Title: Save Send Delete
Author: Danusha V. Goska
Author's Web site link:
http://save-send-delete.blogspot.com/
Genre or category: Memoir
ISBN
ISBN-10: 1846949866
Reviewed by Kincaide originally for Amazon.
Publisher and
reviewer's rating: Five stars
Happened upon this book quite by accident.
A fortuitous one at that.
It's been too long since I've read a non-formulaic,
original work, let
alone one that openly bares the soul of the author and
makes you
respect them for honestly portraying life as filled with shades
of
grey instead of being just black or white. Perhaps it was David
Eggers
"Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" that last moved me this
way.
Ms. Goska's intelligent and eloquent use of the English
language
vividly and realistically conveys a broad range of human
emotions,
including, wonder, inquisitiveness, love, lust, anxiety,
exhilaration,
disappointment, anger, loneliness, fear and hope. Mira, who
represents
Ms. Goska in this story, is the protagonist. She invites us along
on a
private journey of discovery as her act of reaching out to a
stranger,
a famous academic, takes her on a long road of self
exploration,
winding down many paths. Ultimately, breaking from the day to
day
correspondence, the book fast-forwards several years into the
future
with Mira reflecting back on their intense relationship.
Told
in the form of a series of first person emails, we are allowed to
see only
Mira's side of the correspondence with the academic, Lord
Randolph
Court-Wright. In this book, Lord Court-Wright is a famous
atheist. Mira, on
the other hand, is a devoutly Catholic professor,
who lives modestly in
relative obscurity. Although their discussion
initially begins as a heated
debate over the existence of God, it
quickly goes well beyond that, and shows
how individuals relate,
interact, fight, fall in love and seek meaning
through themselves and
through others. Since readers only see only Mira's
correspondence,
Lord Court-Wright is viewed through her reaction to his
emails. Each
passage is time stamped. At the end of each missive are
ubiquitous
"Save Send Delete" choices that modern-day readers used to email
for
daily communication find comfortably familiar. Cleverly, Ms.
Goska
shows hesitation, doubt and clarification through both the time of
the
communication and Mira's choice of whether a particular email
is
saved, sent or deleted.
Ms. Goska inserts one other active
character into the story, Amanda, a
friend from a completely different
background. Amanda is famous in her
own right, but shares a special
connection with Mira. Correspondence
between Amanda and Mira is visible to
the reader, allowing Ms. Goska
to flesh out the Lord Court-Wright character.
When Amanda asks
questions about him, Mira dutifully answers in her own
quirky way -
revealing insight about both Mira and Lord Court-Wright. Since
the
book is ascribed to true events, I assumed while reading it
that
Amanda is a real person. In retrospect, I'm not sure if she is
real,
or whether she is a plot device to more fully embellish the
atheist
Lord Court-Wright, referenced, but otherwise unseen.
Readers
are bound to walk away from this book with many different and
perhaps
conflicting perceptions of the message. I grew up Catholic,
converted to the
Episcopal Church as an adult, and am now agnostic.
The debates over the
existence or non-existence of a supreme deity
mirror the questioning that I
personally struggle with when thinking
about one all-knowing being. Having
never knowingly experienced the
tangible physical manifestation of a divine
force, I don't have the
same perception that Mira describes in her emails
with Lord
Court-Wright. However given the vastness of the universe, I find
it
arrogant to think that there is not some force that had a hand
in
bringing our small little corner of the universe into creation.
Ms.
Goska allows and acknowledges doubt, debating respectfully, but
still
forcefully arguing through Mira, that god exists. There are
moments
when certain passages drag on, belaboring theological points that
that
can be made in a more succinct manner. Ms. Goska can be forgiven
this
infrequent tendency towards elongating certain sections (or perhaps
I
should be chastised for a short attention span) because when viewed as
a
whole, the book is a gem.
The undercurrent of the book is the budding
love story and saga of two
incredibly talented individuals that are
unexpectedly brought
together, and that support, challenge, chide and at
their core, care
for each other. This particularly struck home for me, as I
have also
experienced a deeply moving, intellectual and emotional
relationship
with an unattainable member of the opposite sex. Readers don't
need to
personally experience this however, as the message however of
finding
meaning and purpose by and through interaction with others
is
universal.
"Save, Send, Delete" is a highly intelligent,
thought-provoking book
that keeps the reader engaged and rooting for a happy
ending until the
very last page. Such a richly nuanced portrayal of a deeply
moving,
human story deserves to catapult Ms. Goska out of obscurity and
into
the limelight as one of the most powerfully authentic authors of
our
time.
-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
This blog, #TheNewBookReview, is "new" because it eschews #bookbigotry. It lets readers, reviewers, authors, and publishers expand the exposure of their favorite reviews, FREE. Info for submissions is in the "Send Me Your Fav Book Review" circle icon in the right column below. Find resources to help your career using the mini search engine below. #TheNewBookReview is a multi-award-winning blog including a MastersInEnglish.org recommendation.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
THE Title for Those Suffering from Stress
Living Consciously In An Ego Driven Society
Karen Monteverdi
Genre: Nonfiction: Self-Help/Health and Healing
Genre: Nonfiction: Self-Help/Health and Healing
Submitted by Denise Cassino
I just found
a book that aligns with my thinking and I wanted to share it with
you. There are a few
of books out there that talk about this subject, but none so easy to understand,
and simple to use. In writing Living Consciously
In An Ego Driven Society, Karen Monteverdi, is
offering a shortcut, a possibility… you won’t have to wait years to “get
it”!
A life that
you LOVE living.
A life that
you can’t wait to get into
each day.
A life that
calls forth YOUR unique
expression.
Living
Consciously in an Ego Driven Society is a guide to
understand what that means, how different aspects of “Self” being expressed can
affect our quality of life. When we live in ego, we may create unwanted symptoms
in our mind/body/spirit and emotional body. The
"Ego Driven Society" is a "Stress Full Society!"
What are stress driven illnesses? (According to the AMA & Natural Healing Communities)
Individuals
who have frequent moments of stress and do not take steps to manage their stress
are prone to developing stress induced illnesses. Here are some stress-related
diseases.
Physical
Disorders Related to Stress
•
Coronary
• Heart
disease
• High blood
pressure
• Heart
attack
•
Hypertension
•
Diabetes
•
Ulcers
•
Allergies
•
Asthma
•
Rheumatism, arthritis
•
Colitis
• Chronic
bronchitis
• Sinus
problems
• Sexual
dysfunctions
•
Hyperactivity – Bi-Polar Disorders
• Depression
– Social Disorders including Agoraphobia
•
Suicide
• Violent
anger – Irrational thinking
• Nervous
System & Brain Disorders e.g. PTSD
And here's
the best part, when you buy the book, you can download dozens of similar bonuses
that will help you with your own growth. Enjoy! http://bit.ly/NJBrjT
~Submitted by Denise Cassino, publicist and book marketing specialist. Learn more about her at: www.BestsellerServices.com
www.spiritoftheseasoncatalog.com
www.mybestsellerlaunch.com
Follow her on Twitter @DeniseCassino
Friend her on Facebook Denise.Cassino
-----
www.spiritoftheseasoncatalog.com
www.mybestsellerlaunch.com
Follow her on Twitter @DeniseCassino
Friend her on Facebook Denise.Cassino
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Wisconsin Tale Impresses Reviewer
Legends of the Lake
By Philip Nork
Author's Website: www.PhilipNork.com
Link to buy: www.createspace.com/3742301
ISBN: 978-146804369
Also available for Kindle
Review: Originally posted on www.AngieMangino.com by Angie
Mangino
Rated 4 of 5 stars
In Legends of the Lake, Nork has shared a unique
look at four generations of family in a backdrop of Chicago, and most
especially, a lake in Wisconsin, spanning the years from 1910 into the
1980’s.
Central to the story is Eddie and Connie Kron, the
narrator’s great-grandparents, who bought the cabin by the lake. Readers venture
into this summer cottage from the start, watching it change and develop as the
family grows and changes. The cottage on the lake is the visual constant that
reflects the roots of this family.
In the true definite of legends, the family story
credits Eddie and Connie as the inspiration for many a unique well-known
invention and neighbors with an infamous man. These add a perfect balance of
levity to bring a chuckle to readers, while leaving the rare possibility that
some of it may actually be true.
What is most important, however, and is the true
strength of this work, is the family dynamic. This is a family to which readers
can relate, with real dialogue and characterization that truly brings this
family to life.
Connie’s favorite quote was, “If it makes you
happy, that’s just fine with me.” This reviewer can almost hear her saying that
to readers today who will be happy reading Legends of
the Lake.
About the Author: Phil Nork, author of Misguided Sensitivity, Legends of the Lake, You're Never Alone and coming
soon Life Is a Balance ... It's Not Only About You. www.philipnork.com
Follow him on facebook at www.facebook.com/authorPhilipNork
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Monday, June 18, 2012
Jo Linsdell's Zoo Book Given Five Stars
Title: Out and About at the Zoo
Author: Jo Linsdell
Author's Web site link: www.JoLinsdell.com
Genre or category: Children's picture book- Juvenile Fiction / Stories in Verse
ISBN/EAN13: 1477446591 / 9781477446591
Reviewed by Virginia
L. Jennings originally for Amazon
"Out And About At The Zoo is a cute book that describes a child's
memory filled trip to the zoo. Are you heading to the zoo and you would like to
tell your kids what animals they will see there and what they might be doing?
Then Out And About At The Zoo would be a great choice. Easy to understand and
easy for children to read along with. It is filled with simple yet colorful
pictures that even held my one year old's attention!
Would also make a good gift for young readers who are just beginning to read!"
Would also make a good gift for young readers who are just beginning to read!"
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Honoring Father/Daughter Writing Team Today
Note from Carolyn (your New Book Review blogger): This review is specially posted today to honor fathers and daughters everywhere, but especially father and daughter writing teams. I don't know many of them. Deacon Steve Lumbert and Karina Fabian are father and daughter who came to their faith in different ways. Karina was raised in it, while Steve discovered his calling later in life. Steve is a Deacon and parish administrator in Pueblo, CO. Karina is a writer, military wife, and mother of four.
~ Karina just wants to add that her "dad is everything Elizabeth says and more, and working on the book with him was one of the highlights of her writing career-----
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Title: Why God Matters: How to Recognize Him in Daily Life
Author: Karina Fabian and Deacon Steve Lumbert
Category: Christian, devotionals, spirituality
ISBN: 9780982256534
Available from: Publisher (Tribute Books)
or Amazon or other online dealers
or Amazon or other online dealers
For More Info: http://whygodmatters.com
Reviewed by Elizabeth Weidner originally for A Catholic Mom Climbing the Pillars
Fathers are so cool, they can be the best person in a child's life....or the worse. It's their choice. Much of it depends on their own bringing up, how they interpret the role of parenthood, especially the role of being the father. Fathers balance the family scales with mothers, giving the children in the nest two places to rely on. From the dawn of history, mothers were the nurturers, consolers, and source of gentle loving confidence. Fathers, on the other hand, provided the means to which the family survived, food, money, shelter, and protection from the outside.
Children, therefore, saw in a father the strength of one beyond their own capacity. The automatic dependence was a source of security that only in the strength of the father could a child even think of venturing outside the cocoon of the mother's nest.
The father's dependence on the mother was also a sign of strength to the children. His love and devotion to their mother impressed upon their children that strength is a sign of wisdom when it can bow down to dependence and devotion to another.
In August (2010), at the Catholic Media Network and Catholic Writer's Conference Live event in Philly, I was able to meet just such a father in Deacon Steve. He and his daughter, Karina, wrote a book together sharing their history and growth in their belief and dependence in God. "Why God Matters," is a compilation of experiences and life lessons that both brought them closer together and instilled in them that God is there for them at each and every corner of their lives. Both are a complete delight and without saying a word are beacons of hope for those around them in God. Just by their actions, you can tell they have joy in their hearts and hope on their sleeves. They know God and God knows them.
Meeting them both, I can see that Karina is the person she is because of her father's role in her life. Deacon Steve has truly been a devoted father to both his daughters and completely devoted to their mother. Yes, trials followed him throughout their family life, but it never dimmed their love for God, on the contrary, it strengthened their awareness of His presence.
The stories in their book will make you laugh, cry, and even give you an "Ah ha" moment through their life lessons section following each chapter. I loved the book and went away from reading it with the wide-open message that fatherhood is so imperative to a child's psyche and security. Karina is blessed and Deacon Steve is a blessing.
Children, therefore, saw in a father the strength of one beyond their own capacity. The automatic dependence was a source of security that only in the strength of the father could a child even think of venturing outside the cocoon of the mother's nest.
The father's dependence on the mother was also a sign of strength to the children. His love and devotion to their mother impressed upon their children that strength is a sign of wisdom when it can bow down to dependence and devotion to another.
In August (2010), at the Catholic Media Network and Catholic Writer's Conference Live event in Philly, I was able to meet just such a father in Deacon Steve. He and his daughter, Karina, wrote a book together sharing their history and growth in their belief and dependence in God. "Why God Matters," is a compilation of experiences and life lessons that both brought them closer together and instilled in them that God is there for them at each and every corner of their lives. Both are a complete delight and without saying a word are beacons of hope for those around them in God. Just by their actions, you can tell they have joy in their hearts and hope on their sleeves. They know God and God knows them.
Meeting them both, I can see that Karina is the person she is because of her father's role in her life. Deacon Steve has truly been a devoted father to both his daughters and completely devoted to their mother. Yes, trials followed him throughout their family life, but it never dimmed their love for God, on the contrary, it strengthened their awareness of His presence.
The stories in their book will make you laugh, cry, and even give you an "Ah ha" moment through their life lessons section following each chapter. I loved the book and went away from reading it with the wide-open message that fatherhood is so imperative to a child's psyche and security. Karina is blessed and Deacon Steve is a blessing.
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor. As a courtesy to the author, please tweet and retweet this post using this little green retweet widget :
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Reviewer Lauds Author's Debut Thriller
Title: The Gizeh Scrolls
Author: Charles Yockelson
Author's Web-site Link: http://www.wix.com/charlieyo/gizeh1
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
ISBN: 9781475173451
Reviewed by Eve Anderson originally for Amazon
Reviewer's Rating: 5 stars
Charles Yockelson has produced an excellently crafted storyline of international intrigue mixed with historic content. I was not expecting such a page turner plot and, once started, I could not stop reading the book. His descriptions of historic landmarks in many countries are so well constructed that you feel as if you are walking alongside the book's characters and experiencing the same breezes and seeing the same views as they.
The book was obviously very well researched and the author intertwined fact and fiction so well that the telling of the story could easily be mistaken for nonfiction instead of a novel.
It is hard to believe this is Yockelson's first book. I sincerely hope there are more to come.
Yvonne Perry's Consciousness Tour Stops at New Book Review
Title: Shifting
into Purer Consciousness
Subtitle: Integrating Spiritual Transformation with the Human
Experience
Author: Yvonne PerryAuthor's Web site:http://shiftingintopurerconsciousness.com.
ISBN-13:
978-0-9825722-9-0
Publisher: Write On!, May 2012
Reviewer: Carl David (Philadelphia, PA USA) May 11, 2012
If you only read one book in your search for answers as to who we are, why we are here and where we are going, then this is your guide to the Universe. This work is the ultimate handbook to life as it spells out very clearly all aspects of life as we know it and what lies beyond as the evolution of our soul’s progress. Every question is addressed in detail leaving no stone unturned. The ascension has begun and we are all in it together. The end of the world is mere fearmongering out of ignorance and ego. We are on the edge of a magnificent energy increase as the Universe graces us with its benevolence. Fabulous events for humanity are in the works like never before.
If you are fortunate enough to get a copy of this incredible compendium of knowledge you will never look at life in the same way. You will have a sense of peace without worry. No longer will fear of the unknown be part of your vision, you will embrace the present and the future as they merge tenses before your very eyes. Any and all of your questions will gain clarity as we move together into the tide of rising consciousness.
Yvonne has done it again with this extraordinary book of knowledge which she so freely imparts to us. I have had the distinct pleasure of reading Yvonne's other books and like the others, this one is a jewel! My best advice, get it now; don't wait another minute. You will never regret it.
Today is the first day of Yvonne’s tour! Tomorrow the tour
will be at Jacqueline Stone’s blog, On the Journey and I
invite you to visit that site to learn more about the spiritual transition we
are currently in. See the full tour schedule at http://dld.bz/byrF7
.
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