Author: Stephanie

Warning: The views and opinions expressed in The Golden Prayer by Edward Weiss do not necessarily reflect on the view, opinions, and beliefs of The Writer’s Scrap Bin or its writer. If you have any issues with the discussion of religion, proceed with caution.

Another day, another book review. The book I’m reviewing today is essentially the polar opposite of yesterday’s book, A Killer’s Reflection. Today’s book is The Golden Prayer by Edward Weiss, a book comprised of five non-fiction, religious essays about finding God.

In The Golden Prayer, Weiss argues that we are not separate from our creator—from his perspective, God—and that everything we experience in the physical world is predetermined. Therefore, he claims, in order to be truly free we must realize that we are one with God; we, as individuals, have no real importance and, as a result, do not need to carry the burdens which we pile on ourselves day after day. He says that God already provides that which is most important to us and that anything else is extra; we may not necessarily lose that “extra” stuff—money, family, love, etc.—when we admit and embrace the idea that we are part of God but they are unimportant in the face of the bigger picture.

How can we make the transition from focusing on material desires and our self-importance to loving God, you may ask? Weiss tells the reader to use prayer, but not just any prayer. He claims “There is only one prayer you will need to know and love G—d”, i.e. The Golden Prayer. The Golden Prayer reads, “Let Go, For I Am Here.” This letting go, to Weiss, is key to the freedom of finding God. The “ignorant” or “unlearned”, as he calls people who have not accepted this belief yet, fight against letting go because they desire to continue their happiness, a temporary satisfaction brought on by striving for our desires but, ultimately, does not satisfy or free us. Weiss’s book teaches why it is important to let go, to accept this belief as truth, in order to live a spiritual and blissful existence and begin your “real” life, the one in which you live in God for eternity.

I have established before that I am not religious. I have read and reviewed several religious books because I am open-minded, but none have aligned with my belief systems. Weiss’s has not, either. Still, it raises many questions which anyone with even a shred of a spiritual side should ask: are we, as individuals, really that important in the grand scheme of things? Do we truly have free will or is everything predetermined? Are we actually satisfied in living our short lives on Earth chasing one goal after another, most of them material and/or financial? You may come to different conclusions than Weiss—in fact, I’m betting that at least one of your conclusions will differ from his—but his book has articulated arguments which have been making the rounds to all circles of life for decades, maybe centuries.

The religious nature of the book aside, Weiss’s work is very well-written. I noticed minimal grammatical and spelling errors, so minimal that I can’t think of any off the top of my head. His sentences are also eloquent, structured nicely, and easy enough that more novice readers can understand without talking down to anyone. Nevertheless, I feel the argument is often repetitive. He states, again and again and typically in the same ways, how humans must learn to let go of the ignorant mindset, that we’re all part of the eternal sea, how we really aren’t that important and so shouldn’t force these responsibilities on ourselves, etc. The repetition, at times, lost my attention and could make it hard for me to push on enough to get to the next epiphany.

In particular, one image is recycled for two concepts which, in the end, confused me more than helped. In one breath, Weiss acts as though we should be more childlike because, as very young children, we only know that we exist, we feel that we are a part of this eternal perfection, and have not yet been polluted by the societal ideals regarding responsibility. In the next, he says that the bound (i.e. those focused on the desires of the physical world) are the children and the free (those who know the “truth”) are adults. I found it hard to reconcile those two meanings for the child/adult imagery and, while Weiss admits that much of this process is a paradox, I struggled with thinking that both kinds of people are both child and adult. That imagery coupled with the repetition made it hard for me to trudge through the book at points, but I had to so that I could digest Weiss’s argument about our purpose—or non-existent purpose, as he claims—and determinism.

This book is not for everyone. First of all, it’s entirely based in religion. If I did not have such a curious mind and a desire to see all angles of an argument, I probably would not have read it for that reason. Second, it’s comprised of five essays. I know that many readers are reluctant to dive into essays as they are often dry, impersonal, and remind people too much of school. Nevertheless, I think The Golden Prayer worth reading for those with intellectual/spiritual curiosity. There are parts that can be hard to get past but, once you do, you will find many thought-provoking gems that will get you thinking about the world in new ways. It may not change your worldview, but this book will get you thinking.

You can check out Weiss’s book on Amazon, both to buy as an e-book and through Kindle Unlimited, as well as in paperback.

Do you know of a book that you think I should read? Want your work reviewed on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or message me on Fiverr and we can get a conversation going.

Trigger Warning: The book reviewed in this post, A Killer’s Reflection by Cheryl Denise Bannerman, contains depictions of rape, drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, homophobia, violence, and foul language. If any of these subjects trigger you or you otherwise wish to avoid them, proceed with caution.

Happy Monday, everyone—or Tuesday, depending on where you are. I want to start the week with another book review, this time of an erotic thriller. (Yes, I have wandered back into the “erotic” genre!) This book, a brief but compelling psychological thrill ride, is A Killer’s Reflection by Cheryl Denise Bannerman.

A Killer’s Reflection follows Douglass Randall Coleman, Jr., as he grows from a straight-A student in the projects to a soldier in the U.S. military and, finally, a full-grown man with a job and kids. On the outside, he is charming, hardworking, and, well, perfect. At least, that’s what his mother would tell you. Yet everything is not what it seems. Douglass is a party boy with an addiction to alcohol, women, and drugs of all kinds. He also harbors a dangerous secret: the voices, the voices in his mind which won’t shut up, and an unyielding temper and need for control that push him into committing the most heinous acts imaginable.

Bannerman gives readers Douglass’s perspective for most of the novel but, especially during the second half, she also shows us glimpses into other key characters: Tara, a woman in Douglass’s sphere of influence (and danger); Dr. Reed, a female therapist Douglass has been talking with on the phone since his Honorable Discharge from the military; and Rhodes and Kreegan, homicide detectives hell-bent on making certain that Douglass gets what he deserves. But can they prove that this modern-day Casanova has done anything wrong? Or will Douglass Coleman, Jr., get away with murder again?

In 125 pages, Bannerman creates an intricate world of mystery, mayhem, and murder with only Douglass at its center. Unlike many thrillers, the mystery does not lie in who did it as much as why he does it and if he will be caught. Bannerman’s writing made me constantly wonder not if Douglass was going to snap but when. She drops subtle hints as to Douglass’s triggers and the trauma which made him that way, allowing readers to guess at what will happen without spoiling the plot.

Bannerman’s captivating storytelling is due in part to the fact that she thoroughly utilizes the resources available to her and lets the reader know about those resources. In the first chapter from Dr. Reed’s perspective, Bannerman begins by citing her sources for Dr. Reed’s diagnosis of Douglass. These citations give a level of credibility to her work that is often missing in other tales involving mental illness. Still, I feel that the citations would have been best placed at the end of the book rather than accompanying the chapter. The read would have been smoother for this chapter without the resources there, and they would have made more sense along with the childhood abuse statistics and resources.

I loved being shown the killer’s side of the story, the why’s and how’s and childhood issues which made him the man he is by the end of the novel. However, I felt that the structure left something to be desired. For the most part, we follow Douglass from start to end in chronological order. While Douglass’s childhood is key to understanding him, starting the book with his childhood makes the ending somewhat anticlimactic. Had his childhood and years in the military been interwoven into the narrative present—i.e. Douglass’s adulthood—I think the tension would have been that much stronger and the plot that much more compelling.

In addition to feeling anticlimactic, the final chapter feels rushed. The reveal of the big twist—which I will not discuss in detail here due to spoilers—happens rather quickly, as does the explanation behind the twist. More interactions among Douglass and the surprise characters would have made for a slower reveal and, therefore, a more satisfying ending. Douglass’s reaction to it all is also rather mild compared to the development of his temper to that point. In the face of betrayal, I expected him to have a complete mental breakdown, but his anger appears muted compared to his earlier reactions. When he knows he’s doomed, why would he hold back?

I also found many grammatical errors. For those most part, these did not detract from the reading experience. However, one repeating error became tiresome: the narration sometimes slipped from third person to first person. There are moments when this shift made sense, namely when entering Douglass’s thoughts. Yet not all of the shifts are during Douglass’s thoughts; sometimes it occurs for no reason, along with some instances of going from past tense to present tense and back again. These issues are only a matter of more thorough proofreading. If Bannerman releases a newer Kindle version that has been edited/proofread again, I would not hesitate to recommend this book.

Despite these critiques, I think A Killer’s Reflection is an exciting page-turner right for most thriller fans. There are depictions of violence and even more of sex, including rape, but so long as you are not sensitive to or triggered by graphic images, you will really enjoy this novel.

If you want to read Bannerman’s A Killer’s Reflection, you can find it as an e-book on Amazon. To learn more about Cheryl Denise Bannerman and her other works, check out her website at www.bannermanbooks.com.

Do you know of a book I should read? Want me to review your work on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or message me on Fiverr.

Happy Saturday! I’m sure my American readers are still decompressing from Thanksgiving and, considering I’m sick and not up to doing much, I decided I will start this weekend with a book review for The Art of Winning by Matshona Dhliwayo.

The Art of Winning is a quick compilation (approximately 113 pages) of 100 inspirational quotes and mantras by Dhliwayo. These quotes are framed by Dhliwayo’s “Winner’s Manifesto” 1 and 2. The work has been highly praised by a wide range of successful individuals, from Olympic gold medalist Adam Kreek and multi-Grammy nominated producer/engineer/songwriter Mitch Goldfarb to former Hearst Newspapers CEO Bob Danzig and New York Times bestselling author Shawn Achor. After reading the book, I can see why.

From a form perspective, this book is simple but effective. Each quote/mantra reads like one or two short, free verse poetry stanzas. Many utilize repetition so that each line builds on the one proceeding it, both in rhythm and in message. This poetic presentation coupled with the short page count make for a quick read, although you’ll want to slow down to fully consume the messages of these quotes.

I found that the wisdom in this book is nothing new but it’s also something that people usually don’t keep in mind, especially during hard times. I know that many of these positive thoughts escape me when I encounter stress and obstacles (often replaced by very bad words). He doesn’t necessarily say “do this and this and you’ll succeed” and he doesn’t guarantee that anything will change overnight. Instead, his wisdom is like that provided by philosophers and gurus, building blocks for making your own life more positive and successful. It may take a while of consistently following his advice but it will yield results so long as you keep at it.

One of my favorite “rules,” as Dhliwayo calls them, reads:

Let go of negative thoughts.

Let go of negative memories.

Let go of negative desires.

Let go of negative people.

 

Regret poisons your thoughts.

Doubt poisons your dreams.

Fear poisons your hopes.

Insincerity poisons your deeds.

–Matshona Dhliwayo, The Art of Winning, “Rule 40”

As you can see, this isn’t anything new or groundbreaking; in fact, many people would argue that it’s common sense. That, however, is the genius of Dhliwayo’s rules. They’re simple and easy to understand but are also things that we tend to forget about, such as how negativity poisons our lives and how our souls are more important than our material possessions.

For all this praise, I have a couple issues with this book. The first is more a matter of conflicting world views than the quality of the book itself. I have said repeatedly that I’m spiritual but don’t belong to any particular religion and that I’m specifically not Christian. This book makes many references to God, Jesus, and the Bible. If you’re offended by such content, you might want to avoid Dhliwayo’s work. However, the advice transcends religion. Everyone can get something from this advice and, frankly, you can choose to ignore the few Christian references or reinterpret them within your own belief system and still gain some spiritual and life direction from it.

My second issue does affect the quality of the book, at least in my opinion. While there is a “Winner’s Manifesto” at the beginning and end and Dhliwayo provides a list of praise for the work on the first few pages, I felt that the book lacked a well-defined purpose. The rules are tied together by the kind of advice they give as well as the “Winner’s Manifesto” framing device. Still, I’m not sure what Dhliwayo wants readers to get from this book. Is this just advice that you should refer to when you’re feeling stressed and hopeless? Is it a 100-day plan for improving your attitude and your life in which you read a new rule each day? Is it for getting your life back on track, keeping it on track, or both? A quick introduction explaining who Dhliwayo is, why this advice is important, and how to use it would be very helpful in guiding the reader’s experience and ensuring that he/she gets the most out of this advice.

All in all, The Art of Winning is a great book to keep at your bedside. You can use it to start your day on a positive note, recharge you when you’re too drained to continue, or fuel your brain when you’re in need of philosophical contemplation. As of right now, I can only find it on Amazon in paperback format for $9.99. However, it’s worth a read, especially for those of us who find it hard to stay positive (guilty!).

You can also learn more about Matshona Dhliwayo and his other works through his Amazon author page.

Know of any works I should read? Want me to review your book on this blog? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com or message me on Fiverr and we can arrange something. You can also reach me on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Tumblr.

Good evening, my valued readers. Tonight I’m taking some time out of my increasingly-busy schedule to let you know about the release of the next story in the Honeycomb series. This novelette, only 51 pages long, is called Honeycomb: Lethal Cargo by Wren Cavanagh.

Spoiler Alert: The following recap briefly refers to events in Honeycomb: Revelations, so proceed with caution if you have not read that novelette yet.

Honeycomb: Lethal Cargo picks up right where Honeycomb: Revelations left off. After a monstrous encounter at the debtor colony on the planet Honeycomb, the Triton has finally left that God-forsaken planet with its cargo, its crew, and a slew of ex-convicts who have repaid their debts and are eager to go home. Unfortunately, it also harbors a rather dangerous stowaway, one which even the diligent crew cannot see in its current hiding place.

Honeycomb: Lethal Cargo follows the Triton as its crew and passengers attempt to outsmart this deadly menace. What tragedies will befall the cargo ship Triton? Who will survive? Is it even possible to survive a foe that can be anywhere–or anyone?

As with Revelations, Lethal Cargo takes readers on an imaginative journey of suspense and mystery. Cavanagh and Notch Publishing House have provided another fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat piece, and I think that fans of classic science fiction will be pleased. As it is only 51 pages, it’s a quick read and I don’t think you’ll want to put it down until you’ve read the entire thing from start to end.

An extra bonus is that Amazon sells the Kindle editions for Lethal Cargo and Revelations together for $2.98. If you already have the first novelette and only want to get the second, you can buy the second novelette by itself on Amazon through this link.

I’ll try and have a combined review of Revelations and Lethal Cargo in the near future. Unfortunately, as you can tell from my previous post, my schedule is packed and I can’t guarantee when it will be up. Until then, give the Honeycomb series a read for yourself and leave your thoughts in the comments section below. I’m sure that Wren Cavanagh would love to hear them.

Do you know of any small-press/indie books that are coming out? Want to help extend their reach? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and we can discuss featuring the release in a future post.