Genre – Page 12 – The Spine View

Coming Back by K. L. Denman

Coming Back by K. L. Denman is a novella about a young woman, Julie, who has been in a horrific car accident. She has no memory of the accident and has been in therapy for over a year. Julie has been diagnosed with PTSD. Her therapist suggests that she get an emotional support animal to help her.

Her therapist was thinking a dog or cat would be the ideal animal; but Julie decides she wants a horse. She had ridden some when she was a young girl and loved the connection she felt with a horse. She is hoping that she will have that again. Also, a horse will force her to leave her home and interact with people.

Julie lays out her plan to her therapist and after some consideration she agrees. She does her research and purchases a lovely young mare she names Scarlett. Julie finds a dressage show barn that she is able to board Scarlett at. She can even take lessons there. Unfortunately, it turns out a show barn is not the right fit for her. She looks for another barn and finds one that does “natural horsemanship”. Yet it turns out to be not as advertised and she soon realizes she has moved from the frying pan to fire.

This book had everything going for it. I especially love stories centered around horses since I have ridden my entire life. The plot was good and the horse related stuff was correct. I know the pace was good because I flew through this book in under a day. Yet, there was something missing for me.

I am struggling to put my feelings into words here. That in itself says something. I think it is because the story did not match the prose. Let me explain further. I felt the writing was too simplistic for an adult or young adult reader. The writing style was best suited for a middle grade reader yet the story, which billed as young adult, had a decided adult theme to it. Therefore, it left me wanting more.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publisher, via Library Thing’s Early Reviewer’s program, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Three Sheets to the Wind: The Nautical Origins of Everyday Expressions by Cynthia Barrett

I loved, Three Sheets to the Wind by Cynthia Barrett. It is now a coffee table book at my lake house. Guests never fail to remark about this book. Everyone is surprised by the numbers of everyday expressions that have a nautical background.

One of my favorites is posh. This little word of luxury came about when wealthy Europeans where traveling to and from the Orient by ship. Without air conditioning a ship quickly got hot and stuffy. Therefore, wealthy individuals would select the more expensive cabins that did not get the sun on the port side of the ship when travel to their destination and starboard side traveling back home. Thus the acronym P.O.S.H. standing for portside out, starboard side home.

There are lots of terms that are just as interesting, too many to mention them all. Each term has the origin, the modern definition and an illustration from literature. In summary, this little gem of a book is quirky, funny, educational and thoroughly entertaining!

If you are fascinated by the origins of our language or are a sailing/nautical enthusiasts this is the book for you. Maybe you are a book nerd like me, then you too will enjoy. It has started many a wordy conversation in my house. Thanks to the author for my free copy.

Writers of the Future Vol. 35 edited by David Farland

Writers of the Future Vol. 35, edited by David Farland, is an anthology of Sci-Fi and Fantasy short stories by up-and-coming new authors. In total there are twelve stories chosen from an international writing contest conducted on a quarterly schedule. Therefore, the top 3 stories from each quarter is what appears in the volume. In addition, this volume contains short stories from established, well-known writers and advice for new writers and illustrators.

The book also contains illustrations for each short story. The illustrations are chosen in the same way as the short stories and I felt were a nice bonus to the book. I also liked that each story was prefaced by a short introduction to both the writer and illustrator. I enjoyed learning about these debut authors and illustrators in the industry.

In an effort at brevity I am going to touch on only two of my favorite stories in this collection. The first story I want to talk about is Release From Service by Rustin Lovewell, illustrated by Emerson Rabbitt. In this Fantasy story, a young man must choose between what he has been trained for most of his life and what he knows is right even though the choice will cost him his life.

What I liked about the story was the character development. I prefer character driven stories over plot driven and this story is a perfect example of how a good author does not need a hundred plus pages to give the reader a character that is relatable. It also helped that the plot was spot on. This story I would rate as five stars.

The next story I want to talk about is a Sci-Fi story, Super-Duper Moon Girl and the Amazing Moon Dawdler written by Wulf Moon and illustrated by Alice Wang. This story actually made me cry. It is about a young girl living on the moon with her parents. She is the sole surviving student of a school bombing that left her unable to breathe on her own. She has an AI unit in the shape of a dog who breathes for her and is her protector. Yet, some times protectors are too good at what they do. This is also a five-star story. Same as the previous story, I loved the character and felt a real connection.

There are other stories that I feel rated five stars or close and some I would give a four too. There was only one I was not crazy about and that was Yellow Submarine. I felt the plot was not very inventive. Yet, the prose was good. I would rate that one as three stars.

As a whole, I was surprised at the quality of the writing and illustrations. There was a big variety in this collection and the stories were, for the most part, first-rate. Therefore, it made me want to read the next story and the next, until the end, which came a bit too quickly for me. I am left with the quandary of how to rate the book overall. As a whole, I would rate this collection as 4 stars, maybe even pushing 4.5.

I highly recommend this anthology to lovers of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. There is something to love in every story and the illustrations were fabulous. I am excited to see what the future holders for these new authors and illustrators and once you read this collection I suspect you will be too.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Not Gonna Write Poems by Michael A. Lee

Not Gonna Write Poems is a whimsical and quirky collection of poems written by Michael A. Lee. The author wrote these poems for his daughter. The collection is truly the perfect introduction to poetry that any child will adore!

In this humorous, and down to earth, collection of poems, the subjects include things like: Homework, Slime, Hair, and the Boogey Monster. All subjects that will no doubt appeal to all discerning young readers. All the poems are no more than a page long; therefore, even the most restless child can enjoy these. There are drawings for kids to accompany all the poems too.

One my favorite poems in this collection was The Gator Waiter. I found myself chucking at the idea of an alligator serving guests their food. Another favorite was King of the Castle. In this poem the King finds out he is not truly in charge, imagine that! I could go on, but in short, this is a funny, whimsical collection for children and I thoroughly enjoyed reading them.

Not Gonna Write Poems will appeal to children of all ages, even those over grown children such as myself. I especially recommend this poetry collection for all adults who like to read to their children. I received a free copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell

This picture book, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, honors the Cherokee way of being grateful for the many blessings received. In a sense, it is a celebration of all things Cherokee. The author, being Cherokee herself, has brought her special brand of insight to the views of her people and how they celebrate throughout the year.

It is beautifully illustrated by Frane` Lessac in the folk art tradition. The colors are vivid, imaginative and want to jump off the page. You can see that special care was given to each scene depicted in order to make this book special.

I liked that the text is in both English and in Cherokee and how the author explained the Cherokee celebrations in such a way that all can understand. There is really not a plot here. It read more like a commentary, which I am not faulting, because it is a picture book after all.

This is a lovely picture book for ages 3 to 8 years that is thoughtfully done. My granddaughter and I have already read it several times and I think this will be one of her favorites. I highly recommend this to all young readers. I received a free copy from the author at BEA in exchange for my honest opinion.

Heart of Barkness by Spencer Quinn

Heart of Barkness by Spencer Quinn is the continuing story of the Little Detective Agency and is book nine in the series (Chet and Bernie mystery). In this quirky and sometimes humorous mystery which is narrated by Chet (who is the canine part of this crime solving duo), Bernie and his loveable assistant Chet attempt to solve the murder of the manager of an aging country singer. It appears to be cut and dry; but as cases go, it turns out to be much more.

The story opens when Bernie and Chet are invited to hear Lotty Pilgrim sing at a dive bar on the outskirts of town. Bernie and Chet, both being fans of country music, decide to leave a generous tip in Lotty’s jar. Lotty never sees the tip because it is quickly stolen right out of the jar under everyone’s nose. Chet quickly runs down the “perp” and Bernie returns it to Lotty only to see it being taken away by her manager.

Bernie senses something is not right here. He decides to make an impromptu visit to Lotty. Before he and Chet know it, they are drawn into the murder case and find that it is rooted deeply in Lotty’s past. Someone is trying to keep her past buried and another murder is not too high a price to silence anyone who digs too deep.

Because I have a no spoiler policy, I am going to remain vague. Instead I would like to talk a little about Chet, my favorite character. Chet gives a running dialogue of observations and information that the reader needs to understand what is going on. So it is not necessary to have read any of the other books in the series. Not only is Chet my favorite, he is spot on in his observation of humans. The author did a great job here.

The plot was a little slow at the beginning and I was wondering just where the story was going. Then bam, the murder happens and Bernie and Chet start working to put the pieces together. The plot picks up and runs along nicely after that. In addition, there were a few things I was not totally sure about until near the end and I enjoyed the suspension. Then Chet wraps it all up nicely for us at the end and he even gets a song written just for him. Awww….

I would definitely categorize this as a cozy mystery and I recommend this to anyone who enjoys them. I also think any dog or animal lover would appreciate the wit and wisdom of Chet. I am looking forward to reading more about this crime solving duo.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The Warehouse by Rob Hart

If you take the worst of mega companies like, Amazon and China’s Alibaba and give them ultimate power you will get The Warehouse. The author, Rob Hart, explores the idea of a dystopian world where one company rules supreme. This story hits so close to home it will make you shudder in horror and give you nightmares.

In the near future, the world is ravaged by global warming, food shortages, lack of clean water and jobs. Amongst this chaos one company rules supreme, Cloud. They tout themselves as nothing short of God. But they have a seedy underbelly that few ever see.

Zinnia has been hired by a wealthy individual, whose identity she does not know, to infiltrate Cloud so they can be exposed. This will be her most difficult job ever and the most lucrative, if she can complete it. Once she gets hired, she immediate starts looking for ways to break through their security. Cloud tracks all its employees, ALL the time, through a watch. The watch must be worn at all times and can only be taken off to recharge. She must figure out a way to take the watch off and not get caught.

The solution lies with Paxton who is already drawn to her. He is in security and knows things that will help her and he can go places she can’t. How can she dupe him? If he knows what is truly going on at Cloud, will he be willing to help her?

The author is obviously drawing parallels between Cloud and Amazon just as The Circle did with Facebook. As the CEO of Cloud says repeatedly throughout the book, the market decided. We as consumers want the cheapest product delivered right to our door yesterday. The company that can do that will be the winner in the end, not the consumer! The scariest thing about this book is, the world Hart imagines I can already see beginning to take shape.

The world building was not extensive because it did not need to be. Yet, what the author described was spot on. It was easy to imagine how bad things could get when control rests with one person. The pace of the story was excellent and it never dragged for one minute. Each reveal was thoughtfully executed so you wanted to reader faster as the story progressed.

The characters were especially well done. Zinnia and Paxton charters were easy to relate to. Though I must say, I did not like the character of Paxton because he was too much of a push over. Yet, I think this is what the author intended. Paxton represents the attitude I see a lot of in America today, that as long as I am doing OK ignore what is happening elsewhere. Don’t rock the boat and stand up for what is right.

I remember, in school, reading The Handmaid’s Tale, 1984 and Animal Farm. The Warehouse falls right into the same niche as those. If you liked them, you need to read this one. In addition, I think this book should be a must read for everyone. Highly, highly recommend!

I received a free copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Fearless Mary by Tami Charles

Fearless Mary by Tami Charles (illustrated by Claire Almon) is a nonfiction early reader about Mary Fields the first African American Woman to drive a stage coach. It is an incredible story about a larger than life figure that helped pave the way for others of color and women in general.

The story tells how Mary Fields, a former slave, hitched horses faster than any man to be awarded the job of stage coach driver. It also gives us a glimpse of what it was like to be a stage coach driver. The daily challenges Mary would have faced and the pride she took in doing her job.

The whole book was thoughtful done. While it is nonfiction mixed with fiction, the story is presented in such a way that all young readers will enjoy. The illustrations are well done and suit the story nicely. I think most young readers will connect with Mary in some way. We need more role models like her today.

I recommend this book to young readers (6 to 10) who are interested in the history of the American West and African American history. The book is appropriate for readers as young as 6; yet, because of the subject matter some older readers may also enjoy. I think it will especially appeal to girls because the story has such a positive message about women and women of color and Mary is such a strong female character that young girls will identify with.

I received a free copy at BEA from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Lumber Jills by Alexandra Davis (illustrated by Katie Hickey)

Lumber Jills by Alexandra Davis (illustrated by Katie Hickey) is an early/beginning reader book about the British women that filled the lumberjacks’ place during WWII. The prose is lyrical in nature and simple enough for a very early reader. Each page is beautifully illustrated and my favorite part of this book.

While I wished the story contained more history, I am not the intended audience. This book is meant to show young girls (target age of 5-7) that they can do anything a boy can do. This is a valuable lesson and one young girls do not hear often enough.

I loved that the book also referenced numbers in several of the passages. When my granddaughter and I read it together, we counted along with the story. I also liked that this book invites the child to ask questions. Because the back page gave a little more history about Lumber Jills, I was able to answer questions that came up. Kudos to the author for giving the adult reader that information.

I recommend this book for an early reader because it shows women in a role other than a princess. I think we have plenty of those kinds of books already. I for one want all young girls to realize they can do anything and their gender should not stop them from fulfilling their dreams. By the way, my granddaughter enjoyed this book!

I received a free copy from the author at BEA in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin

The Last Romantic is a compelling story, told retrospectively, from the view point of the youngest of four siblings. It is a story of the deep binding love shared among siblings, the things that drive them apart and the guilt for not being everything that a sibling needs. In addition, it is a profound look at how even the closest of young siblings can grow apart and how tragedy effects each differently.

The story opens in the distant future when renowned poet Fiona Skinner is doing a reading. She is asked who the inspiration is for the character of Luna in her famous work titled The Love Poem. She begins by telling of the death of her father when she was a young girl and the subsequent “Pause” as she and her siblings call the period in which her mother withdraws into herself leaving the siblings to fend for themselves.

The Pause leaves deep wounds on each of the siblings, some of which never heal. All the children bear these into adulthood and it effects many aspects of their lives. As Fiona further delves into the story and the individual lives of each sibling, she gets closer and closer to Luna; until, the unlikely connect is revealed between them.

The author, Tara Conklin, has a perceptive eye for all the intricacies of relationships and an even better skill at getting those thoughts into words. This made for some prose that is nothing short of outstanding. Despite the plot being rather slow, the book is so thought provoking I did not mind.

I would also like to note, this book is one of the more intimate looks into what makes a family, a family. By the end of the book, I understood the dynamics of the four siblings and how each of their experiences and personalities effected the others. Also, how each used the strength of the others, sometime to the others detriment, as a personal well of power or force with which to face the world.

This book has elements of both Women’s Fiction and Literary Fiction and at times was very introspective. I recommend this book to those readers who enjoy books that are reflective in nature. The author brings up a lot of life issues and because of this it would make an excellent book club selection.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.