Category: Book Reviews

Greetings, fellow creatures who never sleep! I’m here with another book review, this time a Book based in an amalgamation of various mythologies the likes of which I’ve never read before. Of course, as is the case with many such amazing books, this one is mostly based in Greek mythology as a way to tie together several mythologies from around the world. The book reviewed in this post is Hubris (The Siren Tragedies Book 1) by Sarah V. Hines.

Mnemosyne created humanity. It was a science project for her, really, that grew into so much more. She had their best interests at heart, even to the point of choosing her husband based on his intentions–or lack thereof–with humans. Unfortunately, it was the wrong choice for Mnemosyne, one which left her and her daughters in an endless cycle of physical and psychological abuse. When pregnant with her final daughter, Mnemosyne is at her wife’s end. What if this child got the worst of her husband’s abuse? What if she couldn’t survive it? The best which Mnemosyne can do for her is to turn to Zherneboh–her husband’s brother with ages-long infatuation with her, for one last desperate attempt at protection.

Fast-forward to the present day. Earth is in chaos from all the pacts which humans have entered with the Dark One and his minions, the Dark Lords. Alexandros, in charge of the Light World, Earth, and all who inhabit both, plans to cleanse the human race and start anew. Yet he has gained a powerful enemy: Telese, his youngest and most rebellious daughter. She wants to save the human race and gain her own freedom from her father’s abuse, and she’s desperate enough to do whatever will take to accomplish these goals–and foolish enough to involve humans and Dark Lords. Will her plan succeed? Will she suffer more than ever at her father’s hand after he quashes the rebellion? Or, like fire, will she rise from the burning embers of her pain more powerful than before?

Hines has created a complex and layered world of magic and mythology which admittedly envy some. She has taken tidbits from mythology and legends from multiple parts of the world and created one comprehensive universe in which these all have a foundation which is based not in the human mind but in something very real and very threatening to human existence. From Greek mythology to Arthurian legends, Hines at least makes nods to several major European tales. I admire her ability to find the similarities among these cultures and use them to reverse-energy an imagined source to use in her fantastical world.

Of course, all of this dazzling world development did leave me a little dizzy at points. I found myself distracted for most of the book trying to make sense of the origin story used in this novel–and if, in fact, the one told by Telese is all the truth, especially when compared to the prologue. I also grew distracted by trying to figure out who might be who in different mythologies which I have a basic understanding of, but that might more be my own wandering mind looking for patterns as it always does rather than any flaw in the book’s part.

The characters, I think, are my favorite part of this book. I especially have an affinity for Telese and Eric, as well as a twisted and amused fascination with Mortimer. Telese is so powerful and independent, how could I not love her? She’s a bit antisocial, but I’m sure anyone would be if they endured what she has to. Similarly, Eric is withdrawn and bookish, a linguist major with a master for translation. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t automatically bind with him over him being a linguist. I saw so much of myself in his fascinations and pursuits that a bond was inevitable. Mortimer,on the other hand, is cocky, arrogant, and very self-assured. I would have smacked him given how he was in the beginning, but by the end he fleshes out into an almost sympathetic character–as much as a butt-kissing troublemaker can be–and I grew to kind of like the SOB. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, but I have a little affection for him.

The plot is also strong and intriguing. It wasn’t the main appeal of the book for me, but it certainly caught my attention and made me think. What if you had the fate of the world in your hands but also risk your own life in doing so? Would you walk away or do what you’re asked? I also wanted to see who would join Telese and who would side with Alexandria out of fear…not to mention who would live and who would die. There might be such a thing as a bloodless coup in politics, but not among family members, and this is the biggest family you will ever see.

I think that my classes in comparative literature gave me an edge in reading this book which others would not have, allowing me to relish in some references that might go over another reader’s head. Then again, I might just be underestimating the audience! Yes, some of the references will initially go over some readers’ heads, but Hines resolves most issues involving that as the book goes on. Whatever she doesn’t clear up, well, there’s always Google for that.

I was able to predict one character’s downfall early on, but it was the mechanics of the situation which I did not know, nor did I know exactly how it would affect the other characters. Needless to say, there are no damsels-in-distress here, and not one of them will stay extinguished for long.

Overall, I think Hubris by Sarah V. Hines is a great book. Anyone interested in mythology and diverse cultures will definitely not want to miss this story. Not only does she try and cover several mythologies, Hines also depicts several races and ethnicities through the Sirens, who reflect that people of whatever region they are assigned to. The reveal of much of the information about this world is a bit jumbled, but that accurately reflects the state of chaos the Earth is in this book. I highly recommend this book to fantasy fans, mythology fans, and anyone interested in not-so-subtle political and social commentary. I can’t wait to see where Telese’s hubris takes us next!

You can buy Hubris by Sarah V. Hines on Amazon.

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

Final review for the night! I’m covering another historical novel in this review, but this time, the book is about an Irish immigrant coming to America in the 1840s. This book is called Billy Gogan, American: A Novel by Roger Higgins.

Billy Gogan, only 15 years old, is sent to his cousin Seamas’s home after the death of his father and being dismissed from St. Patrick’s College in Ireland. While he is soon tracked down by Father O’Muirhily, one of his teachers from St. Patrick’s College, Billy is not headed back the familiar setting of the school. Instead, Seamas gives him a ticket for the Maryann, a ship headed to New York City. With no other family and nowhere to go, Billy has no choice but to make his way to the promising shores of America and new start where no one knows of him or his father.

Unfortunately for Billy, this fresh start brings him even more baggage than what he had in Ireland. From witnessing the murder of Father O’Muirhily by a man in black to befriending a fellow passenger of the Maryann and falling in love with a mulatto girl, Billy’s voyage to and arrival in the Great Melting Part is filled with adventure, scandal, voter fraud, love, and mystery. While wrapped up in the new life he is trying to build for himself, Billy does not realize that the man in black who killed Father O’Muirhily is hot on his trail. What does the man in black want? Why did he kill Father O’Muirhily? And exactly how much trouble will Billy get himself into in the slum that is Five Points?

The most fascinating part of this novel, I think, is the narrative voice and structure. Higgins could have easily fooled me into believing that it was a true memoir. With a forward by Niall Gogan, the grandson of Billy Gogan, and authentic-sounding nineteenth-century narration, Higgins went to great lengths to give the reader an immersive reading experience. Perhaps the most impressive feat, in my opinion, is Higgins’s use of truly Irish names. Of course, being British by birth himself, I suppose that Higgins should know better than to use Anglicized versions of Irish names unless the Irish characters are trying to seem less British, such as Billy’s second cousin Evelyn. Readers will probably stumble over the Irish names, but they enhance the authentic feel of the narrative established by the use of Irish colloquialisms (including swearing and ethnic slurs).

On a similar note, there is some language here that might not be considered politically correct today. In fact, the descendant of Billy Gogan says as much in the forward and argues not removing them because it would change the context of these situations. Really, the slurs aren’t too glaring, but some readers might still want to keep this in mind while they are going through this book.

Higgins’s research is truly impeccable. As a bit of a history nerd myself, I was impressed by how well he captured the Irish immigrant’s experience in the 1800s. The good, the bad, the very bad, all presented in a way in which the reader could empathize with Billy. He shows the deplorable condition of the slums which Irish immigrants and ex-slaves had to call home, as well as the divisive social hierarchy. However, Higgins ensures that there are enough positive points to keep the negatives palatable. In America, Billy completes his education, gets work, falls in love, and reunites with Mary Skidder, a fellow passenger of the Maryann, and forms a brother-sister bond with her. Unfortunately for poor Billy—and sensitive readers—the darkness might just overtake the bright points in his life.

Even as Billy does some questionable things, I couldn’t help but to feel for him and want everything to turn out all right for him. I even found it hard to fault him for something as serious as beaning another boy in the head during a game of cricket (the kid had it coming, if you ask me). I still wanted life to work out for Billy. Higgins doesn’t exactly give me that pleasure, but as this is only book one and he clearly ends up with a family eventually, I suppose I just have to be patient and read the next book.

While Billy’s experiences as an immigrant are a huge focal point for the book, much of the narrative centers on mystery and crime. From the man in black following him to the political corruption of Tammany Hall, the reader is never short on intrigue and tension. I even have to wonder about his father’s “death.” Billy had not been allowed to see him in jail for quite some time, and then his father dies of some illness just weeks before the Great Liberator is pardoned? And then an unknown man tells the Headmaster of St. Patrick’s College of Billy’s father’s death before disappearing? It’s all very suspect, and I deeply hope that Higgins returns to it in book two.

I noticed maybe one or two proofreading errors in the almost 400-page novel which could not be accounted for by the use of the Irish language. However, they are so minor and infrequent that they do not detract from the reading experience and are pretty much negligible.

Overall, I loved Billy Gogan by Roger Higgins. I’m simply floored by the depth of Higgins’s research and his ability to capture the speech and spirit of the Irish immigrant. If you aren’t a history nerd like I am, you might find this book a little tedious, although the mystery element could still be enough to pull you in. If you are a history nerd, I doubt I need to sell you on this book any further. Just get ready for a big time commitment. The book is long and not all of writing is easily acceptable to the average American reader. You’ll probably make good use of the glossary provided at the beginning as there’s naturally a lot of Irish slang used, but this book is worth the extra effort. Besides, it’s not every day that you get to learn a little Irish slang! I personally can’t wait to see where Billy’s story takes us next. Based on the sneak peek at the back of the book, it looks like we’re heading for the Mexican-American War!

You can buy Billy Gogan by Roger Higgins as an eBook and in print on Amazon.

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

 

Here’s the next review, folks! This time, I’m reviewing an interesting throwback to the 1950s which I think can best be described as Stand by Me mixed with The Outsiders twisted by a sense of humor and adventure unique to this author. The book I’m reviewing in this post is The Little Bastards by Jim Lindsay.

As with each decade since the turn of the twentieth century, growing up in the 1950s was an experience unlike any other, even more so in logging and other rural areas away from the big cities. No war to suffer through and the Great Depression come and gone, it was a time to be wild and push the limits—unfortunately, some limits are there for a reason, and pushing them can have unintended consequences.

The Little Bastards takes the reader through the teenaged years of Sonny Mitchell and his close group of friends, appropriately nicknamed “The Little Bastards”. From bicycles to hot rods, corpses to girls, and chump change to summer jobs, this book follows the transformation of these boys into blue-collar young men. Along the way, readers get to watch as The Little Bastards’ personalities change as well as their interests. Some loosen up, some fall in love, and some reveal a side to themselves that no one knew they had, maybe not even them. All the while, Lindsay reveals what it was like to grow up in the 50s, including some of the stupid sh*t that boys would do. For The Little Bastards, as their risk-taking gets wilder and their need for adventure and rebellion grow, so do their brushes with danger, until it all but becomes too much for anyone to handle.

The first element of this book which caught me off-guard was the seamless way in which Jim Lindsay wrote in the colloquial style of a boy growing up in that decade. Of course, it probably helped that he grew up during that time himself. I didn’t know some of the terms used, given that I wasn’t even born for four more decades, but they’re easy to figure out from context. (Anything I couldn’t figure out I could just look up on Google.)

Still, keeping true to such a voice also meant saying a lot of things which might make some readers uncomfortable. Mostly, the boys swear a lot and use phrases which are not considered “appropriate” nowadays. No big deal for some readers, but a really big deal for others. (I, for one, expect it, especially in a book about this time period.) The swearing also adds even more humor to the tale than there already is, along with some of the other colloquialisms you would probably not say in polite company. Jake’s explanation of Sonny’s erection, for example, had me all but bursting out laughing, but I doubt you’d want to use the phrase “lover’s balls” in mixed company.

Lindsay also develops a wide range of three-dimensional, dynamic characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with. They certainly deserve their nickname, mind you, but it’s in an almost endearing way. Each of these little bastards have strong, individual personalities and histories which add depth to their character. For me, among the most memorable in the group were Joe, the tough SOB who was practically left to fend for himself due to a bad home life; Billy, the leader of the group as well as the most academic, the only one with plans to go to college; Johnny, the youngest and most gullible in the group, eager to please; Miles, a quiet guy with a beast inside that even his friends don’t expect; and my personal favorite, Archie, the son of a mortician with a grim sense of humor. Sonny is also quite the character, a risk-taker but also hardworking and rather valiant when he wants to be. They each border on stereotype at first, but it doesn’t take long for Lindsay to turn that idea on its head.

The escalation in the costs of their risk-taking had me on the edge of my seat. The narrative grows darker as the boys get older and the risks become more…daring, but, for the most part, the humor still remains to alieve some of the tension. This escalation was aided to an increasing emotional investment in these characters; honestly, I felt as though I could’ve been reading the journal of one of my mom’s older cousins. The voice and strong character development made it easy for me to become emotionally attached. In fact, sometimes the line between fact and fiction became minimal as everything that happened seemed possible. The result: an even stronger reaction to the boys’ misfortunes.

The ending left me surprised. In a way, I’m glad that it didn’t get as dark as it could have. On the other hand, it also left me stunned. I felt as though Lindsay could have easily kept on telling Sonny’s stories and I wouldn’t have gotten bored of them. Still, with a show-stopping conclusion like this, it probably would’ve been pretty hard to top it. Unfortunately, that’s all I can say without giving away too many spoilers.

I noticed a couple minor proofreading errors, but no more than is acceptable in a professionally-published novel.

Overall, The Little Bastards by Jim Lindsay is a great book. It’s funny, engaging, and gripping. Frankly, I think it captures the era perfectly, at least from a teenager’s perspective, and I think that would make it perfect for anyone interested in that time period. For those who aren’t, the characters are entertaining and well-developed, and the situations—all of which are like short stories themselves—will pull you in anyway. There’s nothing better than a couple of fourteen-year-olds getting the crud scared out of them inside a funeral home!

You can buy The Little Bastards by Jim Lindsay 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!

 

 

Warning: The book reviewed in this post, Curve Couture: A Beautiful Romance by H.M. Irwing, contains sex scenes, sexual situations, and foul language. If you are under the age of 18, are triggered by such depictions, or otherwise wish to avoid them, proceed with caution.

As promised, here’s the first of many reviews I have for you this weekend. This one is a steamy romance with some tasteful sex scenes by H.M. Irwing, author of Bad Boy Vibes. This book, while in the same genre and with some of the same themes as Bad Boy Vibes, is another unique adventure into the world of love and lust—I hate to admit it, but I might have liked this one even more. The book reviewing in this post is Curve Couture: A Beautiful Romance.

Claire has just made the biggest mistake of her life: sleeping with her model sister’s fiancé, Colin. To make things worse, she despises the man—and she’s her sister’s agent. Ashamed and unable to face her sister again, Claire arranges a meeting with Erin, a model-turned-agent, to ask him to take over as her sister’s agent. Erin, however, has different plans for Claire, ones which will transform Claire’s career, self-image, and personal life, not to mention her sex life. What exactly does Erin want from her? Is it strictly professional, or…something more? Does Claire have what it takes to meet all his needs and expectations, or will her own jealousy and lack of self-confidence get in her way?

I must admit that I might be a bit biased in my fondness for this romance. Claire is overweight and becomes a plus-sized model; I am likewise overweight, having struggled with weight issues my entire life and even more so since my senior year of college. For that reason, I’m partial to a book which involves an overweight woman transforming into a confident, fierce plus-sized model who has all the men tripping over them (of course, I could do without the crude comments which come with the modeling career). However, I think that all women can relate to Claire and her struggles, especially those who feel that they fall short of the Western standards for beauty.

With this admission, it goes without saying that my favorite character is Claire. It’s not just because she’s overweight. She’s also fierce, independent, and doesn’t take any BS from anyone—except, of course, Erin, on occasion, and even rarely from him. My favorite scenes were any time that she beat the crud out of Colin; like Erin, I couldn’t stop laughing! I’m also thankful to Irwing that Curve Couture did not turn into one of those stories where the heroine goes crawling back to a man who’s a complete ass to her because she “sees the good in him.” Mind you, Erin can be an ass and is often cocky, but he can also be a gentleman and genuinely cares about Claire. Colin, on the other, is only looking out for himself and horny as all get-out. The fact that Claire recognized that from the start and realized her mistake in sleeping with Colin gave me hope for romance novels, and only worked to increase my enjoyment of the beat-downs.

As the full title of Curve Couture implies, this book depicts a beautiful romance. The love between Claire and Erin is true and, while the lust comes on quickly, the love is slow to develop. It is Claire’s support of Erin and understanding of his vulnerability and troubles which takes their bond beyond mutual attraction to a true romance. In fact, it takes at least half the book for them to admit their love for each other, which was a relief for me.

Irwing also masterfully builds up the sexual tension between Claire and Erin. They don’t immediately sleep together. Rather, they have several encounters filled with potential eroticism and mutual ogling as well as numerous misfires before they actually do the deed. Best of all, Irwing takes care to make it known that their sex does not truly become “love making” until they actually realize they are in love. Even in real life people don’t often make that distinction, and I’m glad that it was made here.

Of course, as with all books, Curve Couture is not without its flaws. Sometimes I felt as though Claire gave into Erin too quickly, especially when he would become angry and a little violent. In that same vein, I felt that Erin was, at times, too possessive of Claire, to the point that I at least would have reconsidered a relationship with such a man. Still, to play devil’s advocate, all that can all be attributed to the obligatory drama which comes with writing about the modeling world. There’s enough drama and melodrama in that industry to sustain a soap opera for a decade, so it only fits that the repressed anger from that drama and the possessiveness arising from the leering would arise within Claire and Erin’s relationship. I just had moments where I wasn’t comfortable with Erin’s aggressiveness towards Claire.

I also have mixed feelings as to how body image is handled here. On the one hand, I think Irwing does a pretty good job of handling all body sizes fairly. Yes, there had to be some characters prejudiced against both the very fat and the very skinny because that’s how people are, especially in the world of modeling. Overall, though, Curve Couture shows “curvy” women in as good a light as “skinny” women. I also appreciate that Erin’s yearning for Claire begins before she starts to lose weight, even when judgmental stylists tell her that she’s fat. On the other hand, I would like a book in which an overweight protagonist starts out as comfortable with her body shape. Perhaps Claire’s self-loathing just hit too close to home for me, but for once I’d like for such a woman to be confident without having to have other people show her her worth or having to make drastic changes to herself.

As with most books, I noticed some very minor proofreading errors, but they are so minor and infrequent that they’d be negligible for most readers. After all, even big-press books like Harry Potter can have such errors. To err is to human.

All in all, Curve Couture by H.M. Irwing is an excellent book, especially for a romance. I’d even argue that it’s better than Bad Boy Vibes, although the hot-topic handled in those books are just as important. The characters are relatable and three-dimensional, and the main relationship develops with the kinds of ups and downs that we expect from real-life romances. Sometimes it takes on the air of a soap opera, but that only added to the fun, particularly when Claire would make mental asides about everything seeming like The Bold and the Beautiful. I’m not 100% OK with how Erin treats Claire but, in the end, their tender relationship has an ending worthy of an uplifting romance. If you like romances with some real depth to them, you’ll want to check out this book.

You can buy Curve Couture by H.M. Irwing on Amazon. Also remember to check out the author’s website for information on this and Irwing’s other works.

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

Greetings, readers and writers! I’m probably going to be bombarding you with quite a few posts over the next few days, both reviews and other topics, so you best be ready. I want to start with a review of a book which I’m pleased to say is quite different from other works I’ve read before. While billed as a psychological novel, I’d also argue that it’s a modern moral fable, just as The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder has been called a moral fable by some critics. The book I’m reviewing in this post is The Revenge of the Forgotten by Xavier Mayot.

Fabrice is your typical skilled factory worker, employed by the biggest recycling plant in France: + VERT. He has a wife he adores and a loving ten-year-old daughter. They don’t have a lot, but they have each other, and that’s enough for them. The only problem? Fabrice’s daughter, Coralie, is ill with a rare heart condition and requires a transplant ASAP. Unfortunately, donors are in short supply, but Coralie’s doctor, Professor Marty, has put her as a top priority on the waiting list.

Baptiste is your typical one-percenter: rich, a little overly-confident, and used to getting his way. Like Fabrice, he works at + VERT, but with a huge difference: he’s the CEO. This position has allowed him, his wife, and his son to live a comfortable life, but even the world’s richest have their problems. For Baptiste, it’s the disheartening fact that his son, Dorian, has inherited a rare genetic heart condition from his paternal grandfather. The poor boy needs an organ graft, and soon. Fortunately, Dorian’s doctor, Professor Marty, is close friends with the family and keeps them up-to-date on any news of a possible donor.

What will happen when a possible heart donor pits these opposites against each other in a competition of will and physical strength? Can Baptiste buy or manipulate his son’s way to the top of the donor list, or will Fabrice’s dedication and work ethic finally pay off? What follows is 160 pages of tension, high-running emotions, and an unlikely solution to a delicate situation.

Mayot’s concept is at once unique and familiar. It’s a combination of David and Goliath and “The Tortoise and the Hare” with a splash of Around the World in 80 Days thrown in. However, Mayot uses this mixture to bring attention to a couple of topics prominently on our minds today: economic disparity and the shortage of organ donors. The themes of love, money, greed, pride, and perseverance ring throughout, giving new life to old tropes.

Another interesting element to Mayot’s writing is that it’s almost fable-like, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post. The writing is very simple and straightforward; in fact, other than the French names, I had no problem following along with the narrative. (Honestly, a lot of my mother’s family is French and French-Canadian, why do I have a hard time with these names?) The characters are not overly-complicated and yet I established an emotional connection to Fabrice and his family. I felt bad for Baptiste and his family because of Dorian’s condition but, really, their sense of entitlement made it hard for me to root for them. The plot is also straightforward and the themes and lessons overt. It’s the combination of these simplistic features coming together to make an engaging and encouraging story which makes me view this book as a modern moral fable, one much more cheerful and uplifting than books like The Bridge of San Luis Rey.

I also admire Mayot for his ability to incorporate modern technology and capture the over-the-top voice of TV commentators in his work. I had a hard time not laughing whenever the commentators opened their mouths because I could perfectly envision what was happening. It also helped that Mayot includes maps of the courses as well as boxed—which you could argue is in the style of a television screen—descriptions of what spectators see during the coverage of the trials.

I must say, Mayot certainly knows how to push my buttons. Baptiste infuriated me to no end. This man, who could easily look to another first-world country for a donor, insists on making the other family go to another country like Colombia for a donor and surgeon, even offering them the Euros to do it. Why? Pride, plain and simple. He’s a man who’s used to getting what he wants and nothing is about to get in his way; I couldn’t wait to see him get knocked down a peg. The ending is a happy one—I won’t elaborate due to spoilers—but suffice to say I still hold a grudge against Baptiste on Fabrice’s behalf. For a writer to ignite this passion in me, he must know exactly what will strike people’s nerves and when to present them in a story for maximum effect.

Overall, The Revenge of the Forgotten by Xavier Mayot is both a psychological book and a modern moral fable. It offers a happy ending which left me satisfied that the plot was resolved, despite the fact that the cynic in me had serious doubts about it. Mayot highlights both the good and the bad in humans and leaves readers with the hope that nice guys do not finish last. I can guarantee that you will pick up this book and not be able to put it down until you find out which child will get the heart—and which of our proud fathers will have to eat crow.

You can buy a copy of The Revenge of the Forgotten from Edilivre’s website. Stay tuned for more information on when a copy will be made available on the American Amazon site.

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

 

Greetings, readers and writers! I’m still feeling under the weather, so I thought I’d continue the day with another light read. The book I want to talk about is a children’s picture book, one which I’m sure my readers will love just as much as the children in their lives will. The book I’m reviewing in this post is Absurdimals: Lola Goes to School, written by Gwendolyn Javor and illustrated by Melissa Aker Spears.

Lola is special. There are many kinds of animals in Harmonia, but Lola is the first of a new animal: a belephant. Half bunny, half elephant, all Lola. Unfortunately, not everyone at Lola’s new school thinks so. In particular, Herb, the biggest elephant at the school, does not welcome her with open arms. Lola’s excitement for her first day of school quickly dissipates as she is ostracized by Herb and the other elephants, and it seems to be more than she can handle on her own. Will Lola let Herb’s words get to her? Or will she find the strength to embrace her “absurdimal” status?

This book is not only cute and entertaining but also enlightening. Javor addresses the issue of deviating from the social norm in a creative and captivating manner. By using animals and hybrid animals, she allows for the message to be about more than just one specific trait that could make us different. Lola could represent an interracial child, a child with parents of two different religions or cultures, or even someone as seemingly-commonplace as a girl who likes to do traditionally “boy” things. Better yet, the use of animals creates a distancing from the subject which makes it accessible and comfortable for everyone. No matter what our personal experiences and beliefs, we’re bound to connect with a fluffy belephant and root for her happiness!

As it is a children’s story, the plot is simple and the characters straightforward. However, through momentary glimpses at how they do or do not conform to normality, Javor fleshes out some of the animals in ways which not many picture books do. My particular favorite is a unique friendship between two unlikely animals, but I won’t say any more in order to avoid spoilers.

The illustrations beautifully complement Javor’s writing. Spears uses calming muted colors which closely resemble drawings made from colored pencils. She brings life to every character, especially Lola. I would not have been able to imagine a “belephant” clearly without Spears’s guidance. The illustrations never overpower the story, instead working hand-in-hand with them to build a unique world that still reminds me of picture books like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

To be honest, I can’t praise this book enough. It’s not as elaborate as “adult” books but it still presents plenty that both children and adults can learn from. Javor’s writing is plain enough for younger readers to follow but the concept is also advanced enough that their parents will love reading it, too. I highly recommend Absurdimals: Lola Goes to School by Gwendolyn Javor for anyone with a child into whom they want to instill individuality and acceptance. Hey, I even recommend it for adults looking for a light, entertaining read. As Mr. Hooves says, “There’s no too different, there’s only new-different!”

You can buy Absurdimals: Lola Goes to School by Gwendolyn Javor as an eBook and in print on Amazon. (I recommend the print copy myself.) Also keep an eye out for future books in this promising children’s picture book series!

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

 

Considering how burnt out I’m feeling at the moment, I want to start the week with something motivational. So, for this post I’m reviewing a book containing soundbites of wisdom for the creative entrepreneur (after all, writers are also entrepreneurs). The book—or booklet, rather—that I’m talking about is 99 Creative WOWs: Words of Wisdom for Business by Randi Brill.

As the title implies, Brill supplies the reader with 99 bite-size pieces of wisdom for business and other creative professionals. However, this book is not just advice for succeeding in the world of business. Rather, the advice is divided into three distinct but closely-related categories: business, creative, and personal. Brill provides mantras and wisdom about getting ahead in business, sparking creativity, and maintaining a healthy personal life. While these categories may seem unrelated, Brill shows in the introduction just how much these areas of a professional’s life depend on each other; neglect one and they will all come tumbling down.

If you’re looking for specific advice regarding specific problems, 99 Creative WOWs is not for you. If you’re looking for open-ended advice which challenges you to think about how you can apply it to your life, a work which inspires rather than instructs, you’ve come to the right place. That’s why I think this book is perfect for all writers.

The mantras are simple, open, and almost common sense. Regardless, people rarely remember these concepts on their own. For example, one of my favorite WOWs is also one which I almost always forget in the moment:

Know when it’s time to be done.

The advice is so simple and yet most creative types, including writers and artists, don’t remember it. We’re such perfectionists that sometimes we just don’t know when to stop and call something “done.”

Of course, the vagueness of these WOWs could cause readers to feel a lack of guidance; they might not know where to start in regards to applying WOWs to their pursuits. Fortunately, Brill also provides an introduction and a page after the WOWs which tell the readers who the author is, how WOWs came about, what they are, and how you can use the WOWs and the book overall. It’s a pet peeve of mine when books like these provide quotes, mantras, or snippets of wisdom without any explanation or guidance on how to use them, so I’m glad that Brill nipped that problem in the bud.

Another unique aspect of 99 Creative WOWs which makes it stand out from other books of its kind is the presentation of the WOWs. They are beautifully colorful with words varying in size, font type, color, and orientation. No two WOWs look exactly alike, which perfectly matches the “creative” in 99 Creative WOWs. Sometimes the volume or intensity of the diversity took a toll on my eyes, but in Brill’s defense, I’ve pushed my eyes to the limit lately and am probably suffering from severe eye strain. Other readers will find the variety to be engaging and a refreshing break from more mainstream inspirational or self-help books.

If I were to list all of my favorite WOWs or all the ones I think writers would find useful, I’d be giving away a majority of the book. However, there are four from the “creativity” category which I think perfectly embody what this book has to offer writers:

Just start. You’ll figure out the next step after the first.

Trust your creative resilience.

Carefully share work in progress. Real-world feedback is worth the risk.

Of course creative work is difficult. That’s part of the allure.

Brill knows from personal experience that the 99 WOWs will help creative professionals and save them a lot of heartache. How, exactly? Brill has been possessed by the entrepreneurial spirit since she was three years old and started her first real business when she was only twenty-two. These WOWs are collected from years and years of experience and a passion to pass the wisdom earned from that experience onto other professionals, whether they be grad students fresh the world or seasoned veterans of their fields.

Overall, I think that 99 Creative WOWs is a must-have for anyone with a shred of the enterprising spirit. After all, these words of wisdom are not only rigid bullet points for starting a business; they are fluid mantras which the reader can use even outside of their assigned categories. This book is never dull and the advice is always on-point. There are tips for ways in which you can use Brill’s WOWs, but the best thing about this book is that you get to decide what you need the wisdom for.

You can buy 99 Creative WOWs by Randi Brill as an eBook or in paperback on Amazon. However, I personally recommend getting the paperback. That way, you can have a physical copy at hand and will be able to engage fully with the material. For more information on the book and its author, visit www.99WOWS.com.

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

 

For this post, I’m bringing you another review, this time for a writer whose prose I have reviewed before. You might remember Rich Marcello, author of The Beauty of the Fall whom I also interviewed for this blog. Today I’m going to be talking about his poetry collection, The Long Body That Connects Us All.

The Long Body That Connects Us All contains approximately sixty one-page poems, divided into three sections:

Part I – In the Coming

Part II – Yab Yum

Part III – Aether

As the Amazon blurb says, these poems mostly focus on how to be a good man. However, they are also about love, loss, family, fathers and sons, tradition and breaking tradition, and what it means to be a man for us versus what it meant for our ancestors. There’s a little something in this collection for everyone, although most especially for fathers, sons, husbands, and lovers.

I adored Marcello’s poetic prose in The Beauty of the Fall, a voice which he certainly maintains in his actual poetry as well. His poems have a unique…muted beauty, I would argue. Not to say that his work is not powerful because it is. Rather, I think that the effects can best be expressed with this stanza from T.S. Eliot’s “The Hollow Men”:

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper.

That is exactly the feel I get from the poems in The Long Body That Connects Us All—not a quick bang but an echoing, haunting whimper. And yet, unlike the almost defeated tone of Eliot’s final lines, Marcello’s collection provides a more hopeful message to the reader. This message is best embodied in the poem “The Long Body” and the stanza which gives the collection its name:

Mostly may you accept the love

in each other and yourselves.

For it’s that gift that lets you see clearly

the long body that connects us all.

I appreciate Marcello’s ability to provide a positive message without over-saturating it with cheesy sentiment. Rather, he turns the feelings which loom over us all—guilt, regret, longing—into tools for showing the ways in which outdated gendered standards keep getting based on and how much better things can be if men embraced a new way of being a man: showing love and affection towards everyone, but most particularly their sons and lovers.

Particular elements in The Long Body That Connects Us All speak directly to men and their sons—the poem’s narrator building Legos with his son, trying to follow in his father’s footsteps as a provider, the “toughening up” of a son by his father, etc. And yet the magic of Marcello’s poems is that I did not feel at all excluded as a female reader.

My favorite poem in the collection has to be “Blue Gears” from Part I – In the Coming:

The blue gears took hold and

tried to turn me

like the others

into the sum of parts

 

The worker of power, of money

The father, the son, the ghost walker

The lover, the projection, the artist

 

And while those parts come and go like

tall waves, stage personas parading,

heroes or villains warring,

they’re not me

 

I’m a witness sitting in the big chair,

a student of mysteries,

striving to grind down

abundant but finite gear teeth,

not only for me,

but for all those lost in blue

What I like best about this poem is that, while it’s directed at men, I could still connect with it as a worker caught in the perpetually-cranking gears of society. The message that you are more than the sum of your parts is universal. I must admit that I also got a bit of amusement out of the symbolism in blue gears representing the blue collar class of workers. However, even if you are not a man or a blue collar worker in particular, the message about individuality and trying to break the working cycle should resonate with anyone.

Another favorite of mine is “Timeservers”, a poem about men having to maintain a certain façade when in public and then still obsess over that image when in private. Again, this poem speaks about men and the pressures which modern patriarchal society puts on them. Nevertheless, even women can relate to this issue. After all, we have been forced to maintain a specific public image as well.

Because they’re only about a page long each—around 74 pages overall—this collection can be a quick read. Nevertheless, I recommend taking your time with it. I actually suggest doing that with all poetry as you can miss out on hidden layers to the poems if you read through them too quickly. With The Long Body That Connects Us All, you’ll also want to take the time to make sure that you know all of the terms Marcello uses. In general, the poems utilize plain language. Still, I had to look up a few words such as “aether” and “cenotaph”.

All in all, I really enjoyed The Long Body That Connects Us All by Rich Marcello. It has echoes of The Beauty of the Fall, both in its poetic voice and its themes. I like Marcello’s prose a little more, but that’s probably just a personal bias since I usually prefer prose anyway. Men will find this collection both entertaining and enlightening, and every reader will find it endearing, beautiful, and timeless.

You can buy The Long Body That Connects Us All by Rich Marcello as an eBook and in print on Amazon. Also be sure to check out Marcello’s website and Instagram account.

Do you know of a book 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 arrange something.

 

Happy Sunday, folks! Well, technically (at least only “technically” in my neck of the woods). Let’s start off the day with another review, a book that’s drastically different from the last few I’ve reviewed but still completely worth a read. In this post, I’m reviewing Cursed!: My Devastatingly Brilliant Campaign to Save the Chigg by Idabel Allen.

Ginny’s about to start high school, an uneasy time in any boy’s or girl’s life. Unfortunately, that’s not the worst of Ginny’s problems: her beloved grandfather died the previous summer, the parents of two of her closest friends are keeping them away from her as a “bad influence,” and she’s lost her best friend. The icing on this “blucky” cake? Mr. Lan, her grandfather’s war buddy, has insisted on continuing his annual visit even after her grandfather’s death, and she has had to forfeit her room as a result. Not the best way for her to start this new phase in her young life.

With all of this turmoil, she needs to talk to someone about it. The closest available ear: Mr. Lan. And so Ginny begins to tell him the story of how she made and lost the best friend she could have ever had. Over the following 254 pages, a story of mystery, intrigue, curses, and friendship unfolds as Ginny and her new friend, nicknamed Chigger, seek out the truth of Chigger’s dark family history and what locals have dubbed the “Larson Curse.” Is there really a curse on Chigger and her family? What is the real story of her ancestors? And, most pressingly, how could a wonderful, vibrant girl like Ginny possibly lose her best friend?

Allen has created a gripping young adult novel reminiscent of Holes but with female (and, arguably, more entertaining) protagonists. She weaves layer upon layer of parallel narratives to convey her lessons of misunderstanding, cyclical mistakes, love, and friendship. The emotions are very raw and very real; I felt for Ginny in everything that she lost as well as for Chigger in her fear of the world and initial annoyance towards Ginny. I think that any young adult—any reader old enough to handle some of the darker scenes and violence, actually—will find something to relate to in these characters.

Perhaps the best thing about this novel is that it’s both compelling and hilarious. While not a quick read, I found myself turning page after page on my Kindle reader, desperate to discover the truth and see the ups and downs of Ginny and Chigger’s friendship. (I might be a little biased, though, because I love a good mystery. Then again, that means that Allen has created a good mystery!) The humor in Ginny’s rather delusional narration—delusional in a typical, hyper teenaged girl’s way—balanced the book nicely, making the tension more palatable.

Of course, at times I found Ginny’s goofiness over-the-top. I often agreed with Chigger—can’t Ginny take anything seriously for five minutes? However, Ginny does mature some thanks to her friendship with Chigger. Her core remains the same, but she at least tries to put Chigger first and understand her friend’s feelings. By the end of the book, Ginny’s still incredibly goofy, but it’s endearing and she has grown some.

The frame device of telling Mr. Lan the story is genius, especially as it begins to take a plot of its own. I can’t say anything else because of spoilers. Still, I can say that the dynamic between Ginny and Mr. Lan is both humorous and sweet. They might act as though they don’t like each other but, like any good frenemies, they care about each other even as they get under each other’s skin. And sometimes, loss and heartache can be a powerful bonding agent between two stubborn souls.

On top of the engaging plot and excellent character development, Allen adds in some of that good ol’ Southern charm to the mix. I’ve never been to a small town in Alabama before—or Alabama at all—but Allen’s descriptions through Ginny’s eyes made the whole situation feel very familiar. I should note that I did grow up in a small town in Northern California, so that may have helped me to build a stronger connection with the location than some city dweller would. Regardless, Allen describes Locust Fork in just enough detail that readers can imagine it without overwhelmingly them with paragraph upon paragraph about Main Street. Those illustrations combined with Southern terminology and sayings gives this narrative a Southern feel without driving it into the ground.

I came across a few proofreading errors. However, these errors were incredibly minor, a missing article here or there. Therefore, they did not detract from my reading experience or the quality of the writing.

Overall, Cursed! by Idabel Allen is a well-written, compelling YA mystery novel. It’s not just about the mystery of a small town’s dirty secret; it’s about human lives as real as yours and mine, and a girl struggling to become a young woman and cement new, lasting relationships. The ending is rather bittersweet, which won’t sit right with people who prefer books with straight-up happy endings. Nevertheless, readers who like books with realistically complex endings that aren’t entirely bleak will find this ending very satisfying. I think that young adult outcasts will especially enjoy Cursed! After all, everyone likes reassurance that being unique does not mean you’re evil or cursed.

You can buy Cursed! by Idabel Allen as an eBook or in print on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To learn more about the author and her other works, be sure to check out her website, Facebook, and Twitter page.

Do you know of a book 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 arrange something.

 

Trigger Warning: The book reviewed in this book, The Amazon Legacy: Gods & Queens by Zenay Bekele Ben-Yochanan, contains illusions to and depictions or sexual situations, including a brief depiction of rape. If you are triggered by such depictions or otherwise wish to avoid them, proceed with caution.

Happy Saturday, everyone! I have a special treat for you today. As you’ve probably figured out by now, I’m a huge nerd when it comes to Greek and Roman mythology. In this post, I want to turn that obsession to a unique, untold story of Greek Gods and their mortal offspring by reviewing The Amazon Legacy: Gods & Queens by Zenay Bekele Ben-Yochanan.

Hera and Zeus are a passionate couple, but with passion often comes fiery tempers. You don’t want to get between them when these two hot-blooded gods get into a disagreement. Unfortunately for Elektra, Queen of the Amazons, that’s exactly what has happened to her. When Hera and Zeus enter a bet about the nature of the male-female relationship, Elektra proves to be nothing but a pawn—and collateral damage. But what would happen if this innocent bet led to the expulsion of the Queen of the Amazons and the rise of two fierce warriors in her absence? What will become of the mighty Amazons? The world? Most importantly, what could the Fates have in store for these powerful outcasts?

Ben-Yochanan weaves a narrative which is simultaneously familiar and refreshing in this gripping tale of love, loss, and trials. I could easily locate myself within the world of Greek Gods, Amazons, and ancient royalty. Despite the fantastical nature of the story, I never once had a problem suspending my disbelief, the sign of both excellent writing and excellent research into the setting. Yet Ben-Yochanan also puts new twists on the old myths and tropes to which we’ve become accustomed.

Perhaps, in my opinion, the best twist which Ben-Yochanan puts on these tropes is the fleshing out of familiar characters. I’m not afraid to say I’m no fan of Hera. I’ve always empathized with her because of her husband’s infidelities and carelessness, but I’ve also hated her for punishing women and children for her husband’s horrific deeds. She’s up to these same tricks in The Amazon Legacy, but there’s a strength and almost tenderness to her which I could never sense in other incarnations of Greek mythology. If future installments can get me to like Aphrodite as well (not the Disney version), I will know that Ben-Yochanan is a masterful wordsmith.

Most of the characters in this novel are both likeable and unlikable. Some characters are, as can be expected, a little more one-dimensional than others. At least one more major character, in fact, I can only describe as demented and evil, but I’ll stop there for fear of spoilers. Even the protagonists—rival warriors Teigra and Thea—are neither entirely likeable nor entirely despicable. Teigra comes across as strong, powerful, independent, and, sometimes, even compassionate. Still, everything she’s gone through has also left her callous and scarred, which leads her to make some decisions which I might label selfish if I didn’t know how hurt she was. Like Teigra, Thea is headstrong, stubborn, and a troublemaker, arguably to a fault. She is also kind and loving, courageous and capable of great good. Neither girl is perfect, nor are most of the characters, and it’s these flawed-but-real characters which I really like about this book.

The Amazon Legacy contains some sexual situations. Honestly, because this book deals with Greek myths, it would be weird if it didn’t. However, Ben-Yochanan handles these scenes with taste and discretion. They are not too detailed, just enough to stimulate the reader, either inciting excitement or raising despair. Better yet—at least, what I appreciate more—is that Ben-Yochanan includes homosexual relationships as well as heterosexual ones. The practice was relatively prominent in Ancient Greece, so the inclusion of it in The Amazon Legacy is not only more inclusive than even modern novels but also reflects a well-known aspect of that society.

Normally in this part of the review, I add an “unfortunately” and discuss some flaws in the book. I’m racking my brain here, but I can’t really think of any major flaws. Two possible deterrents for some readers are the size and complexity of the narrative. At around 360 pages, it isn’t exactly a light read. Ben-Yochanan also weaves many plot elements into this story, even plot lines which slowly merge with Teigra’s and Thea’s adventures. Such length and complexity might be a little much for some readers, especially those who are just looking for a fun, quick, fantastical read. Regardless, those looking for a deeper read with real characters and in-depth plots will be able to soldier on with few or no regrets.

Overall, I’m pretty excited about The Amazon Legacy by Zenay Bekele Ben-Yochanan. (I might be a bit biased because of the subject matter, though.) The story is gripping, the writing caught my attention right from the start, and the characters are wonderfully three-dimensional and relatable. Ben-Yochanan had me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see how this stage in Teigra’s and Thea’s lives would end, and I can’t wait to see where they are taken next. Fantasy and myth fans won’t want to miss it.

You can buy The Amazon Legacy by Zenay Bekele Ben-Yochanan as an eBook or in print on Amazon. Also make sure to check out the book’s official website, as well as the author’s Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages.

Do you know of any books 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 arrange something.