Author: C.E. Flores

Fate’s Fables by T. Rae Mitchell

| C.E. Flores

I was hung up on reading a traditional Grimm’s Fairy Tale or a book about ehm ‘fairies’ with this reading challenge and thus didn’t do it the first go-’round. When I altered my thinking, I realized immediately after starting Fate’s Fables by T. Rae Mitchell I had found my ‘fairy tale’ book to review. 

Fate is an up-and-coming author who is sucked into a magical fairy tale book. Fate, and her love interest Finn, are charged with recovering a magical item, which can only be done by changing the endings of the eight fairy tales in the book. Thus, the adventure begins. 

With a pair of sidekicks, a feathered snake and a witchy child, Finn and Fate traipse through story after story, rewriting storylines in a more ‘happy-ever-ever’ framing. It was a fun read. 

There were a few things that required a stretch of the imagination. First, Fate was 17 years old and already an accomplished writer with a publicist. Ok, I get it was a ‘fairy tale,’ but come on. When would that actually happen in the real world? Huh? 😉 So, from the onset, a mindset of suspended disbelief was needed to thoroughly enjoy the plot. 

The second issue I had with the book was that the horrible events (because what fairy tale is complete without horrible events) were sort of brushed over. I think I wanted a little more wallowing during those sections. But perhaps because there were EIGHT fables to get through, the author felt there wasn’t enough time for the pit of despair or the swamps of sadness. 

Fate’s Fables is the first book of a series, so the romance between Finn and Fate is left unresolved at the end with the idea that Fate (and Finn) will need to go through more trials and tribulations before they can live together happily ever after, in true fairy tale tradition.

WIP 2024 – February Results

| C.E. Flores

I’d like to say that February was at least better than January, but that’s stretching the truth a bit. I did get a few chapters done before I came down with COVID and spent weeks recuperating. 

Fortunately, I’m feeling better, and March seems like it’s off to a better start. I’ve decided that I’m not going to berate myself over much for another flop month and just start again fresh this month. 

How’s writing going for you?

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Permaculture Gardening for the Absolute Beginner: Follow Nature’s Map to Grow Your Own Organic Food with Confidence and Transform Any Backyard Into a Thriving Ecosystem by Josie Beckham 

| C.E. Flores

Who would have guessed that a gardening book could be such an enjoyable read? Permaculture Gardening for the Absolute Beginner is not only inviting and informative but also genuinely inspiring. 

The book is impressively well-organized. Our gardening journey begins with demystifying permaculture as more of a mindset than an exact science. It takes you through the essential steps, from soil preparation to seed planting and expansion. The author manages to instill a sense of empowerment, making you feel like you can conquer the world, one raised bed at a time—and that’s a wonderful feeling!

Infused with humor and practical knowledge, the author shares her gardening passion through the written word, making permaculture principles accessible to every level of gardener. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on the significance of native plants. Often, gardeners focus solely on crops, overlooking the essential role native plants play in the ecosystem.

This ecological perspective extends further in the chapter on integrating animal life. Pollinators, wildlife, and small livestock are integral components of permaculture, and the provided tips simplify the process of encouraging their presence.

But the helpful tips don’t stop there! The resource section is a goldmine, offering information on collecting rainwater, windbreaks, considerations for sun exposure when planting, companion gardening, and even a breakdown of composting into easily understandable bits of information everyone can follow with cute and informative graphics. 

If you are already a permaculture enthusiast, you may find this book a little too simplistic. The writing is quirky and fun, which might not appeal to every reader. This simplicity of the content and the whimsical tone may be perceived as a departure from the in-depth and serious exploration often associated with permaculture literature. So, while some readers may appreciate the lighthearted approach, those seeking a more scholarly examination of permaculture principles may find this book less satisfying. 

That being said, Permaculture Gardening for the Absolute Beginner is the best permaculture/gardening how-to book I’ve ever read!

I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery. You can see my review HERE.

WIP 2024 – January Results

| C.E. Flores

Deplorable; that’s what the January results were. I have a temporary gig that’s been eating away at my time, in addition to the mammoth task of trying to get La Yacata documents organized before the next community meeting in February, so I didn’t get nearly as much writing done as I had planned even with making space on my calendar for writing three times a week. 

I managed two chapters for herb book #5 and two in La Yacata Insurrection book, which is not at all as many as I’d have liked. 

Unfortunately, this month, it will also be tough to meet my goals as this temporary gig goes through March 2, and the next community meeting is on February 11. However, I figure progress is progress, right? 

How’s your writing going?

Third Eye Cookbook: A Maya Inspired Guide & Cookbook to Heal Your Spiritual Sight by Laura La Brie & Max Martinez

| C.E. Flores

More than a cookbook, this book by Laura LaBrie is a spiritual guide with a focus on food! The book begins with defining the Sixth Sense and a few cleanings and activating practices you can incorporate into your daily life. The next section lists food the authors recommend for optimal third-eye functionality. Then come the recipes. 

Although these include some traditional Mexican dishes, with Maya cuisine marked with a pyramid, the cookbook is designed for the non-Mexican palette in general. You won’t find goat stew (consomé), pozole (hominy soup), and menudo (tripe soup), or the more exotic chapulines (grasshoppers), chinicuiles (maguey worms) and huitlacoche (corn smut). Instead, you’ll find beet and pecan hummus, cabbage cleansing soup, and spiced apples with cream. 

The photographs are mouth-watering, and the recipes are easy to follow. I have been enjoying working my way through the traditional Maya recipes that are quite a bit different from the central Mexican Purépecha-influenced diet common where I live in Mexico. 

So, if you have a hankering for some third-eye nourishing foods, don’t waste any more time in picking up this delightful Maya-inspired cookbook.

Get your copy today!

Reasonable by K.T. Carlise

| C.E. Flores

This gripping drama hooked me right from the start when the narrator finds herself arrested for her former best friend Elaine’s murder. Initially centered around two couples, the unfolding events reveal a rich tapestry of layers and characters much more extensive than first supposed.

While completely captivated by the narrative, I was put out upon discovering that this is just the first installment in the “What Happened to Mia Davis?” series. While I understand the author’s reasoning for turning a standalone into a series, I couldn’t shake the disappointment of not learning about Mia’s fate nor seeing Elaine’s murderer brought to justice at the end of the book. I guess I’ll have to wait for the sequel to come out.

Setting that aside, the story is told through the eyes of Catheryn, the woman accused of Elaine’s murder, and Rachel, a police officer and Mia’s best friend. The initial shift from Catheryn’s perspective to Rachel’s caught me off guard, but once I adjusted, I found Rachel’s side of the story equally compelling.

The characters were not only relatable but also well-crafted, and the mystery’s twists and turns were subtle, with misdirection playing a crucial role. Overall, despite my reservations about the series format, the book held my attention throughout, and I stayed up way past my bedtime to read just a little more. 

I especially enjoyed the meticulous attention to detail, ranging from the portrayal of the interrogating police officer to the occasionally irrational yet entirely comprehensible reasoning processes of both Rachel and Catheryn.

Pinpointing my favorite part of the book without giving away spoilers is a challenge, but let me just say that the dual narrative perspectives masterfully guide readers through the mystery, unraveling the clues one by one. If you’re a fan of compelling crime dramas, this book is an absolute must-read! Get Reasonable from Amazon today!

I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery. You can read my review HERE.

Reading Challenge 2024

| C.E. Flores

I had planned to take 2023 off from doing a reading challenge and then I signed up and successfully completed Bookshop’s Fall Reading Challenge. I had so much fun with that I decided to try and complete the reading challenges I FAILED in 2020, 2021, and 2022 this year. 

So, in addition to the Writing Challenge I’m setting up for myself, here are my reading goals for 2024.

In 2020, the one category I did not complete was to read a book that I had bought and was on my shelf but had not read yet. I have a few of those to choose from.

In 2021, I didn’t read a fantasy/fairy tale. Can’t wait to find one for this category!

In December 2022, I still needed to read a book by a favorite author, a paperback book, a classic, and a hardcover book. Oh BOY!

So that leaves six months open. Here’s what I propose to read in addition to those mentioned above. 

  • Mystery/Thriller
  • Environmental/Nature Writing
  • Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian Fiction
  • Self-Help/Personal Development
  • Poetry Collection
  • Culinary/Food-Related Book

As you can see, I’m not making this an impossible task for myself, but rather something to look forward to each time I choose a book. 

Got any suggestions for me? What are you reading?

WIPs 2024–Challenge Accepted

| C.E. Flores

Although I’m pretty proud of my six books in 2023, I haven’t finished my WIP (works in progress) list. So, here I come, 2024 Writing Challenge!

My favorite topic to write about by far is herbs, so we’ll start the year off with that. I have three WIPs in this category right now: Herb Book #5, Wellness Garden, and Women’s Remedies. 

In the Woman’s Survival Guide series, I have a Making the Moving to Rural Mexico Survival Guide in the works and want to revise the Healthcare book. 

In the Yacata series, I’m living (and recording) the next book in La Yacata Revolution series, so that might not be done this year. However, I have drafts in various stages of completion related to employment, building a house, and homesteading life. I will probably need to revise the Revolution book depending on the outcome of my efforts this year. 

In the Animal Antics series, there are two WIPs (Chicklets & Chogs and Battling Nature) that I bet I could finish up this year. 

I also have two WIPs in the Women in the Bible series, one being an activity book and the other focused on Jacob’s family. 

Finally, the Lupita series is intended to be 12 books in all, but I’ve only one out, so the next Lupita book focusing on a tamalada (tamal-making family gathering) is what I’d like to work on this year. 

That makes 12 WIPs with two revisions and probably more than I can accomplish in a year. So, to be realistic, I’d like to do one book from each series. Thus, the ultimate goal is six books for 2024. Aim high, right?

Old Scores by A.J. Harrison

| C.E. Flores

There are only so many tropes that a vampire story can contain, and this one has them all. There’s a burgeoning love affair, ancient rivalries, mentor/student conflict, and a secret government organization of vampire hunters. Additionally, in the proper form of all the great horror masters, there is a cyclic ending. 

The author opted to go with the traditional vampire legends, including hairy palms, aversion to garlic and crosses, and the required invitation to enter a home, leaving behind the sparkly, new-age vampire characteristics in newer vampire tales. Picture characters in Old Scores more akin to Dracula-types rather than the vampires portrayed in Twilight.

You won’t be able just to skim this book for a little light reading, though. The details are dense, and the descriptions are minute. The reader gets a three-dimensional view of the action, the surroundings, and, in some cases, the participants’ emotions. 

I can’t give a perfect review because a few factors prevented me from fully satisfying my appetite for horror genre reading. In addition to the attention required due to the intricate descriptions, some backstory gaps puzzled me. The vampires had a history that the reader only got a sliver of information about. I am positive that the author has a detailed outline of these backstories, and the ‘here-we-go-again’ ending leaves the door open for a sequel or two exploring those, although Old Scores is perfect as a stand-alone. 

The jumps between vampire perspectives also confused some of the storylines for me. Halfway through the book, I realized there were three, not two, vampires. See what I mean about requiring close reading! 

Some scenes are graphic, so sensitive readers might not enjoy the blood bath vampire battles (which even feature a brief zombie appearance). The romance is underplayed and undeveloped, so readers expecting a paranormal romance might also find the book not to their liking. 

Overall, I envision this book becoming a classic vampire horror novel and, potentially, even being adapted into a movie as it captures the attention of more readers.

I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery. You can see my review HERE.