RebeccasReads

On the Glory Road with God and His Angels

Mary Brown
BookSurge Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9781419686580
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (7/08)

When Mary Margaret Brown was approximately nine years old, she lost her Grandmother Brown, to whom she was very close.  Her grandmother had helped fuel Mary Margaret’s spirituality and they had shared many moments rocking in a chair and singing old hymns.  Once her grandmother passed, she was left with a feeling of emptiness inside. She immersed herself in reading everything that she could get her hands on about the Lord.  Even in school at recess time, instead of going outside to play, she chose to stay in and read the Bible.  

As she was walking home from school one day she had her first vision of the Lord.  “He appeared to be a spirit and was about 15 to 18 inches off the ground.  It seemed that I could see through Him.  He wore red, black and white shepherd’s clothes (like the coat in the movie of Moses) and held a staff in his hand … He had long wavy dark brown hair down to His shoulders or longer.  He also had a beard, and He stood about 6 feet tall, even though He did not touch the ground.  What was so striking about Him was his blue-green eyes in His olive skin.  They were pools of liquid love and compassion.” (p.18)

In this, and in subsequent meetings with the Lord, Mary Margaret learns that she is to be an instrumental part in communicating the word of God, in fact she claims that God specifically instructed her to write this book.  He told her that there is currently an “angel craze” and that he wants her to convey to people the message that angels are “sent to minister to all believers, not to be worshipped.” (p. 2)  He also tells her that she has seen more angels than anyone else in this world and encourages her to share her experiences.

Brown’s book is definitely interesting and attention-grabbing.  Her story is very unique and I have never read anything like it before.  Although the language used in her autobiographical account is very straight-forward and easy to understand, there are some instances where the stories do bounce around and there is also a little bit of repetition that should have been edited out.  The repetition, at times, can make her account not flow as smoothly as it should.  For instance, on page 31 the first full paragraph starts with “It was not until I got to the dance that I learned that Harry’s roommate was a man that had tried to date me years before, and he was acting as the bartender.”  Then, in the third paragraph down on the same page, the first sentence is ”When we arrived at the dance, I noticed that this man who had tried to date me when I first came to town was acting as the bartender, and learned that he was Harry’s roommate.” 

Mary Margaret Brown is a very spiritual person and besides this book she shares the Word of God as a minister and as the President of the Standing in the Gap ministry.  I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read an autobiographical account of one woman’s spiritual journey and to those interested in the subject of angels and their purpose.   Although the writing can be a bit unorganized at times, the story is an interesting one to read.                   

The Heretic

Andrew Feder
AuthorHouse (2007)
ISBN 9781434330543
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (7/08)

“The Heretic” by Andrew Feder is the sequel to Feder’s first novel “When The Angels Have Risen.”  Having not read the first book, I was concerned that I would be lost when I started reading this one.  My fears were definitely unwarranted as “The Heretic” works extremely well as a stand-alone novel.  There was never a point when I was reading it that I experienced any confusion at all.  However, I enjoyed the writing a lot and will most likely go back and read the first book anyway!

The book begins with Jerry Fletcher waking up from a dream that is all too common to him, one where he has taken on the role of a prominent historical figure.  After meeting up with an ex-girlfriend in a museum, Jerry takes her advice and seeks the guidance of a psychic named Yonah in an attempt to make sense of these dreams and to learn about his past lives.  Yonah performs a regression on him and he is taken back through various periods of history like the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the Middle Ages. 

He continues on until he finally stops in Ancient Greece.  In this life he is Aias, wife of Nefertiri, and father of Jason and Lysia.  One day his children’s friends were admiring Aias’ sword, shield and armor, and Aias proceeds to tell them the story of his days with his good friend Alexander the Great.  The rest of the book is a continuation of the battles and adventures of Alexander and Aias, dubbed the Heretic by Aristotle, because of his lack of belief in the Greek gods.  Aias also claims that he is different than the typical Greek male of this period in that he is a heterosexual whereas most of the others practiced homosexuality. 

Feder’s work of historical fiction is very creative and really held my interest.  The fact that the novel is written in contemporary language made the book an easy read even though it may have detracted from providing an air of authenticity of the era.  I would also like to add that the author does use a lot of profanity in the book, even when we are transported back to Ancient Greece.  There is a note at the beginning of the book warning readers of this fact, so if this type of writing offends you then you may want to skip the book.  However, the writing is very unique and entertaining and I think that anyone who enjoys historical fiction should definitely give Feder’s writing a try!      

Dark Side of the Supernatural: What Is of God and What Isn't

Bill Myers and Dave Wimbish
Zondervan/Youth Specialties (2008)
ISBN 9780310279242
Reviewed by LuAnn Morgan for RebeccasReads (7/08)

Young people often question their lives and think there should be more answers readily available to them. That is one reason why the occult often holds a certain fascination for them.  Bill Myers, a youth worker and writer/director, along with Dave Wimbish, creative supervisor for Russ Reid Company, have joined forces to teach troubled teens what is of God … and what isn’t.

The two authors delve into a variety of supernatural beliefs and compare them to what the Bible has to say. They look at both good and bad angels, demons, Satanism, UFOs, communication with the dead, ghosts, near-death experiences, reincarnation, Wicca and witchcraft, vampires and fantasy games. They also touch on such topics as channeling, astrology, astral projection, yoga, meditation, crystal power, ESP and universalism.
Myers and Wimbish never say these beliefs don’t exist. In fact, they demonstrate they are very real, yet what is the actual foundation of the beliefs?

The authors use God’s Word to answer that very question. Passages in the Bible come to life as they cite how Jesus’ followers often came face-to-face with these same beliefs and found the true path through the Savior.  These beliefs are not new; they date back centuries – to the beginning of life on Earth when Satan first tempted Adam and Eve with his mystical powers. Satan, the bad angels and demons have tried to run roughshod over mankind for eons. They are, after all, enemies of man because of their hatred for good and love of evil.

“The Dark Side of the Supernatural” is written for teens, but it is a book that parents should also read in order to understand the forces that attempt to capture their children. Armed with the information provided by Myers and Wimbish, parents have a better chance of helping their children avoid the pitfalls of these beliefs and falling under their spells. 

Not only do the authors give us the answers to where these beliefs stem from, they also provide the reader with an excellent education on the background and history of supernatural entrapments.  Myers and Wimbish don’t leave the reader hanging, either. The final chapter offers suggestions on how to protect oneself against the supernatural forces by explaining why people are drawn to the occult and how to avoid the temptations.

The book is very informative and easy to read. I personally learned quite a bit from reading it. In some cases, the book made me want to get out my own Bible and read the chapters where the passages the authors cite are found.  It’s an excellent resource and a fascinating read.

Vicious Circle

Mike Carey
Grand Central Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9780446580311
Reviewed by Gina Holland for RebeccasReads (6/08)

Mike Carey is the author of The Devil You Know. I have not read that book as of yet, and I don’t know if I will. That’s the honest truth. In this novel is the story of Felix Castor, a well-known friend of many, and an exorcist. Felix does some work with the cops, and for him it’s a way to make some extra money. Felix has quite a few friends and enemies in this novel. He has a friend named Rafi, who is possessed by a demon. This was the result of an exorcism gone wrong one night by Felix. Instead of Felix getting the demon to come out of Rafi, he somehow entwined the two souls together. Not good for his friend Rafi, as you will see. He has a friend from hell by the name of Juliet. Juliet is a succubus, Ajulutsikael, who was supposed to be hunting Felix, destroy him, and then eat his soul. Somehow, Felix and Juliet came to some kind of agreement. I am not sure how that happened, as I don’t remember it in the book. She doesn’t seem to want to eat Felix anymore. Strange friends indeed!

Felix gets a call. It’s a call that he takes seriously; two people who claim to truly love their daughter allege that her spirit has been stolen. They are willing to pay anything to get her back, and so they hire Felix to find her for them. It turns out to be such a twisted tale, that I found myself lost more than once. The only part that I found truly interesting was the end.

“Vicious Circle” is exactly what it sounds like. I found that this novel was going around in circles so much it was hard to keep up. The plot of the story was fascinating, but I feel as though the book overly long and the storyline was stretched out too far.  I loved the character of Felix, he was very humorous and exciting, but his adventure was somewhat boring at times.

Of course, this is only one opinion and it is mine. Some of you may love this novel. It is filled with demons and ghosts and funny looking creatures that may fascinate you. Felix Castor will definitely capture your attention. I would not recommend this book for anyone underage, as it has a great deal of profanity in it; I suppose that goes along with the demons from hell.

The Safety of Secrets

Delauné Michel
Avon: An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN 9780060817367
Reviewed by Lisa Heidle for RebeccasReads (7/08)

In “The Safety of Secrets” by Delauné Michel, we meet Fiona, a working actor in Hollywood, who is married and expecting her first child. Although this should be an exciting time, her closest friendship is unraveling and her marriage is strained. She has spent much of her life holding a life-altering incident from her childhood so close that nothing can penetrate, showing the malignant effects of secrets and how they contaminate all that we love and desire most. 

She and Patricia, her childhood friend, were drawn together out of a shared understanding of what it’s like to be unseen, not considered. Both become actors in order to gain the acceptance they never had as children, a natural progression for two unwanted women who learned to play roles and wear masks at a young age. The experience they shared and chose to lock away has bound them together, more out of necessity than devotion. Due to their troubled early lives, neither Fiona nor Patricia learned how to separate from one another and create boundaries as they moved into adulthood; the interactions between them and others are juvenile at best. When Fiona shares the news with her husband that they are going to have a baby, he asks that she postpone sharing the news until the pregnancy progresses. Having already told Patricia, Fiona has “…a sudden impulse to cross my fingers behind my back.” She justifies the telling to herself by saying, “And she’s my best friend, for Christ’s sake. Telling her is like telling myself.”

Michel uses Fiona’s progressing pregnancy in parallel to the disintegrating relationship between the two women. As the burden of concealment builds in them both, communication turns into competition and devotion turns into animosity until the pain and resentment is palpable. They skirt around the secret they share, unwilling to delve into the pain from the past. The author also refers to acting approaches to mirror Fiona’s interpersonal relationships, reinforcing the belief that all is not what it seems with the struggling character. After a difficult encounter with Patricia, Fiona muses, “I want to slap her. And rewind this to the beginning when she walked in to see if we could do a better take, like happy best friends. Like that acting technique of working from the outside in: do the physical and the emotions will follow. Not that I ever believed in that technique, but maybe it could work this time.”

When Patricia divulges their shared history on national television, Fiona is forced to question what occurred so many years before and to explore the difference between secrets and privacy. Delauné Michel’s “The Safety of Secrets” shows that safety is only an opaque illusion if it does not reside within the truth.

The Six-Figure Speaker: Formula for a Six-Figure Income As a Professional Speaker

Cathleen Fillmore
Robert Reed Publishers
ISBN 9781931741927
Reviewed by Dr. Michael Philliber for RebeccasReads (7/08)

The mechanics of becoming a successful Professional Speaker can be a bit daunting. Cathleen Fillmore has laid out an easy-to-follow set of plans to profitably negotiate those mechanics in her 166 page paperback titled “The Six-Figure Speaker: Formula for a Six-Figure Income as a Professional Speaker.” In this book Fillmore assumes the reader has already mastered the ability to speak in public, and focuses her energies on how to break into the professional speaker market.

The practicality of “The Six-Figure Speaker” begins at page 1 and flows all the way to the end. Several chapters lay out various game plans for generating speaking engagements. Other chapters explain the ins and outs of speaker bureaus and agents. Some tackle the pros and cons of bringing on staff members, and when it might be unnecessary and when productive. A couple of chapters lay out ideas on how to divide your time between speech preparation, presentation and generating leads. Other topics cover building websites, what to look for in contracts, and how to be a long-term winner with speaker bureaus and program organizers. Fillmore also includes chapters that are written by flourishing professional speakers who describe their own methods of achievement.

Though the material sometimes gets a bit monotonous, some themes are repeated in several chapters, overall this is a great how-to book on becoming a winning certified speaker. If you’re looking for ideas on how to break into the speaker market, succeed and come through it alive and thriving then “The Six-Figure Speaker” is the book for you.

Girls In Trucks

Katie Crouch
Little, Brown and Company (2008)
ISBN 9780316002110
Reviewed by Gina Holland for RebeccasReads (7/08)

“Girls In Trucks” is about Sarah Walters, a girl growing up in a family of Camellia Society Debutants. As a member, she is expected to be prim and proper: a young lady. She tries very hard. She makes a few friends, and they are expected to stay friends for life. So be it. Sarah grows up about as normal as other girls her age, whatever normal is. She takes us step by step inside her life of pain, love, tragedy, and etcetera.

Sarah loves her mom and dad dearly. She adores her sister even though her sister is always bossing her around. Sarah grows up a lot different then her sister, even though they come from the same household. She gets into things that are really not good for her, including men. She has many different relationships. In one of her relationships with a man named Max, she is very happy, and loves him very much. Until the day he decides to bring another woman home in their bed. Sarah walks out, because she’s had enough, but does she return? Or does she move on to other things, other men, other hurtful situations? By the time Sarah is thirty, she’s still not married. When is she going to find the right man? She has one unexpected thing in her life that she loves dearly.

This novel brought me back through the memories of my childhood. It reminded me of the things that I went through growing up. When an author writes a book like this one, I believe that they have some of their own childhood memories mixed in, too! That is a good thing. I love the fact that when I read something, I can relate to a lot of the things that the other person is going through. Sarah Walters is a wonderful character. I really enjoyed her. Another good character was her sister. I have known a lot of sister’s like Sarah’s. Always teasing their younger sister, making the little sister does things for her. It’s all a part of growing up and the love of sisters. I loved this book because it did take me back to my younger days. Something I very seldom think about now.

Katie Crouch did a wonderful job in capturing Sarah’s childhood. The ending is good, however, it is my opinion that the ending should have been very different. I was really not expecting it to end the way it did.

The ABC's of Effective Leadership: Managing from the Heart (Gotta Minute?)

Tom Massey, Ph.D.
Robert D. Reed Publishers (2002)
ISBN 9781885003775
Reviewed by Dr. Michael Philliber for RebeccasReads (7/08)

To read a leadership book takes a lot of grit and guts. Many times they’re difficult to fathom because real leadership can be truly complicated. Or they’re cheerleading sessions marginally in touch with reality. Tom Massey has culled some basic principles of good leadership and piled them into a short 52 Chapter, 105 page book, “The ABC’s of Effective Leadership; Managing from the Heart.” Each chapter is short enough to get through at the beginning of a very busy day, yet substantial enough to give the leader something valuable to work through. Each chapter ends with a short, ‘Application’ section and a one-line positive affirmation.

Massey covers numerous subjects in a friendly, coaching style. Each chapter sticks to the point, and builds momentum toward the normally thoughtful conclusion. The topics cover loads of subject matter; for example, training, managing by mingling, how to valuably utilize time, delegation, conflict management, and how to keep your best people. For many readers these short chapters will be simple leadership reminders, for others they will be thought-starters toward better management.

On top of covering a breadth of helpful themes, “The ABC’s of Effective Leadership’ is also a quite useable manual. There’s rarely any pie-in-the-sky dreamy idealism. Instead, most of the chapters cover real issues with workable conclusions. Recently I was doing some marriage counseling with a young couple. They couldn’t seem to go a week without experiencing some argument that ended in tears, frustration, and complete communication shutdown. As they sat in front of me I gave them copies of Chapter 26 “Manage Conflict Creatively: Stay Cool and Think Win-Win.” After reading the slightly humorous story at the beginning of then chapter, we walked through Dr. Massey’s step-by-step application. They left with a useable game plan in their hand.

This book could be useful for corporate leadership team discussion starters. It can also be helpful for a one-woman small business leader who has hit a wall. Whether you’re leading a large company, or a small not-for-profit agency, this book has plenty to give and abundant ideas for managing from the heart. For a short, succinct, practicable handbook on sound leadership, I recommend Tom Massey’s “The ABC’s of Effective Leadership.”

Unholy Domain

Dan Ronco
Kunati Inc. (2008)
ISBN 9781601640215
Reviewed by Dr. Michael Philliber for RebeccasReads (7/08)

"Prognosticating Fiction"

The world of 2022 is limping along ten years after the computer virus PeaceMaker crashed the Internet, facilitated the starvation and death of thousands, and neutralized the Government’s ability to function. Technology is still progressing, advancing artificial intelligence and rebuilding the Internet, but mainly through the black market. Yet unbeknown to many, the wheels are about to come off. That’s the story in the techno-fiction “Unholy Domain” penned by author Dan Ronco. In this adult-level book Ronco tells the story of what might be, based on his years of working inside the computer development community.

In “Unholy Domain” Ronco pictures two major forces pitted against each other. The Domain, under the guidance of the megalomaniac Diane Morgan, seeks to gain control of the world by saturating the society with very human-like robots that can ultimately be controlled by the Domain. But Morgan’s greatest desire is to advance artificial intelligence by means of techno-evolution. The Domain’s nemesis is The Church of Natural Humans, headed up by the fanatical First Minister Adam Jordan, and his terroristic Army of God. The hostility between the Domain and the Army of God intensifies with each chapter, coming to an explosive head at the Domain’s compound, and a not-so-surprising conclusion.

There are several strengths to Ronco’s book “Unholy Domain” that will please many readers, especially the more technologically inclined. The advancement of very human-like ‘Sarah’ robots, a communications Command Chip planted in the ear, virtual reality technology which projects images directly in the eye’s retina, and the merger of artificial and human intelligence that promises to lead to the supposed next stage of human evolution.

On the other hand, the author struggles to build a seamless story causing the reader to feel as if they’re on a bumpy literary road. There are also unhelpful scenes of sexual trysts and an unfortunate rape scene, none of which adds to the story, but in fact distracts. And finally, there are negative connotations toward religious groups that aren’t on board with techno-evolution.

Overall, if you’re looking for a storied presentation of the technical possibilities of the future, along with the potential conflicts, you may find Ronco’s book an interesting reading adventure.

Henry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage: An Unauthorized Harry Potter Parody

Valerie Estelle Frankel
WingSpan Press (2008)
ISBN 9781595942418
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (7/08)

As you can probably discern from the title of the book, “Henry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage,” is a spoof on author J. K. Rowling’s ever-popular Harry Potter series of books.  Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, “Henry Potty and the Pet Rock,” this newest book by Valerie Estelle Frankel, chronicles more creative adventures of Henry Potty.  In this book, Lord Revolting has divided his soul up into seven Plot Devices and it is up to Henry Potter to find and destroy them.  There are many challenges to overcome and creatures to defeat like mimes, extremists, and even the Tooth Fairy.  Will he be able to destroy the Plot Devices in time or will he be defeated by a paper shortage?

 “Henry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage” is a silly, hilarious book that is perfect to read when you want to take a break from reality.  Travel to Frankel’s fantasy world, which is full of outrageous characters and funny story lines, and be prepared for a wild ride!  Even with loads of wacky characters and crazy situations the plot flows very smoothly.  This relatively short book, at 169 pages, flies by and I read it from cover to cover in one afternoon.  It is a perfect summer read and is a great book to take to the beach.  However, be prepared for questions if you read the book in a public place!  At least three times I got asked, “Does that say ‘Henry Potty’ on the cover?”     

The book is very creative and the plays on the original Harry Potter series, as well as on other fairy tales and fantasy characters, are ingenious!  I have only read a couple of the books in the Harry Potter series and think that if you are an avid fan you will completely appreciate this parody of the series and will understand all of the humor.  Even if you can’t stand the original Harry Potter books, I think that you will enjoy this book because of the way it pokes fun at the series.  You definitely can’t go wrong in choosing Frankel’s newest parody!

Pennywise

Jill Brock
BookSurge Publishing (2007)
ISBN 9781419659362
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (7/08)

Odessa Wilkes has recently lost her job as the project head of a high-powered ad agency in New York City, and has been dumped by her boyfriend of two years.  As a result she is now working with her sister, Candace, in their family’s restaurant, the Blue Moon, as the dessert chef and bookkeeper.  As she is going over receipts in the restaurant one day, in storms her best friend Maggie Swift.  Maggie and Odessa are complete opposites.  Odessa is “a tall, lanky African-American, the color of creamed coffee” who loves shopping for designer clothes and eating at trendy restaurants.  Maggie, on the other hand, is “a pretty redheaded, alabaster skinned, five foot four diminutive housewife of Scottish-Polish descent” who shops at Wal-Mart, is on the PTA, and eats out at Burger King. 

The reason for Maggie’s visit to the restaurant is that her husband Roger is missing, and Maggie believes he is having an affair.  She wants to enlist Odessa’s help in an attempt to figure out what is going on.  Aided by the guidance of “Private Investigating for Dummies”, the duo embarks on a humorous journey to find Maggie’s missing husband.

“Pennywise” is a fun adventure and is the perfect book to bring to the beach or to read by the pool.  The plot is light and engaging and the book is a very fast read.  It is one of those books that are extremely difficult to put down.  The novel is so hilarious that you will be laughing out loud!  Jill Brock is also very skilled at writing descriptive passages as you can see from the examples provided above.  I can picture every character and setting so vividly in my mind, it’s almost as if I am watching the story unfold on TV.         

Brock’s style of writing reminds me so much of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels, so if you enjoy Evanovich’s writing I highly recommend giving Brock a try!  She is a very talented writer and you will not be disappointed.  I eagerly anticipate more from Jill Brock and she is definitely going to be an author to watch for in the future.    

Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids: A Family-Centered Approach to Achieving Optimal Health

Robert S. Gotlin
DiaMedica (2008)
ISBN 9780979356438
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (6/08)

“Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids: A Family-Centered Approach to Achieving Optimal Health” focuses on the premise that fitness starts with the family and offers some practical guidelines to combat the obesity epidemic of today.  “Statistics show that during the past 5 years, the number of people who are severely obese in the general population has quadrupled, and mild obesity has doubled.”  Usually poor habits are developed during childhood and can lead to a lifetime of weight issues.  If we focus on teaching our children how to eat healthy and get them outside to exercise and play we can make major strides in reversing the obesity trend.

The author, Dr. Robert S. Gotlin, hosts a health and fitness show on ESPN radio, is the Director of Orthopedic and Sports Rehabilitation at Beth Israel Medical Center, coaches youth sports teams, is the Team Physician for the Harlem Wizards, and is on the medical team of the U.S. National Women’s Rugby Team.  Therefore, he definitely is qualified to write a book dealing with how to promote good health and physical fitness in the lives of children today. 

The book starts off by offering suggestions on how you and your family can exercise together, and also provides examples of appropriate exercises and sports for different age groups.  There is also a sort of buying guide that lists specific equipment that is needed for different sports and what to look for when buying that equipment.  Tips are provided on how to keep children safe and examples of some common sports injuries are illustrated. 

The last half of the book focuses on healthy eating and provides the reader with meal plans, recipes and tips on how to eat healthy.  I especially liked the detailed menus as they contain practical foods, unlike some of the other menu plans that I have seen in books and magazines that consist of foods that my children would not eat or that I have never heard of.   I also found Appendix B, “Weight/volume equivalents for the major food groups” to be helpful.  The table lists how much of certain foods count as a serving for each food group and I can definitely see myself referring back to that information.

“Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids: A Family-Centered Approach to Achieving Optimal Health” is a useful reference guide full of solid, practical advice.  Getting children started young with healthy nutrition and exercise should help to put them on the right path to become healthy adults.  The book is filled with a lot of different ideas to achieve these goals and to make fitness a whole family affair.  Some of the tips presented in the book I found to be common sense, but overall I think the book would be a wonderful addition to any family’s reference library.  

The Organ Grinder and the Monkey

Sam Moffie
Xlibris (2008)
ISBN 9781436327756
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (7/08)

Sam Moffie’s second novel, “The Organ Grinder and the Monkey”, is unique and takes a look at the lives of three very different protagonists with one common thread linking them.  Although filled with the same crude humor as Moffie’s first book, “Swap”, the writing style of this second novel is very different.  The novel is very complex with intelligent writing and it is definitely not a beach read, as it requires concentration to decipher the stories and to keep the characters straight.  The font in the book is also a little on the smaller side which I also find a little more difficult to read.   

The first character that we are introduced to in the book is Seymour Petrillo from Steubenville, Ohio.  Seymour’s father is gay and also has an obsession with all things Dean Martin.  Growing up, Seymour spent a lot of time with his grandparents and on walks through town his grandfather educated him about the history of Steubenville.  Seymour’s therapist has written a book about things Seymour had done and ended up making big bucks off of him.  After leaving Steubenville, Seymour received a college education and ended up in New York with the goal of becoming a veterinarian.

The second character we meet is Irving Hanhart from Brookline, Massachusetts.  Irving’s Jewish mother and Irish father own a bookstore called Moishe Pipecks, which was a meeting place for radicals.  When he was young, after being separated from his class during a field trip, he received help from a policeman.  From this incident he decided that his career goal in life was to become a New York City policeman. 

The final main player in the novel is Constance Powers from Boardman, Ohio who comes from a wealthy family but has never reaped the benefits of that money.  Her career goal in life is to move to New York City and become a Rockette.  However, upon arriving in the city she finds that in order to survive she needs to dance in a strip-club and does some Off-Broadway work.

All three characters have very intriguing and different lives, and following each of their individual stories is quite interesting.  Moffie has a knack for creative, humorous writing, and his stories will definitely grab your attention.  What I said in my review of Moffie’s first novel, “Swap”, also holds true for “The Organ Grinder and the Monkey.”  If you are easily offended by raw humor and explicit language then this book is not for you.  However, if you enjoy that type of writing, then definitely give “The Organ Grinder and the Monkey” a try! 

Ready for the Defense

Mike Langan
Treble Heart Books/WhoooDoo Mysteries (2008)
ISBN 9781932695700
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (6/08)

Do you enjoy extremely entertaining, somewhat dangerous, and never dull quests for truth?  If so, then you will definitely enjoy Mike Langan’s second novel, “Ready For the Defense.”  In this novel, Langan introduces readers to the character of Hank Fisher, a thirty-two year old, first-year criminal defense lawyer who leads a rather adventurous life.  In the opening pages of the book, Hank is in the courtroom representing his law firm’s cleaning lady Marita in a lawsuit against her brother Jorge.  Throughout the proceedings the judge falls asleep, slews of name-calling ensue, Hank is beat up, and then ends up in jail because his cell phone is ringing when the Judge wakes up (this is one of the Judge’s pet peeves).

If the first chapter is not enough to intrigue you, then let’s fast-forward a few pages to the third chapter where we meet Hank’s boss Mac in person, all six-foot-five, 350 + pounds of him.  Hank is in a limo with Mac on his way to meet with their new client, Senator Victoria Serling.  At this point the only information that they have is that Serling is enlisting the firm’s representation because of a “tax problem.”  Not wanting to talk on her cell phone because of fear of someone tapping into the signal, she requested an in-person meeting.  Upon arriving at Capitol Hill, Mac and Hank are met by Vicky’s husband, Lawrence Marshall, and the Senator herself.  Right after the client explains that they think the case might be more complicated than a simple tax violation, a vehicle comes roaring at them, hits Mac throwing him over the vehicle, clips Hank with the side mirror, causes injuries to the Senator that put her into a coma and also wounds her husband.  Hank jumps into the limo to pursue the attacker but miscalculates a u-turn and crashes.

Vowing to find Mac’s killer while representing Senator Serling, Hank sets out on an action and adventure filled investigation that is more characteristic of “Sherlock Holmes than Oliver Wendell Holmes.”  “Ready for the Defense” has it all: humor, excitement, and intrigue.  The author has a true talent for writing descriptive passages as I could completely visualize in my mind all of the characters and the events taking place.  Langan’s characters are very interesting and well developed.  I enjoyed the main character Hank so much that I would love to see a series centered on him.  My verdict is in; “Ready for the Defense” is a winner!           

Months and Seasons

Christopher Meeks
White Whisker Books (2008)
ISBN 9780615188706
Reviewed by Rachel Durfor for RebeccasReads (6/08)

In high school, I discovered Charles Bukowski, John Fante, and Raymond Carver.  I subsequently realized I was a lover of short story fiction.  As a collection of short stories, Christopher Meeks’s “Months and Seasons” definitely holds its own, and does not disappoint.

Full of complete randomness and quirkiness, ingredients I cherish, the stories in this twelve story collection chronicle the eccentricities of an array of diverse characters, who are dealing with the life thrown at them in the only way actually possible: by dealing with their problems, not escaping them.  At times laugh-out-loud funny, occasionally disturbing, and at other times thought provoking, Meeks is able to convey the feelings and lives of his subjects in an amusing, and intermittently, enigmatic manner. 

One story in particular lingers with me.  It chronicles a character’s descent into madness, and is portrayed with almost frightening descriptivism and feeling.  You can almost see the character change, like watching someone age in fast-forward. 

I appreciated the author’s writing style, and though at first I found it a little similar to Carver, which I actually found comforting, by the end of the book, I felt the style was unique unto Meeks. 

I really enjoyed these stories, and I definitely intend to go back and read the author’s previous works.  I am, beyond doubt, looking forward to reading the rest of “The Brightest Moon of the Century,” a collection of related short stories of which an excerpt is included at the end of this book.

How to Write a Suicide Note: serial essays that saved a woman's life

Sherry Quan Lee
Loving Healing Press (2008)
ISBN 9781932690637
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (6/08)

“How to Write a Suicide Note- Serial Essays That Saved a Woman’s Life” is Book #2 in the “Reflections of America Series” that “highlights autobiography, fiction, and poetry which express the quest to discover one’s context within modern society.”  Sherry Quan Lee grew up poor, the daughter of a Chinese father and a Black mother.  Although of mixed race, she has usually passed for white, which based on the author’s photo on the back of the book, I can completely see happening.  She also has always married white men, even though she loves women.

It took the author six years to complete the book as she did not follow any hard, fast writing rules.  She started out attempting to write in prose form but the writing was not flowing as she had wished, so she transformed her notes into poetry instead.  The writings in this book are a form of therapy for her.  Expressing her feelings on paper allows her “to name the racist, sexist, classist experiences” that kept pulling her down and made her feel worthless and unloved.   She then proceeds to squash these issues out in the form of suicide notes.

Sherry Quan Lee believes that writing is what saved her life.  In the past, she has attempted suicide in an effort to be acknowledged and loved, but now she writes to live.  Writing about the trauma in her life allows her to examine it, be angry about it, and then, finally, to let it go. Getting these past events written down allows new doors to open for her and allows her a fresh start.

In some ways in reading “How to Write a Suicide Note- Serial Essays That Saved a Woman’s Life,” I almost felt as if I was intruding into a person’s private thoughts and space.  However, I applaud Quan Lee’s intimate, risk-taking venture in writing this book of poetry.  She is a very honest person and does not hold anything back.  Her work is very original and I have never read anything quite like it before.  For these reasons I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry and/or memoirs.    

The Comfort of Home for Alzheimer's Disease: A Guide for Caregivers

Maria M. Meyer, Mary S. Mittelman, Cynthia Epstein, and Paula Derr
CareTrust Publications (2007)
ISBN 9780978790301
Reviewed by Mary Durfor for RebeccasReads (6/08)

“The Comfort of Home for Alzheimer’s Disease, A Guide for Caregivers” is an excellent reference book for anyone who is involved in the care of an Alzheimer’s patient. The book is well organized, clearly written, with some very simple and effective forms that can be copied and used to ensure that all caregivers have the essential information they need to provide competent care. The authors emphasize the need for the caregivers to obtain support for themselves, and give practical advice about where to go and who to contact for assistance.

The book is divided into three sections. Part One: Getting Ready gives the background about the disease so the reader has a foundation of understanding. This section deals with the physical changes and mental challenges that the typical Alzheimer’s patient will go through. There is concrete, practical advice about how to set up a safe environment for providing care, as well as how to find, screen, and hire additional caregivers to manage the stress and workload for the main caregiver. Information is provided to assist with financial, legal and medical planning. The health care needs of the Alzheimer’s patient are detailed, with tips on how to handle these needs. Part Two: Day-by-Day Living with Alzheimer’s Disease is extremely helpful, with suggestions on following a simple, written plan of activities for a typical day, so all caregivers can keep a similar schedule to minimize disruption for the patient, which is often frightening and confusing to these patients. Caregiver burnout is explored, with a checklist to prompt the caregiver about what some of the signs and symptoms might be. Suggestions for improving communication are clear and practical, and the specifics of exactly how to provide hands-on care are provided. Part Three: Additional Resources gives contact information for the many organizations dedicated to helping Alzheimer’s patients’ caregivers with their daunting task of providing full-time care in this sometimes overwhelming and frustrating disease. A helpful glossary of terms the caregiver will encounter during their journey is provided, and the Index is quite helpful in navigating the book for specific issues.

As a 30-year veteran of the home care industry, I feel that I am qualified to provide meaningful commentary on this particular book. I am a Registered Nurse, with a Master’s degree in Nursing, and I would recommend this book be a part of every library where any healthcare worker or layperson who is involved in the care of Alzheimer’s patients can use it for planning, teaching, monitoring and evaluating the care that they are providing.

Say You're One of Them

Uwem Akpan
Little, Brown and Company (2008)
ISBN 9780316113786
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (6/08)

“Say You’re One of Them” is a collection of short stories written by Uwem Akpan, a Jesuit priest born in Nigeria.  His inspiration to write comes from “the people who sit around my village church to share palm wine after Sunday mass, by the Bible, and by the humor and endurance of the poor.” All proceeds from this book will be going to his religious order, the Jesuits. 

Each of the five stories in the book envisions what life is like for children in different African nations.  For example, in the first short story in the book, “An Ex-Mas Feast”, the tale is told of an eight-year-old Kenyan boy named Jigana, and the lengths his family must go to in order to survive.  When there is no food, Jigana’s mother has the children sniff glue as this act suppresses the children’s appetites until their next meal.  Most of the money that the family has is earned by his twelve-year old sister Maisha who works the streets as a prostitute.  It is heartbreaking to see what these children endure in order to keep their family’s heads above water. 

Some of the language used throughout the book is a little difficult to understand and there were many instances in which I had to reread passages in order to understand what was being said.  Here is an example of Akpan’s writing style taken from the first story: “We shall pay school fees next year.  No more randa-meandering around.  No more chomaring your brain with glue, boy.  You are going back to school!  Did the rain beat you and Baby?” (p.8)  There are quite a few native non–English words and sentences peppered throughout the novel that you can usually decipher based on the context but, in my opinion, somewhat hinder the natural flow of the book. 
 
Although the book is a work of fiction, the stories really make you think and feel for the children of these African countries, as some of these stories are all too close to home for the impoverished among them.  The writing is powerful and will make you think about things in a whole new way.  Akpan is a truly talented writer, and I think that his work is a very important one and will be instrumental in opening the eyes of the world to the plight of these people.     

Forgiveness And Child Abuse: Would You Forgive?

Lois Einhorn Ph.d.
Robert D. Reed Publishers (2006)
ISBN 9781931741699
Reviewed by LuAnn Morgan for RebeccasReads (6/08)

When Lois Einhorn was a child, she endured unspeakable abuse. She was beaten, tortured and sexually assaulted by the two people who were entrusted to nurture and care for her – her parents.  In writing this book, Ms. Einhorn asked a variety of people from all walks of life to read her story and contemplate the answer to the question, “Would you forgive?” The answers she received ran through an entire gamut of alternatives. Some said yes, others said no. Yet, it was the ones who refused to answer or who shared their feelings and left the answer up to her (and the reader) that make up the most crucial responses. These are the opinions that seem to bring the readers closer to the heart of the issue as it forces them to think about what they themselves would do in a similar situation.

The book begins with a brief history of what Einhorn (and her sister) went through as children. The heart-rending tale of the horrors these two little girls lived with day in and day out will make the reader take pause and thank God for the parents he or she had.
Could anything be worse than a child forced to crawl around on all fours for an entire day, while being beaten and gorged with wires and electrocuted? Could anything be worse than being tortured and forced to torture your own sister and kill animals?
The answer, unfortunately, is yes. What is truly worse is to live with the after-effects of growing up in those conditions and then, having to suffer the guilt of taking part in the psychotic schemes of two obviously disturbed adults.

That’s what Einhorn had to come to terms with and it’s the reason behind the book.
The responders include journalists, authors, doctors, trauma experts, psychologists, actors, activists, researchers, educators, politicians, religious leaders and more. They also include men who for one reason or another are serving time in prison for their own crimes against society.

The answers will, at times, make the reader angry, especially when they question Einhorn’s feelings. The fact that she survived and went on to make enormous strides in her life is nothing short of miraculous. She has every reason to be commended for her contributions as an adult to the world we all face daily.

Truly, this book ranks at the top of those contributions. It is a book that will provide solace to those who have faced similar violence and to those who haven’t. They are the ones who need to come to an acceptance and understanding about the suffering many children have to endure.  They are also the ones who can step forward and try to put a stop to that same suffering.

I found “Forgiveness and Child Abuse” nothing short of phenomenal. It’s a wonderfully candid and thoughtful book that takes the reader on a voyage of discovery into a world few are privy to.  This book will stay on my shelf until I meet someone who needs it for their own healing. At that point, I will pass it on.

Underdead

Liz Jasper
Cerridwen Press (2008)
ISBN 9781419956836
Reviewed by Leslie Storey for RebeccasReads (6/08)

“Underdead” is the first book by author Liz Jasper.  She is a former middle school science teacher so the career of the main character is something she knows.

The novel starts off with Jo Gartner, a science teacher, out with her co-workers when they notice a handsome man looking their way.  Co-worker Becky encourages her to go up to him and start a conversation.  Jo doesn’t have that sort of courage but ends up chatting with him thanks to some help by Becky. They end up on the patio outside the restaurant/club talking about books.  The next thing she knows is that Will is biting her neck and this causes her to panic.  Jo is able to get away from him and make her way home but not before passing out in what she thinks is a cab.  It turns out the cabbie is an undercover police officer and Will is a vampire that has just claimed Jo as one of his own, or at least partially. 

It takes awhile for Jo to realize what has happened and she doesn’t take it well, after all who wants to become a vampire?  She has to deal with different food cravings and a bad reaction to the sun.  On top of that, co-workers are dying around her and she becomes the center of discussion among the parents because of rumors are circulating from leprosy to pregnancy.  And then they think she is the one that is killing her co-workers.

Jo solves the mystery with the help of Gavin the undercover police officer but not without a few run-ins with Will and one of his minions, Natasha. 

Overall I thought the book was okay.  This was one of my first paranormal books and it didn’t seem to start off well and was just confusing.  It seemed to be full of clichés about vampires (silver bullets, wooden stakes, an aversion to sunlight) and I was hoping for a bit more.  Perhaps some background before the main character is bitten by the vampire would have been good to give us a better feel for Jo and who she is and what she does.  The book did improve closer to the end. The author’s next book is “Underdead in Denial”.

This book would probably appeal to those that like the paranormal genre and even young adults.