A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen

A Complaint Free World is a book about one man's mission to stop complaining and how that mission started with a grass roots movement from his church to the world.   Will Bowen begins with a challenge to stop complaining.  He uses one of those rubber bracelets that usually have some kind of "Support the ___" meaning.  Every time he complained, he had to switch the bracelet to the other hand as a reminder. The experience was challenging and the author discovered he complained more than he'd ever thought possible.

The goal was 21 days. Once the 21 days were up, he was allowed to remove the bracelet.  Although the movement is connected to religion, it seems valid to the non-religious as well.  While I'm not planning to wear one of those purple rubber bracelets EVER, I'm planning to look for a beaded bracelet that is a little less faddish and more like the hippy girl I am.

Either way, I complain at times and I can attest to the alteration of mood that complaining can bring.  I do believe that this book could change a person's life.  If your outlook on life is dismal or critical, maybe trying out A Complaint Free World (and working through the program) would be just the thing. And if you buy something like a beaded bracelet to remind yourself, no one else will ever know about your personal journey.

The Three Kitties That Saved My Life by Michael Meyer

The Three Kitties That Saved My Life is a memoir about the author's loss of his first wife and the subsequent grief he felt. He takes the reader on a journey through that grief to the other side where three kitties await. The story begins on a heart-wrenching note with Ciba, Meyer's first wife.

He introduces her with his own memories of when they first met. The story fast-forwards to a dream trip to Ireland. After returning home, Ciba falls ill. She battles cancer and goes into remission followed by a surprising devastation. The first chapters will grip your heart and give you a new appreciation for your loved ones. Much of the book's middle is devoted to the introduction of the three kitties and is full of awareness and appreciation of life.

Michael Meyer is the first indie author I've selected for this blog. I have other indie authors in the wings, whose books I enjoy, but this one was especially touching and was a great blog introduction to the indie movement.

 

The Winter Prince by Cheryl Sawyer

This book was primarily a historical fiction, although the plot had some threads of romance. The story follows the life of Mary Richmond, whose marriage to the Duke of Richmond and closeness to the king give her a unique position to influence events. I enjoyed the rich description and attention to detail that Cheryl Sawyer gives her setting without in any way diminishing the storyline or characters.

The story follows war with King Charles and his parliament.  I found the book to be extremely heart wrenching and well-worth the read for the emotional tug between Mary and Rupert, a man with whom she is in love. She is already married in a time when divorce was rare.

I hate giving spoilers and will go out of my way to avoid it. To speak to the thing that bothered me about this book, I would have to give information about the ending. There was a scene between the characters that seemed out of character and out-right wrong to me, but to tell you why would be a huge spoiler.  So, I can’t tell you. Suffice it to say, I wasn’t crazy about the way the book ended. 

I love the way Cheryl writes. I am actively looking for more of her books, and while I did hope for a better resolution, the book was worth reading.

Haunted by Heather Graham

It's sometimes hard to branch out. We all have our favorite authors, favorite genres. I'm no different. But since starting this blog, I realized that I owe it to my audience to try new things and look through the general section of the library a bit more often.

In keeping with that idea, I discovered a wonderful author who I might have missed otherwise. Heather Graham writes ghost stories. And while I love scary stories, I've not read an actual ghost story for a long time. Haunted is a wonderful blend of haunted house and mystery and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Darcy is a paranormal investigator whose gift came after her close friend died in a car accident. The story takes some interesting twists and turns. While I thought I had the 'bad' guy pegged about half-way through, there were enough red herrings that I wasn't 100% sure until the end.

 

The Guardian by Jane Hamilton

The Guardian is an all-time favorite of mine, and a book that I re-read every few years because Jane Hamilton’s characters are so absolutely wonderful and the way she tugs you into the story is masterful

The story opens with Tabris, a Guardian angel tried in Heaven’s court.  Flanked by two archangels, he stands on trial for the ultimate crime. Part of the mystery of the story is finding out exactly what Tabris did, because nothing is said directly about the crime throughout the beginning of the book although many hints are laid out.  All of the angels are horrified and treat him with distance, some with disrespect.

God has given Tabris a second chance. Tabris is sent to help another angel, Rachmiel, guard his child. The other angel is polite but doesn’t completely trust Tabris, but then Tabris doesn’t completely trust himself either.

The Guardian is a unique, heart-wrenching story. If you like fantasies and have gotten bored with the current selection, try this one.  In my opinion, Jane Hamilton writes the characters in The Guardian with as much skill as Patricia Briggs did in Moon Called.

Let me give you fair warning.  This is a Christian book and as such will contain reference to Christian beliefs.  That said, this book is truly a hidden gem.

Black Beauty by Anne Sewell

I hadn't read Black Beauty in decades and decided to revisit the story. When Anna Sewell wrote this novel, horses were everywhere and many were mistreated. Parts of the novel come across as a societal statement, although she no doubt had good cause to share what she knew.

Black Beauty follows a horse from birth and a happy childhood to harsh conditions as a work horse during the 1800's. Sewell seems particularly adept at creating a wonderful story from Beauty's viewpoint. The story begins with Beauty's life as a foal in a squire's pasture, able to roam and living a carefree existence. As time passes, the horse is sold again and again with each circumstance leading to ever more difficult and unhealthy working conditions.

Sewell is able to personalize Black Beauty and create such interesting circumstances that the 'life of a horse' actually turns out to be very interesting. This book fascinated me as a youngster. I was around ten when I read it and at that age really didn't notice how many times Sewell went off on a tangent talking about the ills of working a horse on Sunday, or using an uncomfortable rein or bit, or decrying animal abuse. These parts come off a bit preachy. Even so, I found the book much as I remembered it.

Last Night's Scandal by Loretta Chase

I feel like I should apologize for adding yet another Regency Romance to the Bookish Souls blog, but I couldn't resist. Last Night's Scandal has a tongue-in-cheek humor that sets it apart from other Regency books and I found it a lot of fun to read.

The novel begins with a letter from Olivia to her dearest friend, Lisle. The letter is filled with capitalization and underlining and cross-outs at key points. The author uses the letters as a clever way to bring Olivia's independent and witty side out.  Lisle has been her friend from childhood and has spent the past several years in Egypt. His parents want him home and when he finally returns home for a visit, cut him off and demand he restore an old castle passed on by a cousin.

What makes this story so much fun is there is never a question that Olivia and Lisle like each other. After all, they have been friends for quite some time.  It's just that they've never looked at one another in that way. And when they do, it's a rather daunting prospect on both sides.  I love Olivia. She's a great foil for Lisle who has his own unique personality.

While the author did use the words "Mine", at least the heroine didn't say please and Lisle never growled.  A great regency and worth a look.