Book Reviews

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

| C.E. Flores

I don’t believe I would have chosen this book on my own, but for over a year, I’ve been teaching the first two books of Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” to Chinese middle schoolers. Recently, I decided it was time to finish the book myself.

Had I been Dickens’ editor, I might have chided him on the one-dimensional portrayal of the lovely Lucie Manette, the object of all men’s desires (or at least the ones in this novel). I would have also had him fix that chapter that changed from the omniscient narrator to a first-person point-of-view. But alas, Dickens’ works can’t be rewritten to suit my standards. So be it.  

Despite these criticisms, I found great enjoyment in reading this classic. Particularly captivating was the pervasive sense of impending doom that permeated the period leading up to the French Revolution. Even characters who initially seemed secure in England found themselves swept away by the chaos of war. Among the characters, my favorites were Madame Defarge, driven by a relentless, if morally ambiguous, purpose, and Sydney Carton, who discovers redemption through self-sacrifice.

In conclusion, “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens remains a timeless classic. The novel’s exploration of themes like sacrifice, redemption, and the tumultuous backdrop of the French Revolution ensures its enduring relevance and appeal. Through vivid storytelling and memorable characters, Dickens masterfully captures the essence of a pivotal moment in history, leaving a lasting impression on readers long after they’ve turned the final page.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Flowers of Evil: Hani’s Daughter Mysteries by N.L. Holmes

| C.E. Flores

Flowers of Evil is set in the era of King Tut and follows the adventures of two well-educated noblewomen as they try to solve the mystery of a flower seller’s death. The storyline is intriguing, and the fact that it is based in a culture I know little about during a period I know even less about makes for good reading. 

I had a few reservations, however. First, the book starts with some historical tidbits that could have been explained to the reader during the course of the story, rendering this section unnecessary. Also, there’s a glaring typo in this section (circumscribed rather than circumcised), which immediately caused me to question the wisdom of continuing this book. 

Another drawback I found while reading is this book is a sequel to a series of books about the main character’s father, Lord Hani. At times, the story referenced events found in those books but weren’t fully explained in this one, leaving some gaps in the information given to the reader. As this is meant to be the first in the series about Hani’s daughter, it wouldn’t be remiss to review pertinent events more fully. 

The final item I found issue with was the character development of Lord Hani’s daughter, Neferet, the woman of her heart, Bener-ib, and the rabble of children the two had adopted. I found Neferet to be a spoiled and obstinate child, much younger in action than her purported age in the story. It’s hard to get into the story if the main character irritates the reader, although I’m sure this annoyingness is subjective, and other readers might disagree. Then, although Neferet and Bener-ib were lovers, there was no depth to their relationship described in the story. And finally, the passel of orphaned children was given no more than a vague mention here and there. I couldn’t tell you any of their names or describe them in any detail. 

The previous issue aside, I found the cozy mystery element delightful, making it a wonderfully light and enjoyable read. So, if you’re looking for an ancient history cozy mystery, Flowers of Evil fits the bill!

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

Xodus Solutions: An Expert’s Guide to Thoughtful Prepping and Survival By G. Matthew Johnson

| C.E. Flores

Xodus Solutions, the book, is designed to complement the resources available at XodusSolutions.com and vice versa. The book’s first section focuses on the bug-out scenario, providing a host of possible solutions that most prepper books don’t cover when it’s time to get out of Dodge (or whatever urban location you happen to be in). As an example, the book considers evacuation methods involving caravans or aircraft leased or collectively owned by a group of individuals who share the common objective of leaving the area. The amount of organization and money these options entail makes them less feasible for the individual prepper or small family. 

Xodus Solutions outlines a strategy for executing these solutions, including the establishment of restricted-access fueling stations exclusively available to members and the commitment to coordinate flights from specific urban regions, also reserved for members. Readers are urged to participate in a website survey for additional details. While considerable research has gone into formulating these secure and orderly bug-out solutions, they do not address the unpredictability of human behavior, which frequently leads to frenzied scrambles and chaos when confronting life-or-death situations, even when there is a “plan.”

The following sections run through the estimates of how much food you might need, what tools and supplies would be helpful to have on hand, and some energy options. Again, I found the information to be on the upper scale of “survival options,” with more of a focus on hoarding rather than developing skills for survival after a catastrophic event. For instance, you certainly can rent fallow farmland and build a shelter to store your goods, but if the world order changes, that farmer will need that farmland to produce (as will you), and your tin shack will just be in the way.

The last section focused on nuclear bombs. While fascinating reading, it’s not something that you can effectively prepare for. Any supplies you have stored in a nuclear blast zone will be contaminated by radiation and unsafe to use. 

Overall, I found Xodus Solutions to be interesting reading. However, in my opinion, the book is primarily tailored to preppers who seek to minimize inconvenience rather than individuals like myself who are already living off-grid or for those who recognize that in TEOTWAWKI scenarios, a more fundamental survival skill set is required beyond what this book encompasses. 

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

1 John: A Devotional On Love, Obedience, and Side Effects of Salvation by Nicole Hanson

| C.E. Flores

This short devotional is unique in that it includes original watercolor paintings by the author. Each of the 23 chapters begins with a painting, an exhortation to read the selected verses from 1 John from a bible version that is easy for the reader to understand, followed by the author’s commentary and journal prompts. 

I enjoyed the addition of the painting and the journal prompts. However, I would have liked to have seen a place where readers could write their responses or thoughts about the biblical reflection posed by the author. This would reinforce the idea that not words but action is the basis for faith-based behavior. 

I was also curious as to why the author chose to include the exhortation to read the bible verses being discussed but not include them in the book itself. Since I was curious, I decided to check about copyright laws and scripture. 

While the King James Version of the Bible is in the public domain in the U.S., most other translations are under copyright, which means there are restrictions for quoting from them. Additionally, although the King James Version is in the public domain in most countries (except for the U.K.), it may not be the easiest translation to read for some people. As a result, readers may be more comfortable reading a selected passage from a version of the Bible that they are more familiar with and find easier to understand, which is undoubtedly why the author suggested it.

As with any text citation, properly attributing a Bible quote is essential. While requesting permission can be time-consuming, it’s sometimes a necessary step to ensure legal compliance. However, in this case, the book only focuses on 2-4 verses from 1 John in each chapter, so it’s unlikely that the snippets would make up more than 25% of the text. That being said, the author says she is using the New Living Translation (NLT) for the scriptures. The copyright holder of that particular translation, Tyndale House Publishers, gives permission for up to 500 verses in a book as long as it’s not 25 percent of the book nor the entire bible book.

 Regardless, 1 John: On Love, Obedience, and Side Effects of Salvation by Nicole Hanson would make a nice addition to any bible study, whether in a group using the journal prompts and author’s commentary as a platform to open discussion or individual biblical contemplation.

I received an ARC from the author for this review.