Month: May 2019

Book Reviews: A Future With Hope by Carl S. Armato

Chronic illness can be a nuisance at best, debilitating at worst. I should know; I wake up every day not knowing if a migraine is going to force me back into bed or send me rushing to the bathroom to keep the contents of my stomach off the floor. That does not mean we cannot learn to live with it. In fact, the challenge just makes us work harder, and we rise to meet it. For proof, look no further than Carl S. Armato, author of A Future With Hope: An Inspiring Guide to Overcoming Diabetes.

A Future With Hope follows Armato’s lifelong struggle with diabetes, beginning with his diagnosis at only eighteen months old and continuing through his childhood, going to college, starting his career, all the way to the present. In addition to telling his story to inspire others, Armato uses his fifty-two years of experience to impart invaluable wisdom and advice on his fellow diabetics. With exercise, a healthy diet, ever-improving medical technology, a strong support system, and a positive attitude, he has not only come to live with the disease—he has thrived because of it, and he assures other diabetics that they can, too.

Image retrieved from Amazon

I’ll be honest, I started this book with only the slightest understanding as to what diabetics go through. TV and the internet had given me a general idea, but it was vague and, as with all information in the digital age, I took it with a grain of salt. A Future With Hope provides not only advice and support to diabetics but insight into the disease for those of us who do not suffer from it ourselves. Readers learn how diabetics can keep their blood sugar under control, how easily the delicate balance can be thrown off, how a good support system can make or break a diabetic’s survival, and the thoughts—both uplifting and devastating—which go through a diabetic’s mind every day. To read about living with diabetes from someone who has had success managing it is eye-opening.

The book, at only one hundred and eighty pages long, is a quick read. Armato writes in an engaging conversational tone which makes it easy to follow and entertaining. While inspirational, the guide is far from cheesy. Armato has a very down-to-earth approach to his condition and to his account. He focuses on the good which has come from his modified lifestyle and the positive influence his support system has had on him and his outlook. However, he also addresses his struggles, his frustrations with having to explain his diabetes, and the victim mindset which has sometimes crept into his thoughts, as inevitably happens with all diabetics. Armato does not lament the “normal” life of a non-diabetic. Rather, he utilizes these challenges to show readers how he surpassed them so that they might learn how to overcome them as well.

With all there is to praise about A Future With Hope, one incredibly minor aspect of it might be a problem for some readers. Throughout the work, Armato makes references to faith and a higher power, especially when it comes to his father’s influence as part of his support system. Still, this is not a religious book nor does it try and push any particular religion on the reader. Rather, Armato speaks of looking to a higher power as a way of getting through life’s challenges. While I am not myself Christian or even religious, I think that the idea of there being a higher power to turn to during hard times and that sends people in need to people who want to help is very comforting, so it shouldn’t bother non-Christians too much.

Overall, A Future With Hope by Carl S. Armato is powerful and uplifting. Diabetics will feel encouraged by Armato’s personal story and will find his guidance incredibly helpful. Those without diabetes will have their hearts warmed by his uplifting attitude and the way he has helped other diabetics, not to mention the understanding that this look at a diabetic’s life will give them. You never know when you might encounter someone going through this emotional and physical struggle, and we could all use a little more empathy and hope in our lives.

If you want to snag a copy of A Future With Hope by Carl S. Armato, you can buy a physical or eBook copy from Amazon.

Do you know of a book I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Plotting vs. Pantsing vs. Plantsing

Happy Tuesday, fellow writers! I hope that you all had a fun and safe weekend (three-day weekend for Americans). I spent most of my weekend recovering from a huge surge in work plus the hand-in of my dissertation portfolio. I officially turned in my creative writing portfolio for my master’s program last Wednesday, and now I wait impatiently for the results. In the meantime, I’ve been continuing with my freelance orders and plugging away at my novel, a chunk of which became my creative writing portfolio. I have also been keeping my ear out for any writing-related news, and one piece in particular has brought me to today’s topic: plotting, pantsing, and plantsing.

Before I get into what these are and the debate about them, I want to discuss what got me thinking about this subject in the first place. You’ve probably noticed a fair amount of discussion regarding Game of Thrones floating around social media lately. It’s hard to ignore. Even if you don’t watch the show or read the books–I’m ashamed to say that I am such a person–the conversation has been interesting to follow, especially from a writer’s perspective. In particular, a Twitter thread from a writer explaining why this season feels so different has caught my attention.

In this thread, the author, Daniel Silvermint, pins the difference on a shift from pantsing to plotting. Silver mint makes some very compelling points, so I suggest you go to the thread and read it for yourself. However, it does lend itself to the question, can your writing really change when you’re plotting versus when you’re pantsing?

To answer this question, we need to know what these terms mean. Essentially, they are two different ways of writing a story. The first, plotting, is pretty self-explanatory. If you’re a plotter, you plot out your entire story before you start writing. You could probably argue that J.K. Rowling is a plotter. Conversely, panters figure things out as they go, letting their characters organically develop the plot based on their actions, reactions, and the consequences of these. Such writing is called pantsing because you’re said to be writing by the seat of your pants. George R.R. Martin is a notorious pantser. A third way of writing, called plantsing, is also acknowledged. When you’re a plantser, you fall somewhere in the middle. You plan some things, you fly by the seat of your pants with others. I am personally a plantser.

Image retrieved from Foxy Writer Chick

Each method has its pros and cons, and no one method is considered superior to the others. However, they are three distinctly different ways of approaching your writing with often distinctly different results. As you might imagine, plotting usually results in a story which is more focused on the plot, pantsing begets a story more reliant on character development, and plantsing is somewhere in the middle. As with most things, these results are not guaranteed, but they are generally how the different kinds of writing tend to go.

So, in the case of Game of Thrones, the first few seasons felt more focused on character development because the writing more closely mimicked George R.R. Martin’s pantsing style. The final season, on the other hand, required the screenwriters to wrap things up on their own because Martin has not finished writing the book series. As they had a limited time in which to wrap everything up, they became more focused on plotting out what needed to happen to tie up all loose ends. The result is not necessarily a worse story than if they had continued pantsing but a different story. Maybe it is actually worse than the rest, maybe not; I really won’t know until I watch the show. What I do know from Silvermint and other fans is that the story is different in the plotted seasons than in the pantsed ones.

But does the way you approach your writing really change it so much that readers notice? If you look at Game of Thrones, then the answer is a resounding YES. The whole truth, though, is much deeper than character-focused vs. plot-focused. Your approach can, in fact, change the quality of your writing. The fact is that one approach might come more naturally to you than the others. If you hit on the one which more organically fits with you, your writing will be much smoother, more eloquent, and more enjoyable overall. If you’re working with an approach that does not fall in line with your nature, your writing will feel forced, artificial, and hard to read. As with everything in writing, it depends on finding what works for you, not what is considered “right” by the general populace.

Plotting, pantsing, and plantsing are equally valid approaches to writing. They might result in different focuses, but that does not mean that one approach should be held in higher regard than the others. The only problem comes when you try and force yourself to use a method which does not make sense for you and for the story. You might even have times when you’ve used one method with success in the past and it just does not work for your current WIP. The key is figuring out when a writing/planning style feels unnatural to you. If it does, try another way and see if it works better. Each approach might be valid, but only one is valid for both you and your story simultaneously.


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Book Reviews: The Ultimate Culinary Collection by Stuart Hopkins

Happy Sunday, everyone! As the deadline for my master’s dissertation gets closer and closer, I seem to be getting busier and busier. However, I still have time to bring you a review for a unique book. Unlike with most of my reviews, today’s book is not a fiction novel, collection of short stories or poems, or even a nonfiction novel; it’s a cookbook. The book I am discussing is The Ultimate Culinary Collection: 100 Recipes Personally Contributed by 100 Executive Chefs from 100 of the World’s Finest Hotels and Restaurants, compiled and written by Stuart Hopkins.

Now, you might recognize the name “Stuart Hopkins” from a review I posted back in October 2017 for the excerpts of his novel No Grey Areas. Unfortunately, that work has been delayed due to developments in Hopkins’s life, including the birth of his beautiful baby girl in August 2018. These developments mean that there will be even more adventures for No Grey Areas—and until then, we have The Ultimate Culinary Collection.

As the title states, The Ultimate Culinary Collection contains one hundred recipes collected by the author, Stuart Hopkins, from one hundred executive chefs around the world. From the Ritz-Carlton to Shangri-La, contributions have been made from some of the finest hotels and restaurants in modern times, some even being the chefs’ signature dishes. There is also a bonus recipe from Jaden Mascernhas, a sixteen-year-old student chef mentored, when he was only fourteen, by Chef James Knight-Pacheco of Six Senses Resort in Oman. These recipes are split into five categories: fish and seafood, meat (i.e. beef, lamb, etc.), poultry and game, vegetarian, and desserts. Each recipe includes a mouth-watering picture of the final product, a short bio for the chef, and information about the restaurant or hotel where they work.

Image retrieved from Amazon

As spectacular as the origins of these recipes are, they are not the most noteworthy aspect of this cookbook. Rather, that honor belongs to where the proceeds from this book are going: toward getting underprivileged babies in the Philippines vaccinated for rotavirus. The author plans to continue raising funds for this cause through creating The Ultimate Culinary Collection II and hotel/brand-specific cookbooks.

I must start by saying I am not a cook by any stretch of the imagination. The best I can do is boxed pasta (seriously, boiling water and stirring are the limits of my cooking expertise; I don’t even like to use the toaster most of the time). However, I can still appreciate good food, and all of these recipes look delicious. Even the fish and seafood, which I am usually not a fan of outside of shrimp and fish sticks, seem incredible. Of course, I think that once I decide to try these recipes myself, I will probably stick with either the beef, poultry, vegetarian, or dessert dishes. No reason to taint my opinion of the recipes unnecessarily because I don’t like that kind of dish anyway.

That being said, it should be noted that these recipes are most likely not for a novice cook or, probably, for those on a tight budget. After all, these recipes come from one hundred of the best chefs at one hundred of the finest hotels and restaurants in the world. Such sources are not exactly known for being cheap or easy to imitate; that’s why they are the best. Still, that does not stop any reader from trying these recipes out for themselves. As Chef Gusteau says in the Disney film Ratatouille (which, by the way, is part of one of the dishes in this book), “Anyone can cook.”

This brings me to one small issue I have with The Ultimate Culinary Collection. After reading it, I honestly have no clue where I would begin to find these ingredients or how much they would cost. In an attempt to become a more self-sufficient cook, I have looked through cookbooks in the past and know that such information is not typically provided. However, this cookbook is advertised as one containing recipes from one hundred executive chefs from one hundred of the finest restaurants in the world. For this reason, one might expect it to be hard to get a hold of some of these ingredients or at least fairly expensive. In some places, it could be nearly impossible to find many of them, my own hometown included. Having an idea of where to get the ingredients and the kind of prices to expect would help readers a lot.

Regardless, for what it is, this cookbook is extraordinary. It is well written and easy to follow, the information—both for the recipes and the chefs’ bios—is thorough and comprehensive, and the recipes are ones that you are unlikely to find anywhere else short of culinary school. While The Ultimate Culinary Collection is not a beginner’s cookbook, it is definitely a great way to put your cooking skills to the test and impress even the pickiest of dinner guests, including yourself.

If you would like to buy The Ultimate Culinary Collection by Stuart Hopkins and help raise money for vaccinations in the Philippines, you can snag an eBook copy on the official fundraising page for $10. You can also keep tabs on this project’s progress on both Instagram and Facebook.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Friday Fun-Day Writing Prompt: Critique a Classic

Happy Friday (almost Saturday), everyone! The countdown to my dissertation due date has begun; only twelve more days to work on my creative writing portfolio and hope that all my hard work from the past three years won’t go to waste. Of course, that’s not all that I’ve been up to. With Fiverr’s addition of a beta reading category for gigs, I have gotten a drastic influx in orders the past few weeks, so I’ve been keeping busy reading and critiquing other aspiring writers’ work. It might sound tedious, but performing such a critique can actually be invigorating. I get to read potential new works, give my feedback on them, and become a better writer in the process. That brings me to today’s Friday Fun-Day writing prompt: critiquing a classic.

Now, you’re probably thinking, “How can critiquing someone else’s work in progress help you become a better writer?” It’s simple, really. By reading and providing a critique for someone else’s work, you practice identifying what works and what doesn’t work for you as a reader. You also learn better how to identify grammatical and spelling errors, plot holes, inconsistencies, etc. Of course, critiquing someone else’s work isn’t quite like critiquing your own, but the more you do it for other writers, the better you’ll be able to apply it to your writing.

For this reason, today’s writing prompt does not actually involve writing–creative writing, anyway. Instead, you will pick a classic piece of literature–preferably one you’ve enjoyed in the past–and go through and critique it as though you are that writer’s beta reader. For example, let’s assume that you chose to critique “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe. You would read through the story with a pen and a notebook, making notes as you go. If you have a copy of it on which you can write, you would leave line-by-line notes as well, commentary in the margins discussing what is working, what isn’t, and what doesn’t make sense. After reading the story, you would then go and write at least one page of feedback to Poe as though you are speaking directly to him, letting him know in which ways the story is doing well and how it can be improved.

Image retrieved from artFido

I know that this sounds quite similar to writing a paper for an English class. In fact, it is very much like that but with several differences. It’s not graded, you’re not restricted to some rubric, and you don’t even need to make profound insights. The whole purpose of this exercise is to fine-tune your critiquing skills, not to craft a well-written essay. Don’t feel the need to be deep or perfect. Whatever strikes you, either positively or negatively, comment on it. This is all to train your eye to find the strengths and weaknesses in other people’s works so that you might be able to find them in your own.

The ideal approach to this prompt would be to critique a work which you wish to emulate, i.e. the same genre, target audience, and/or writing style as you wish to work with. For example, if you’re writing poetry, choose a poem to critique. If you’re an essayist, choose an essay. For time’s sake, you will probably want to choose something shorter. So, if you’re a fiction writer, you should probably read and critique either a short story or a few chapters from a novel rather than a novella or novel in its entirety.

Now, it’s very possible that you are working in a genre which is never considered among the “classics”. Speculative fiction, for instance, is not often grouped into “classics” despite the fact that there are highly popular and critically-acclaimed writing in that genre. If you are working in genres not usually considered classics–science fiction, fantasy, romance fiction, etc.–then ignore the “classics” part of this exercise. Instead, critique a work which is popular or held in high esteem in that genre. In science fiction, that might be stories and books by the likes of H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Anne McCaffrey; in horror and Gothic horror, that would be H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, and Stephen King; for children’s fantasy, Lewis Carroll, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, and Rick Riordan would be prime examples. The point is to critique what is considered the best of the best in the area of writing in which you want to work. If you can identify the strengths and weaknesses in those–especially if they are works that you like to read–then you will have a much easier time at critiquing your own writing.

Don’t just do this exercise once and be done with it. There’s really no point in that. Instead, repeat it as often as you can. This would even make a great excuse to break from writing or editing your WIP long enough to keep you from going insane. That’s why I suggested a shorter work; it will be easier and quicker to get through, and so you’ll be able to do it during your breaks from writing and everyday life. Who knows? You might just find yourself reinvigorated and anxious to get back to your WIP by the time you’re finished.

What has been your experience with beta reading and critiquing other writers’ works? Has it helped you identify issues with your manuscript? Share your stories in the comments below!


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Writing and Productive Procrastination

Procrastination: it’s a writer’s worst enemy. Any worker’s worst enemy, actually. We put things off and continue to put them off until we realize that the deadline is looming or our project’s been in the back of a drawer for years. Creative types in particular fall victim to this trap. After all, we can’t force inspiration, can we? At least, not all the time. However, procrastination doesn’t always hinder our progress. In fact, it can be helpful. I’m talking about productive procrastination.

Productive procrastination is rather self-explanatory. Essentially, there are two ways to procrastinate: counterproductive procrastination and productive procrastination. Counterproductive procrastination is the negative form of procrastination which we normally imagine when we hear the term: browsing social media, binge-watching Game of Thrones, playing games on your phone, etc. It’s when you truly do not get anything done; you just do anything possible to put off whatever you’re avoiding.

Productive procrastination, on the other hand, involves doing things which may not appear productive but still help you get something done. So, rather than browsing social media, you’re answering work e-mails; instead of binge-watching Game of Thrones, you’re finally cleaning out the fridge; and in place of playing games on your phone, you’re calling the optometrist to make an appointment to get the new glasses you’ve needed for months. It’s possible that none of these activities are directly related to the task at hand. However, one set of activities involves getting something done that needs to be done eventually, and the other does not.

Don’t get me wrong, counterproductive procrastination can be as necessary as productive procrastination. Sometimes we really need to just kick back, relax, and recharge. At least in modern American culture, we encourage working until you drop, and that puts such a strain on you physically, mentally, and emotionally that there is no way to keep up that pace forever. If you don’t take a break once in a while, you’ll burn yourself down to a pile of ashes, forced to start over like a Phoenix reborn from the dying flames. Trust me, I’ve been there far too many times.

Regardless, if counterproductive procrastination were the only kind of procrastination we utilized, nothing would ever get done. This is especially true for creative types. We have a tendency to run into blocks–there’s a reason “writer’s block” is such a common term–and we must take frequent breaks to reboot our creativity. However, due to these breaks being so frequent, they cannot always be counterproductive. It would truly be a waste of time. But how can we turn this time into productive procrastination?


Image retrieved from The Chive

Consider this post I’m writing. It’s actually my way of procrastinating. I have several deadlines for freelance projects coming up, and my creative writing master’s dissertation is due May 22nd. Lately, I’ve been blessed with a steady stream of work which I hope will stay that way. However, that also means I have pushed my mind and my eyes to the point of exhaustion. I have also been working my butt off trying to complete and edit my dissertation. Unfortunately, I am so anxious and stressed about everything that I have severe writer’s block. Rather than sitting around, playing games on my iPhone and retreating into myself as I so desperately want to do right now, I have decided to redirect this nervous energy into writing some posts I’ve had lined up but never completed.

For me, this procrastination is productive. More blog posts gets me more exposure, and more exposure gets me more freelance writing, editing, and beta reading gigs. On top of that, I get to support other struggling writers with my knowledge and experience. While this doesn’t necessarily advance my career or education, it lifts me emotionally to think that maybe I’m helping someone somewhere going through a similar situation, and that’s productive in helping me keep my sanity.

So, how can procrastination help writers be productive with their projects? That depends on the writer and the project. Still, there are some ways to procrastinate which typically help all writers:

  1. Reading – One common piece of advice for writers looking to improve their writing is to read. Why not use your procrastination time to do just that? Preferably, read something which is related to the content, writing style, or genre of the project you’re taking a break from. This will help inspire you and strengthen your writing as you see what works for you and what doesn’t.
  2. Research – This is one of my personal favorites, although I know it’s not always well-received. Research related to your project can help spark the imagination and get the creative juices flowing again. Rather than making yourself focus on one topic, as is usually advisable when completing “on the clock” research, let yourself go down the research rabbit hole. Start with something you know is related to your work and then follow whatever catches your eye. You might end up hopelessly off-topic, or you might just find a piece of your project that you didn’t even know was missing–or both.
  3. Doodling – Believe it or not, absentmindedly doodling can really help with your writing. However, you cannot approach it with the set intention of drawing a particular image. Instead, put pen or pencil to paper and let your subconscious take over. Perhaps you’ll draw something related to your writing, although you’ll most likely not. You will, though, refuel your creativity. The lack of focus while still engaging your motor skills will allow your mind to wander, and soon you’ll find yourself daydreaming about your writing. Before you know it, you’ll be writing notes in the margins rather than doodling. It’s not a guaranteed result, but I can tell you that that is how I have gotten many story ideas and fixed many plot holes. Besides, you might just doodle something cool that you didn’t know you could draw.

There are countless ways to productively procrastinate, and I will be covering more of them in future posts. For now, though, leave this post with this in mind: procrastination is not a waste of time. If you need something unproductive to relax and recharge, it’s not a waste to goof off for a bit. If you have a never-ending list of to-do’s waiting for you, work on those to procrastinate. You just have to learn to assess your needs at that moment, and you can make your procrastination work for you and your writing.

How do you procrastinate? Are you productive, or do you need to procrastinate just to get a break from your chaotic life? Leave your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Book Reviews: Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre

It’s hard to imagine our parents when they were young adults. For all the stories they tell us and pictures they show, there always seems to be some disconnect between the person they were then and the person we came to know them as. When their past contradicts what we think of them, it can cause our whole world to come crashing down. But what if you learned something about your parents’ past which not only challenges your view of them but also your view of yourself and where your future is headed? Do you ignore it and continue life as though nothing ever happened? Or do you open Pandora’s Box and let loose whatever evils may be waiting? Such is the choice facing Leigh Stone, the main character of Michelle Dim-St. Pierre’s Bloody Coffee, the second book in The Pinnacle Series.

Following her eighteenth birthday, Leigh is given the chance to read her mother’s journal from her young adult years, and it contains a devastating realization: Steve Stone, the man who raised Leigh, is not her biological father. Her probable father, Ezra Sloan, is a married OB/GYN in Israel. Confused, hurt, and determined to set straight eighteen years of lies, Leigh sets out for Tel Aviv to track down her biological father. When Sloan has a massive heart attack right before her eyes, Leigh is thrown into a chaotic world she is not prepared for. Her problems, however, have only just begun. From trouble at home and conflicts with Sloan’s family to international drama tarnishing Israel’s image, the world seems determined to keep Leigh from the truth. Will Leigh learn to leave the past where it belongs? Or will the stubborn young woman triumph in her attempts to unravel her mother’s web of secrets? What consequences will be suffered as a result of both Leigh’s and her mother’s youthful choices?

Image retrieved from Amazon

This story weaves a complex tapestry of bad decisions, regret, layered emotions, and suspense. Dim-St. Pierre has managed to create a book which has relatable characters and a plot filled with unexpected twists. More impressively, the character development and plot are so intricately intertwined that it is clear that each turn of events is caused by a character’s decisions and reactions, whether it’s a direct correlation or a domino effect. After the first few chapters, this tie between plot and character development gives readers a feel for the rhythm of the story, allowing them to know when a twist is coming up without being too predictable. Dim St.-Pierre kept me on my toes, wondering what the consequences would be for a character’s actions, and she never fails to deliver those consequences in a timely manner.

Of course, just because the characters are relatable does not mean they are entirely likeable or justified in what they do. In fact, that’s part of what makes the characters’ influence over the plot so satisfying. Too many books forego real consequences in favor of slightly-unrealistic solutions to provide the characters with some form of happily-ever-after. Bloody Coffee, though, shows that every choice has its consequences and that not everything in life is going to end well or be straightforward in its results. Dim-St. Pierre depicts characters making bad decisions—usually as a result of personality flaws—and she does not let them off easily. Even the characters I empathize with, such as Leigh and her mother, are far from perfect. There were many times in the story when I found it hard to like any of the characters, and this made seeing them face the outcome of their choices all the sweeter. Even so, I wanted to see some sort of positive ending for Leigh and her loved ones and was on the edge of my seat with anticipation as I waited to see what would happen, a sign that Dim-St. Pierre has created characters which are truly human—relatable and sometimes likeable but definitely flawed.

This book is about so much more than family drama. It is about a young woman learning to work with the cards that life has dealt her. It follows Leigh as she discovers everything that adulthood has to offer: independence, first love, drama, prejudice, legal decisions, the gray area of morality, and how legally being an adult does not mean that you know everything you need to. It is also about cultural differences, religion, the effects of the “us vs. them” mentality, the distorted view of the media, and international relations. Much like William H. Coles does in McDowell, Dim-St. Pierre incorporates as many modern issues as can organically fit with her characters and story. Also like McDowell, Bloody Coffee is all the better for it.

While it is 309 pages long and the second book in a series, I found Bloody Coffee to be a very easy read. The writing is clean, simple, and compelling, making for a quick read despite the page count. The characters and plot are also engaging enough that I didn’t even realize how many pages I had read by the time I would take a break. I did worry about starting with the second book in this series, but those worries proved unnecessary. Dim-St. Pierre does not provide the readers with a flat-out summary of the events of the previous book, for which I am glad. Nevertheless, she does slip in details throughout the narrative which allow the reader to piece together what happened before. I did find this frustrating during the first few pages, but as I got further along, I was confident enough that I understood what was going on and actually enjoyed the challenge of piecing together the information myself, much as Leigh tries to do with her mother’s past.

Overall, Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre is incredibly compelling. With three-dimensional characters and twists right up to the very end, I had a hard time putting the book down. Dim St.-Pierre pulls readers right into the middle of this situation and setting, and even if you have never experienced one or the other—or both—for yourself, you will feel simultaneously enchanted and right at home. I couldn’t find anything that I disliked in this novel, and I am glad that I read it. I’ve learned a lot about Israel, specifically Tel Aviv, that I would not have known otherwise, and to learn it in such an entertaining manner from someone who has lived there is a bonus I didn’t expect when I started reading this. I cannot wait for the third book to come out so I can see what happens next on Leigh’s journey into adulthood.

You can buy Bloody Coffee by Michelle Dim-St. Pierre as an eBook or in print form on Amazon.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011