While I won’t report spoilers here in my review, the tense family encounters will keep you not only on the edge of your seat, you as a reader, will continue to guess and wonder who or who could not commit a crime.

The push and pull between family members, especially the female ones, will take the reader into their own family and reflect quickly on their own dynamics and relationships.

There is death, inheritance, and struggle. Hepworth will have you turning the pages as the characters that she builds begin to take on similarities to those we may have known, or are currently in your own family. We begin to care for them.

We know too, that this family is hiding something, and the continual weaving by Hepworth is stellar.

This is a 5 star ***** read.

This book was chosen by the book club I belong to called the Book Babes. This book was also borrowed from my local network of libraries.