Category: Book Reviews

I haven’t reviewed a graphic novel in quite a while, so I figure it’s time that I dabble in that genre/art form again. The one I picked up recently is a YA, fantasy/superhero sort of story with a combination of prose and illustrations which gets an immediate hold on the reader and will not let go. With robots, selkies, and enchanting music, there’s a little bit of everything for all the speculative fiction fans out there. For this review, I will be discussing Skooter Girl, written by Darielle Mac and illustrated by Dell Barras.

Amber is a beautiful, confident, and talented young woman living on the Tir Na Nor (the magic Isle) with her father, a prophetic music instructor and prominent member of their village. Her birthday has come and she is finally turning sixteen; as is the tradition in her village, she is now, technically, an adult. Little does Amber understand, reaching adulthood comes with adult responsibilities. So when Amber learns that her father’s plans for her are different from what her heart is telling her is right, she must make the most difficult decision of her life so far: stay with her father and follow through with his plans, or go out into the world and discover what she wants out of life.

Will Amber make the right choice? What adventures await her as she enters womanhood? And what is the mysterious disease infecting the wine grapes of the nearby land of Colorfulnation?

Darielle Mac has created a magical world with elements of the futuristic and the mythical. I’m just dying to learn more about it, and not just the magic or how it works; I want to know more about the socio-political structure, the geography, and the history. I especially want to see more about the selkies. I love the original selkie legend—The Secret of Roan Inish is one of my all-time favorite movies—and I wonder what Mac will do with this increasingly-popular topic. All that might be a little overwhelming for the targeted audience, but when stretched over a series of graphic novels, I’m sure that we’ll learn much more about all these areas by the final book.

Dell Barras’s illustrations also pair perfectly with Mac’s world. They are beautifully vivid and eye-catching, incredibly high quality. I got a very good idea of the flora, fauna, and other natural wonders of Mac’s world, and Barras brings the characters to life. I found the scenes at sea to be especially well-illustrated; the shading and realistic depictions of the ocean and its creatures are astounding.

Each of Mac’s characters is unique and well-developed: Finn, the overprotective but loving father; Carin, the friend who always has Amber’s back; Bran, the love-struck and perhaps delusional son of the banker; and Pete, the goofy but well-meaning robot are just a sample of the wide range of people you will meet in Skooter Girl. They are all a little too cheery for me at times, but I can understand Mac wanting to start this series on a more positive note in order to encourage readers to continue with the rest of the series.

Amber is, in my opinion, a great role model for YA readers. She’s spunky, confident, and take-charge as well as the best friend anyone could ever want. She grabs the future by the horns, and not because of some guy like certain princesses we know (I’m looking at you, Ariel). Instead, Amber is determined to do what is right for her as a well-rounded, successful, and happy person. She shows YA readers, especially young women, that you can’t just wait for someone to hand you a destiny; you must go find it.

While Amber is an excellent character and I’m sure she will make a great hero for this series, my favorite character is Uncle Luc. He’s the cool uncle who will let you do what you want so long as you don’t hurt anyone and it’s in your best interest. It also doesn’t hurt that he reminds me a lot of Belle’s father from the Disney cartoon Beauty and the Beast. He’s inventive, funny, a little eccentric, and over-the-top when it comes to his gifts—just what anyone would be looking for in a long-lost relative. I am looking forward to seeing how he might help, or hinder, Amber’s adventures.

Skooter Girl is an excellent introduction to Amber and her world, especially for teenaged and young adult readers. That being said, I have a minor complaint about the book. The first is where it ends. I know it’s part of a series, but I was so wrapped up in the plot that when it suddenly stopped, I was disappointed. It seemed as though the story had just picked up and then cut off during what could have been a build-up to the climax. Still, I feel as though I can forgive Mac this flaw because I know it’s “to be continued.” I just want it to continue immediately! I love that Mac throws us right into the world without too many explanations to slow down the narration, but the abrupt ending almost killed me because I was so absorbed in it.

Overall, I highly recommend Skooter Girl by Darielle Mac. It’s great not just for YA readers or graphic novel enthusiasts; fans of fantasy and science fiction, along with a little mystery, will find this book right up their alley. It’s a story about magic and technology, love and corruption, and, most of all, discovering oneself outside of how others define us. You won’t be able to put it down until you’re finished, and the end will leave you anxious for more.

You can buy Skooter Girl as an e-book and in print on Amazon. As with most illustrated stories, I suggest buying a print copy in order to best experience the wonderful images.

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

 

I have another book to show you, also by one of the authors of Sunshine’s Excellent Adventures. For this review, I’m shifting gears from a children’s book to a short collection of family/home-based tales and poems reminiscent of Driving Grandpa by John Redstand. This collection is called Lakewood: Reggie and Anita’s Camelot by Reggie Hill.

We all have that one special place which makes us feel absolutely at peace, the happiest we could ever be. For Reggie and his wife Anita, that place is their lake house, appropriately dubbed Lakewood. Built by Reggie’s grandfather during World War II, Lakewood is Heaven on Earth for this couple. Whether it’s turning a childhood hideaway into a guest house or the joy of spotting two river otters playing the water, Reggie and Anita make the best of every simple pleasure their lakeside home can offer them.

In less than forty pages, Reggie Hill gives readers a slice of this Camelot through several stories and poems, each only a few pages long. As with Hill’s Sunshine’s Excellent Adventures and even Redstand’s Driving Grandpa, there is no single, complete plot to tie together the stories and poems in this collection. Rather, they are connected Lakewood, Reggie and Anita, and a feeling of love and nostalgia which only shines through a narrative when the writer truly loves what he/she is writing about.

I must say that there is a surprising amount of character development spanning these stories and poems, particularly for Reggie. Readers get a clear view not only of Reggie’s family history in relation to Lakewood but also Reggie’s personality. While he is ready and willing to shoot vermin which work to ruin his nirvana, Reggie also has a big heart, as made evident by the fact that he didn’t want to shoot the otters eating their expensive fish. He would have if needed, but fortunately for him—and for me as an animal-loving reader—he didn’t have to.

Of course, Reggie isn’t even my favorite character/person in this collection. No, that title goes to Reggie’s grandmother, Granny Good. A plump, spunky, and adventures elderly woman from a bygone era, she’s the sort of grandmother that every child wishes they had. The joy with which Granny good helps Reggie to launch his homemade missiles warmed my heart and made me laugh; after all, joy is contagious. It’s unfortunate that only one of these stories–albeit probably the longest one–involves Granny Good. I think Hill could have written an entire book about his time with Granny Good alone. Perhaps, one day, he will.

I wish that we could have seen a little more of Anita. It’s probably best that Hill focuses on the location instead as it avoided the stereotypical “growing old together” trope. Still, it would have been nice to see more of Anita as Lakewood means so much to her as well.

While any reader would get some joy out of reading sweet stories about a lakeside home, I think that readers who grew up in small towns and around lakes will have a greater appreciation for Lakewood. The descriptions reminded me a great deal of a lake that my dad and I went to when I was younger. It does not have the same kinds of animals as Hill’s Lakewood, but it is also man-made and both fill me with this “back-in-the-day” feeling. I longed to have the panoramic views of my lake as Reggie had of his and to be able to see nature scurry about as he does. (And I’m not even an outdoorsy person!) My lake is not my Camelot, but Hill helps me to feel that Lakewood truly is Reggie and Anita’s Camelot, and I think that those readers with similar experiences with lakes and less-populated areas will sense this truth more prominently.

In addition to these very short stories, Lakewood also includes some very descriptive and awe-inspiring poetry. Just like the stories, each poem is light-hearted and, sometimes, flat out funny. My favorite in particular has to be “Sunshine Sugarbunny Hill”. This poem illustrates the daily life of one of the resident rabbits of Lakewood in a way which makes the rabbit seem majestic and heroic but also quite the scoundrel.

This verse from “Sunshine Sugarbunny Hill” has especially stuck with me:

He is a thing of beauty but a constant challenge

Behind his golden eyes is a view,

Of an ancient and dangerous world

His fur is like cuddly golden down,

But a timeless beast rests deep in his tiny heart

These lines, to me, capture the tone of the overall collection best. Lakewood is beautiful but changing, a remnant of another time; it is a peaceful sanctuary but, at the same time, it has its own beasts within (just ask the muskrats).

Lakewood: Reggie and Anita’s Camelot by Reggie Hill is not an action-filled collection. The plots for the short stories are simple and, admittedly, sometimes not even true “plots.” Nevertheless, this book is a wonderful memoir of funny tales, beloved memories, and priceless photographs. If you’re looking for stories and poems which will leave you with that warm, fuzzy feeling, as though you’ve finally come home for the first time in years, you’ll want to take a look at Hill’s Lakewood. And at only forty pages, it’s the perfect snack-sized read for boring waiting rooms and tiresome bus rides!

You can buy Lakewood: Reggie and Anita’s Camelot by Reggie Hill as an e-book or in print on Amazon. As with Sunshine’s Excellent Adventures, you’ll want to view the Kindle version on a larger screen for the best reading experience; don’t want to miss out on those beautiful photographs.

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

 

Good day, beloved readers! I have another book to bring you, one which is probably best suited to cat lovers, children, and the young at heart. In this post, I will be reviewing Sunshine’s Excellent Adventures by Reggie and Anita Hill.

Sunshine is a sweet, adorable kitten with an uncanny ability to make friends. His secret, you ask? “The best way to make friends was to treat them exactly the way he wanted to be treated.” This philosophy serves Sunshine well as he transitions from living under a big pier with his mother, brothers, and sisters to a new, permanent home with the humans Anita and Reggie. This new home turns out to just be the beginning of the happiest time of his life, his happiest adventures.

In thirteen short pages, Sunshine’s Excellent Adventures follows Sunshine on his adventures, from his firsts—first home, first trick, first vet visit—to everyday adventures such as making friends with Speedy the Squirrel and his daily chore of making Reggie and Anita laugh. Each adventure serves as its own story, very short stories with minimalist plots, but stories nonetheless. All that connects these stories to each are Sunshine and his journey as someone’s beloved pet, but that’s enough to string the adventures together.

With simple writing and vibrant illustrations, Reggie and Anita Hill create a fun and adorable account of this kitten’s life. Sunshine is a very likeable character; he’s outgoing, kind, and loving, a cat that young and old readers alike will feel a connection to. Reggie and Anita only explore the other characters very briefly, including the fictionalized versions of themselves. They take the time to portray Sunshine’s mother, Momma Motley, as tender and caring in order to give a good picture of Sunshine’s first home, but they show very little else about her. Normally, this lack of characterization for the supporting characters would bother me. However, as this book seems to be for children, it doesn’t really detract from the quality.

Perhaps most impressive about this book is how consistently positive it stays. Sunshine starts as a stray with a mother who worries about being able to feed all her babies. However, even this scenario is portrayed in a positive light as Sunshine makes friends with all the creatures he encounters while wandering around the pier. I suppose that older readers will find a lack of emotional satisfaction in this storytelling style because it somewhat softens the miracle of Sunshine being adopted. Still, younger readers, particularly young children, will find this positivity much more palatable and will be happy to see how happy Sunshine always is.

I would not call this book an “intellectual” read or even a moral one. Still, as is typical with a children’s book, life lessons are woven into the commonplace moments which make up Sunshine’s adventures: make friends by being nice, there’s nothing to fear from a doctor’s visit, it’s better to be your quirky self than to fit a mold, etc. These lessons are too on-the-nose for adult readers, but they are perfect for children who need a little push to go on their own “adventures.”

Overall, Reggie and Anita have written a cute book which will make any reader laugh and go “aww.” If you love cats and happy stories and/or want a light to share with your children, you’ll definitely want to snag a copy of Sunshine’s Excellent Adventures. A word to the wise: either buy the print version or read the Kindle version on a tablet rather than a smartphone. The illustrations will look much better on paper or, at least, on a larger screen.

You can buy Sunshine’s Excellent Adventures by Reggie and Anita Hill as an e-book or in print on Amazon.

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

 

Seven weeks back, I told you about a Kickstarter campaign for a children’s book called The Present is a Gift by Elchanan Ogorek. With the help of many generous donators, Ogorek has been able to make that book a reality. It is available for sale on Amazon, and I have the pleasure of reviewing it here on The Writer’s Scrap Bin.

In its short 24 pages, The Present is a Gift follows a teacher taking their students on a brief journey to visit and learn from nature. Readers encounter a sloth, a wolf, a squirrel, a turtle, a seal, a frog, a bear, and a cat through colorful illustrations and tidbits about each animal. The animals teach readers different aspects of mindfulness as well as eight yoga poses. By the time the teacher returns their students to the classroom, the students have a firm list of mindfulness principles to help guide them through the most relaxed and most stressful times. Children will love the colorful images, and their parents will love the chance to teach their children about living in the present.

While there is no proper story arc, this book is still very engaging. Ogorek has chosen just the right animals to highlight each principle and pose, from the gentle turtle to the powerful bear. My personal favorite is the wolf. Not only is the wolf my favorite animal, but the wisdom which accompanies it in this book resonates with me personally:

 

Wolf shares its gratitude for practice.

Wolves howl to communicate to other wolves.

I am proud of myself and share that with others.

 

I already know a lot about wolves and how they communicate; for me, it’s the mindfulness snippet which has won my heart. “I am proud of myself and share that with others.” I have a problem with being proud of myself and letting others see it. I’m just naturally too humble to show off—or I’ve been conditioned by society to think that it’s egotistical to show any pride, I don’t know. Either way, I become embarrassed and a little ashamed when I let myself feel good about my accomplishments and show others that I’m proud of them. For that reason, I think it’s very important that Ogorek has chosen to include this principle in this book, as well as associating it with the majestic wolf. We don’t want our children to be narcissistic or egotistical, but pride in themselves will nurture their self-confidence and grow them into happier adults.

I also find the wolf to be the best of all the illustrations. All of the illustrations are beautifully done and color—the frog in particular is incredibly vibrant—but the smooth curves and accurate shading in the wolf illustration makes it stand out from all the others.

Ogorek has also included a depiction of the yoga poses in the beginning and end of the book, along with a handy summary of the mindfulness principles the animals have taught the reader. These are especially useful when dealing with young readers as they’ll need to revisit these lessons often in order for them to stick. The chalkboard writing of the recap is also fairly clever on Ogorek’s part; it fits with the frame narrative of the story and utilizes an image which children are used to seeing and learning from almost every day.

Of course, it’s not just children that can benefit from this book. Adults can, too. Adults can be very uptight and stressed, focused more on money and gain than what’s around them. They are stuck on regrets from the past and concern for the future, never really stopping to engage with the present. A children’s picture book can’t get them to change their habits entirely. However, reading it with their children (or their nieces/nephews, grandchildren, kid next door they sometimes babysit, etc.) will allow the lessons to seep in subconsciously. Who knows, adults might even engage in the yoga poses, if for no other reason than to help their children do them.

The Present is a Gift by Elchanan Ogorek is a cute picture book that will help children become more balanced adults. While I think adults can benefit from it as well, this book is best suited for very young children, around preschool, kindergarten, or first grade. The colorful illustrations will keep their attention, and they’ll learn about animals and mindfulness along the way. Obviously, this book isn’t the end-all answer to how we can make our society less stressed. However, it is a helpful tool for getting children on the path to mindfulness.

You can buy The Present is a Gift by Elchanan Ogorek as an eBook or in print on Amazon. I highly recommend ordering a print copy; the illustrations look better on paper than a screen.

Also remember to visit the book’s Facebook page for more information about The Present is a Gift and its author.

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

 

Happy Monday, readers! Sorry for the radio silence this weekend; real life catches up to us all eventually, and my Master program’s writing forum started last week. A lot of reading, a lot of writing. This week—today in particular—marks the one-year anniversary of The Writer’s Scrap Bin, and I have a couple things to show my loyal readers. First, let’s start this busy week with another review. This time, the book is a collection of eight short stories set in Mumbai during the 90s and early 2000s. The subject of this review is Mumbai Matinee by Ajay Kaul.

Ajay—the protagonist and narrator of Mumbai Matinee—has fallen in love, but not with a woman. He has fallen in love with the city of Mumbai. A great contrast from his home city of Dehli, Mumbai is not just a city of hustle-and-bustle; it’s a city of gossip, drama, compassion, and community. Mumbai Matinee follows Ajay’s journey to creating his own home and identity within this captivating community, from interfaith love and nosy paanwalas to tragic death and terrorist attacks. Readers will find themselves devouring page after page, if only to learn what sort of excitement our seemingly-mundane protagonist will encounter next.

I found this book to be compelling and entertaining. Kaul’s simplistic writing style is as impactful as Hemingway’s—just detailed enough to give readers a clear picture of the setting, but plain enough that an element of intrigue is left and most readers can follow along. Kaul also maintains a light-hearted tone even in times of tragedy, which made the sadder parts of the stories simultaneously more palatable and more heart-breaking. This effect sounds contradictory, but the simplistic prose combined with the light-hearted approach to the characters’ lives made any deaths and other troubles hit me that much more powerfully without the extreme drain of detailed death scenes or violence.

The collection is comprised of eight short stories: “The Capitalist”, “The Mole”, “Actress Extraordinaire”, “Fraternity, Liberty, and Equality”, “The Selfless Visionary”, “A Code of Ethics”, “The Lucky Batsman”, and “The Supercop”. Each one explores a different aspect of the protagonist’s life in Mumbai and depicts his evolution from newbie intern to integrated Mumbaikar. There is no plot thread connecting the stories, although elements from earlier stories find their way into later ones. Rather, Kaul strings these stories together through setting, themes, and, of course, Ajay as the main character. I can see these sections as individual stories, and yet I also feel that they work best together, not quite a novel and yet dependent on each other for the greatest impact.

My favorite story would have to be “Fraternity, Liberty, and Equality”, in which Ajay meets an interfaith couple struggling to stay together. Kaul captivated me with the idea of love transcending all boundaries, and I appreciated the insight into the prejudices which Muslims and Hindus hold against each other in India. It is a romance much more inspiring and justified than Romeo & Juliet and a great way to learn about the intricacies of another culture.

The whole book, in fact, has helped to strengthen my understanding of Indian culture. I am not afraid to admit that I know very little about India. All that I have learned has been gleamed from writers such as Jhumpa Lahiri. Kaul immerses the reader entirely in the culture of not just India in general but Mumbai specifically. I had to look up some terms and customs as a result of this immersion, but that’s to be expected—in fact, if I didn’t have to, I would seriously doubt the quality of Kaul’s writing. For readers familiar with India, you should feel right at home in these stories; for those who are not, you are sure to leave this book with a better understanding of this country and its people.

This collection, as with most writing, is not perfect. I noticed perhaps one minor proofreading error throughout the entire book, which is not unusual even for the best-known published works. That aside, I had issues with some of the transitions between scenes. In particular, the transition following Ajay and some coworkers going to Roha in “The Selfless Visionary” jarred me, made me feel as though I were missing something. This later proved to be on purpose, but I still think that’s the sloppiest moment in Kaul’s writing.

I also wish that we could have gotten to know some of the characters more. I can understand Kaul trying to mimic reality. In real life, we get close to people only to have them flutter out of our lives in an instant. It’s sad but true. However, I felt that that happened far too often for my taste in Mumbai Matinee. I suppose it’s a result of the “chapters” actually being short stories and the book being a collection rather than a novel. Still, some characters—Patil, Sawant, Rajat, Roohi, and Sahib, among others—were so unique and fascinating that I wanted to know more about them. It’s no wonder that Ajay took to them and decided to pry into their lives!

Overall, Mumbai Matinee by Ajay Kaul is a great book. For quite a few stories I forgot that these were short stories rather than novel chapters, they fit together so smoothly. Kaul’s humor really compelled me to continue reading, especially some of the “ah, geez!” moments when misunderstandings are corrected. The characters are not just unique; they’re individuals. They’re true human beings, and that is what makes the driving force of this collection—the exploration of humanity and community—work so well. If you don’t mind having to look up some cultural terms and references, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to discover a new city and its people.

You can buy Mumbai Matinee by Ajay Kaul as an eBook or in print on Amazon.

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

 

Happy Hump-day, everyone! Sorry for the relative radio silence the past few days. I’ve been busy and, frankly, too tired to write. (Have I ever mentioned that at least one night of a solid eight-hour sleep can be key to actually getting stuff done?) Regardless, I’m here today and I’m bringing you another book review, this time of a book in the same vein as The Beauty of the Fall by Rich Marcello. This novel is called Crossing Allenby Bridge by Michael Looft.

Harry Stone is your typical white-collar American banker. Smart, moderately well-off, divorced, and, at times, a bit insensitive, Harry is what you’d expect a real high-up employee for a bank to be like (rather than some entirely-villainized robber baron). Then everything changes when he loses his job, “early retirement” as his company ultimately labels it. Yet when one door closes, another door opens—a door which leads to journeys across Asia and the Middle East but also to an ethical and spiritual struggle within Harry, one which could leave him either rejuvenated or destroyed. With the help of his new-found friends, will Harry discover his true purpose in life? Or will the weight of the darkness in the world—and himself—pull him into the abyss?

I must admit, given that his main career is in finance, I began the book a little skeptical of Looft’s ability to create impactful fiction. I wasn’t certain if he’d be able to get me to connect with his characters or the concepts discussed in this book on a human level. What can I say? Everyone has their prejudices, and one of mine happens—or happened, now that I’ve read this novel—to be against those in the financial sector as being rather impersonal. However, Looft uses this fiction novel to investigate microfinance (which I hadn’t even heard of before) and ethical finance, an investigation which gave me a better opinion of some financial workers and hope for the future if more people take a journey similar to Harry’s.

The discussion of microfinance and ethical finance necessitates that this book be slightly political. While a little more liberal-leaning, don’t think that either liberals or conservatives can read this book 100% satisfied with the characters’ views. In fact, Looft does fairly well in maintaining a more moderate, balanced political stance by giving a variety of characters’ perspectives and Harry’s growth as a result of engaging with these perspectives. In a sea of blue and red, it’s nice to see other shades—grey included—represented in fiction. I certainly didn’t agree with every view presented in this novel, but that’s one of the things which make it great. This book got me thinking more (which, in hindsight, might not be a good thing for my own mental well-being) and caring for characters despite the fact that we would not meet eye-to-eye in real life.

The characters are by no means perfect. Harry, while good at heart, says some…politically-incorrect things and harbors inside him dark secrets that could tear anyone apart. Elena, while a beautiful, has a temper and trust issues I did not expect and which soured my view of her rather quickly. (The latter reaction is appropriate given the subject matter when this happened. Still, I can’t discuss it any further than that because of spoilers.) Mark can be too stoic sometimes, and Sarah too cheery. Regardless, I cared about all the characters and their well-being. I became wrapped up in their drama and their happiness, as well as the sadness they felt over the poverty they witnessed.

Looft manages a book which is both humorous and emotional. For the most part, Crossing Allenby Bridge affected emotionally almost as well as The Beauty of the Fall. There were some moments in the narrative when I feel that Looft slips up on showing Harry’s emotions to readers when it was necessary, especially compared to how well he does so in the rest of the novel. However, in general, Looft knows just how to pull at a person’s heartstrings while also being able to pull them out of the darkness with some light-hearted moments and humor.

Perhaps my favorite moment of humor comes with the chapter titled “And Nightmares”. The fact that Harry called a Tarot reading and a levitating chair a “séance” made me want to fall over laughing. And calling the psychic a witch? Come on! I could tell that Looft meant for Harry’s reactions to be funny while also implying the general path the book would take, and he succeeded. The Tarot reading stuck with me for the rest of the book, as it did to Harry, and I kept wondering how the cards were going to play out. After all, such readings usually come true in ways we would never expect—and I’m pretty sure Harry didn’t expect it to be as accurate as it turned out to be.

The exotic locations, of course, will be a huge draw for American readers. Just don’t expect the typical tourist’s view of any of these places. Yes, the Philippines section does contain some such depictions. Still, even these are tainted by first-world human interactions. The rest of the time, illustrations of poverty and the plight in “third-world countries” make up most of Harry’s experience. While not the ideal light in which to paint these areas, it felt more real than anything I’ve ever seen or read about them. Just like Harry did, I really connected with these poor people and felt like there must be something I could do to help them, that Harry could do.

The book does have its flaws. Regardless, most of the ones I encountered are more minor clashes with my personal perspective rather than any flaw in the narrative. One moment which stuck with me in particular because it made me a little mad was this exchange between Harry and Mark:

“What are you, some kind of socialist, Mark?” […]

“Of course not, I’m American.”

There was more between those lines, such as a patronizing smile from Harry to try and lighten the mood, but these lines stuck out to me. What, being a socialist or having socialist ideals make you not American? The whole thought was absurd to me. Still, the fact that Looft could evoke such a reaction in me proves the quality of his writing. I was so invested in the novel that it was as though I were there, really listening to these men having this conversation.

There were some minor technical errors, such as grammatically-incorrect formatting of some snippets of dialogue. Nevertheless, these errors were so minor that I don’t even remember exactly what they were, and so did not detract from my reading experience.

Overall, Crossing Allenby Bridge by Michael Looft is an engaging and thought-provoking read. Truthfully, as with The Beauty of the Fall, I could go on for pages with praise for its messages, themes, and character development. The plot is your typical “character traveling to find his true self” sort of narrative with some twists about a disturbed tastefully mixed in. However, the messages that this plot carries and the character development are what really hooked me. Looft was never short on surprises regarding Harry and his past, all of which shaped him into the person he was going into this novel. If you like character-driven novels and don’t mind some liberal-leaning messages, I highly recommend this book.

You can buy Crossing Allenby Bridge by Michael Looft in paper on Amazon. Also be sure to check out Looft’s website and Facebook page for more information on this work, the author, and his non-fiction books on ethical finance.

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

 

Happy Saturday, readers and writers! I’m here to bring you my review of Secret Agents by Jason Walker. While not the final novelette in the Down the Rabbit Hole series, Secret Agents will be the conclusion of my Friday night/Saturday morning review spree. As this story is the third in the series, it will contain spoilers for Into France and Escape and Evasion, so proceed with caution if you haven’t read the first novelettes yet.

Secret Agents picks up where Escape and Evasion left off, and things don’t appear to be going well for some of our heroes and heroines. Danielle has been captured and Nancy is on the run, completely unaware of the fate of her contact and her own husband. Fontaine and Nadeau have found refuge with Garrow and other members of the French resistance, but all is not quiet even on that front. The Nazis are up to something, something big, in a cave nearby, and it is up to Claude, Fontaine, and Nadeau to figure out what.

What will become of these brave men and women? Will they ever see peace again? Or will the Nazis take away any hope they have left—and their lives?

Secret Agents is another gripping, exciting tale worthy of the Down the Rabbit Hole title. I read through this book more quickly than the first two, and not just because it’s the shortest of the three at 48 pages; I simply could not put it down because I had to find out what fate has in store for these characters. As only the third novelette in the series, not the last, Secret Agents still left me with many, many unanswered questions—some old, some new—even though others had been answered. It’s just another reason for me to keep an eye out for the fourth installment.

Of course, this increased emotional investment also came with an increased emotional reaction to the tragedies in this story. As with Escape and Evasion, a handful of events were very impactful, both on the characters’ lives and on my reading experience. This isn’t a bad thing. In fact, I would question the quality of this series if, as a war story, it did depict at least some trauma. However, don’t take this novelette on thinking that it’ll be a light-hearted read. There are scenes of torture, violence, emotional turmoil, and death. If such depictions bother you, this book—as well as Escape and Evasion—is not for you, although I doubt you’d read fiction about World War II at all if that were the case.

I was particularly surprised—and pleased—to see that not all of the Nazi soldiers were the cold, emotionless, selfish stereotype in this novelette. Mind you, most still were. As a matter of fact, two new characters stood out as pure evil, not just emotionless and selfish, introducing an interesting contrast as even the other Nazis feared them. However, there were also some signs of humanity on the German side in this story. Some of the signs were small, such as negative reactions to torture. Others were more overt, although I cannot discuss them here without spoilers. Needless to say, I didn’t expect such development by this point in the series, and I’m glad that Walker decided to humanize the enemy somewhat. After all, most of them are still human (although it’s questionable for the pure evil characters).

Walker also surprised me with a twist in the final half of the book which most readers would not expect from these novelettes. I can’t say much without giving too much away, but let’s just say that something a little “paranormal” is occurring in that cave, and prejudice might not have been the only reason that the Nazis captured gypsies.

While I’m very satisfied with Secret Agents and can’t wait for the next novelette, I’m afraid that there were some flaws in it which I did not notice in Into France and Escape and Evasion. The first is an absence of emotional expression in some key moments. While Walker’s work, at least in this series, utilizes minimalist writing almost as a rule, I feel that that style does not really explain some moments which lack emotionally reaction. In particular, one character is essentially told that they are a prisoner where they are. While the narrator tells the reader about any frustration and fear which this character has at that revelation, I didn’t really feel it as a reader. Sometimes this can be a useful tactic, but here I felt that allowing the reader to feel the character’s emotions would have increased the tension tremendously. As it is, that scene falls flat.

Another flaw I noticed here but not in the other installments is an issue with setting changes. Most of the time, transitions from one scene/setting to the next occur smoothly, especially when switching to a new chapter. Still, others did not go so smoothly. Mainly, some in-chapter transitions jarred me. There aren’t too many of these transitions, but some which did happen, mostly in the final chapter, confused me. I couldn’t tell that settings had changed, and it was only after I was couple lines into the new scene that I realized what happened. Some small indicator, such as a line break or “Back In [insert location]”, would have been a great help there.

I also missed a few characters from the first two novelettes which were missing here. To be fair, though, they will most likely return in future installments and so I cannot really call this a “flaw” in the work. Rather, it’s something for me to anxiously look for in the next book.

Overall, Secret Agents by Jason Walker has continued the plot of Down the Rabbit Hole very well. There is tension, drama, and an element of mystery which should be enough for any reader to want to keep going. It’s unfortunate that the next novelette has not been released yet; I can’t wait to get my hands on it. In the meantime, I highly recommend following up Into France and Escape and Evasion with Secret Agents. There’s no way to get the full story unless you continue!

You might find it interesting to know that, in a note at the end of Secret Agents, Jason Walker reveals that these novelettes were adapted from screenplays for a TV series. The proceeds from these novelettes will go to bringing these screenplays into the light, so if you want to help a fellow writer achieve his dream, I suggest at least taking a look at Down the Rabbit Hole.

You can buy Secret Agents by Jason Walker as an eBook on Amazon. Also check out my reviews for Into France and Escape and Evasion, as well as Jason Walker’s website.

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

 

Well, folks, here’s the second review I promised. This one is for the novelette Down the Rabbit Hole: Escape and Evasion by Jason Walker. As the sequel to Into France, this review will contain spoilers, so proceed with caution if you haven’t read the first novelette yet. You’ve been warned.

Escape and Evasion picks up right where Into France left off. Danielle is leading two POW escapees through the sewers of France, presumably to freedom; Mitchell, Babcock, and Patterson, along with Oliver, are attempting a rescue of SAS commander Jim Garner; and, all the while, Vera Atkins is trying to hold the entire operation together from her offices in London. Right on the trail of the escapees and French Resistance are the Gestapo, Nazi soldiers willing to do anything and hurt anyone to capture the POWs and anybody helping them.

Will any of the escapees make it out of France? What will become of the spies? Of Danielle and Bridgette? Most urgently, will any of them survive their separate bids at life and freedom from Nazi oppression?

Escape and Evasion is, admittedly, much more emotional than Into France. Without giving away any spoilers, it especially gets emotional in the four or five chapters. As with any war story, friendships are formed, enemies are made, and death and betrayal abound. For such a short novelette—49 pages, compared to the 66 pages of Into France—this one packs a lot of punch.

Even plot twists which are typical for these sorts of stories—and, in hindsight, Walker heavily hints at earlier in the books—took me by surprise. I became so wrapped up in the story, in the characters particularly, that I didn’t engage in my usual “guess the plot twist before it happens” frame of mind. I simply enjoyed the story, and I’m not too proud to admit that I often forget to do that nowadays.

As with the first book, Walker utilizes a minimalist style of writing for this novelette. Again, this leads to more exposition than I usually like, but that exposition and the minimalist approach also create a storyteller feel which both fits the narrative and captures the reader’s attention. That’s not to say that Walker is all tell and no show. Rather, he reserves descriptions for when they are needed most. In a war/espionage story, that might just be the best approach.

The only minor issue I had with Escape and Evasion—the only worth mentioning—is the sheer number of characters. Given the subject matter, the large cast is absolutely necessary. After all, war is not one by a single man or woman. However, some of the characters blurred for me as the cast grew. I mainly had an issue keeping Fontaine and Nadeau straight. They have distinctly different personalities, yet I somehow had a hard time remembering which name belonged to which personality. Of course, that might just be my jumbled brain and lack of sleep causing issues.

I also feel as though the female characters waver somewhat in their strength in this novelette. It’s probably just a result of the stress they’re experiencing. I mean, I know I would not hold up half as well as they do under similar circumstances. Still, I didn’t feel quite as much of their strength this time as I did in Into France. I suppose, though, that this weakness and vulnerability might just fuel renewed strength in a future installment, making the women more powerful foes to the Nazis than ever before. Besides, a new female is introduced in this novelette who is a very strong female herself, and unfortunately that’s all I can say without giving too much away.

Overall, I think that Escape and Evasion by Jason Walker is a more-than-fitting follow-up to Into France. In fact, I think I might have liked it a little better than the first novelette. It put me through the emotional gamut. While such experiences typically leave me drained, this one has also left me eager for the third installment. As with the first novelette, Escape and Evasion ends on a cliffhanger, one which will have you scrambling for the next book. This story is the perfect quick read, but you might still want to set some time aside for it—you’ll want to start the third novelette, Secret Agents, immediately!

You can buy Escape and Evasion by Jason Walker as an eBook on Amazon. Also remember to check out my review of Into France as well as Jason Walker’s website.

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

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I have a special treat for you. I will be posting three reviews of three…novelettes, I suppose you can call them…all from the same series. The first novelette is Down the Rabbit Hole: Into France by Jason Walker.

Bordeaux, France, 1943. The world has become engulfed by the terror that is World War II. France has been subjected to Nazi rule, and the country’s citizens are helpless to resist. At least, so it seems. Among the frightened French citizens are a brave few, both Resistance members and secret agents, all risking their lives to aid the Allies in any way they can. Bridgette LeClair and her daughter, Danielle, are two such courageous women. As Danielle serves as a spy for the British, Bridgette hides away two recently-escaped POWs. They’ve avoided detection so far, but as the Gestapo encroach more and more upon their small town and the surrounding area in search of POW escapees, their safety becomes flimsy at best.

How long will Danielle and Bridgette be able to hold their own against the Nazis? Will the Allied Forces rescue the POWs before the Gestapo get to them? And will they be able to save one of the POWs who failed to escape? More importantly, why is it so imperative that they free this particular soldier?

As part of a larger series, this novelette does not answer all of these questions. In fact, it raises more questions than it answers, and that might be the biggest draw of Into France for me. (Well, besides the strong female leads and historical setting.) While the series is based on real events, Walker constructs a narrative filled with intrigue, tension, and mystery.

Rather than reading like a book in a series, this novelette more reads like a TV episode. Walker writes in prose, like a story, but the structure and suspense more closely mimic TV shows. That style does not detract from the quality of the story; rather, it’s just an approach to which I am not accustomed. Give how integral TV has become to our lives, this episodic technique might garner even more interesting than a normal book series.

While multiple sections contain detailed depictions of scenery, Walker’s overall writing comes across as minimalistic. Much like Hemingway, Walker only paints those images which are necessary to set a mood or establish a character or setting. Sometimes this leads to more exposition than I would like, especially when introducing a new character, but that’s just a minor issue for someone like me. (It’s a fault that I find in Hemingway’s work as well, so I guess it just comes with the minimalist territory.) This exposition never distracted me for long, so it’s more of an annoyance than a flaw in the writing.

A fairly large cast of characters—not for novels but for a novelette this short—weaves in and out of this narrative, providing both a wide variety of personalities and a broadened view of different experiences of Allied Forces in World War II. We have Danielle, a spy for the British who has had trouble with the Gestapo; Bridgette, Danielle’s mother, a baker, and a French native who is hiding POW escapees; MacArthur, an escaped and lovesick POW from Canada hiding out with Bridgette; and Vera Atkins, the tough-as-nails head of Britain’s Special Operations.

While the male POWs and their rescuers provided the necessary central plot (as well as some much-needed humor), I was more captivated by Bridgette, Danielle, and Atkins. Women’s roles in World War II are too-often overlooked, and these characters make sure to highlight that little-known part of history. Better yet, while all are determined and tough in their own way, not all of the female leads are the cold-hearted, hard-to-break stereotype we usually see cast as the “strong” woman in fiction. Danielle and Bridgette have tender hearts which they open up to each other. Even Atkins, while she certainly has a hard, protective shell, she does not seem entirely cold-hearted; she, like Danielle and Bridgette, just feels human, a human put in a very tough and soul-shattering situation.

Of course, some of the characters are stereotypical, namely the Nazis. I understand the approach Walker takes to the German soldiers. After all, they did a lot of despicable things that cannot be understood by a rational, caring human being. However, the image of the Nazis in this novelette remind me of many, many other depictions in books and movies. On the one hand, this could just be a result of these soldiers really acting so despicably. We are all capable of great evil, especially when it’s justified by one’s government. It would also be bordering on another stereotype to follow the route of a Nazi soldier who felt like he was dying on the inside from all of this and defies his superiors. On the other hand, it’s hard to swallow that all of them could have been so heartless. Still, even with my desire to see three-dimensional characters, these soldiers are villains and so should be depicted as such. It’s a toss-up, really.

Overall, Into France by Jason Walker is a captivating and thrilling novelette. I love the historical context as well as the care Walker obviously put into researching the events depicted. The characters are very real and, while most are typical for this genre, the strong female leads are very refreshing. The ending left me hanging with many more questions than answers. However, that’s the point. Readers just need to continue to the next novelette in order to see what happens next. While the novelette form has gotten a bad rep lately, I think this one is perfect for killing time before your appointment or while riding on the bus to work, and I recommend it to anyone who loves history, spies, and strong female leads.

You can buy Into France by Jason Walker as an eBook and in print on Amazon. To learn more about the author and his other works, be sure to check out his website.

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

I’m not sure if I have told any of my readers this before, but my family–especially the maternal side–has deep connections to the Arts and Humanities. As a genealogist with a lifelong passion for researching her roots, my mom has discovered that we are distant cousins of singers, artists, and writers alike (not to mention some politicians and royalty, but that’s a story for another day). However, there is a much more recent family member who connects me to the Arts: my grandfather, Al Blanchard, who drew portraits, landscapes, and building plans. While I barely have an artistic bone in my body besides my writing, I still decided to check out today’s book because of an intense curiosity my grandfather instilled in me for both art and the process of creating it. The book at the center of this review is Painting Glorious Rose Flowers in Watercolor in 7 Stages by Lela Stankovic.

This book is, as the title states, a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to painting a beautiful rose in watercolor. Still, it’s more than that; it contains the building blocks with which you can lay the foundation for a new skill, a.k.a. watercolor painting. From basic techniques to which art supplies you need and how to transfer a sketch for an outline, Painting Glorious Rose Flowers in Watercolor covers everything you need to know in order to start a fulfilling hobby–or, perhaps, something more if you have a knack and the patience for it.

I need to get this out of the way right now: watercolor and I do not typical get along. The edges of the pages always curl on me, which causes me to be frustrated and I quit before I even get a chance to practice. The funny part? If I understand Stankovic properly, there have only been two mistakes standing in my way of fully enjoying this activity: I use the wrong kind of paper and I don’t stretch it first. I might not have any talent for it even after this fix, but at least now I understand why the pages kept curling. Who knew? Thank you, Lela!

Given that, perhaps the best part of Stankovic’s guide is that it doesn’t just take readers blindly through the steps. Rather, Stankovic explains why each step is done, but what it does to the painting, and how it has the effect that it has. As someone who likes to know how things work and why they are the way they are, I found this element of the book both enlightening and helpful. When I can’t have someone there to show me how to do something, a guide as thorough and comprehensive as this one is the next best thing (and I’m guessing most writers would agree with me).

The second best part of this book is Stankovic’s honesty. She does not try to sugar coat the side effects of doing any of the steps incorrectly, but she also makes it clear that some variations can be used. She mentions some specific brands of paint, but she’s also transparent about the fact that she is not sponsored or reimbursed by any such companies. I can tell that she truly just wants to help budding painters, a trait which I admire in guides to crafts and which also makes me feel as though I’ve found a kindred spirit in the writer.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that this book can make you a master painter in one session. In fact, one painting might not be completed in one day. Stankovic makes it clear that each step can take time depending on how much drying the paper needs to do in between and that some steps might even require repetition in order to get it right. You might need to just practice certain techniques before you can do it to your own satisfaction. This process takes time and patience, two things which can’t be taught. However, Stankovic makes the instructions as clear and easy to follow as possible, so even novice painters can give it a try to some level of success.

At 109 pages, this book is deceptively short. Nevertheless, I suggest taking Stankovic’s advice on how to read the book: read it through all the way a couple times and then keep it near you so you can refer to it while painting. This method might seem repetitive and tedious, but at least you’ll absorb more of the information and come at your first painting attempt with a better understanding of what you need to do.

The accompanying photographs are beautiful and useful, although I wish the sizes were adjust in the eBook copy. Admittedly, I was reading this book on the Kindle app on my phone, so that most likely distorted and shrunk the images unnecessarily. They might not be that way on other electronic readers, so I wouldn’t use that issue as a deal-breaker in your decision about this book.

Another very minor improvement that could be made would be the addition of a glossary. While I could go back to previous chapters for some terms, I came across painting terms often enough that would have rather turned to a glossary where all the terminology was listed. It would just be easier, and if people still couldn’t make things connect for them mentally after reading the glossary, then they could turn to the necessary chapter for further explanation.

Overall, Painting Glorious Rose Flowers in Watercolor by Lela Stankovic is enlightning, easy to follow, and a great place for any beginner watercolor artist to start–or even a great place for experienced artists looking for a refresher or a new perspective on their art.The writing is great and flows by fairly quickly, but don’t rush through this book. You won’t be able to do your own watercolor illustrations for the cover of your next book after just one read-through, but you’ll be ready to begin your journey to becoming a painter, whether by profession or by hobby.

I would also like to say that I think all writers should pick up some other form of art, whether it be sculpting, drawing, or watercolors. We can learn so much from the patience and attention to detail needed for those art forms, but that’s a subject for another day. Until then, you should check out Lela Stankovic’s book for a step-by-step guide to an entertaining and beautiful activity.

You can buy Painting Glorious Rose Flowers in Watercolor by Lela Stankovic as an eBook on Amazon. Also make sure to check out Stankovic’s website and Facebook page for more information on her and her art.

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