book review

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.

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.

Love on Thin Ice 3 – Healing by Vallean Jackson

| C.E. Flores

Love on Thin Ice 3 – Healing by Vallean Jackson is the third book in the Love on Thin Ice series. 

Briefly, the main characters and their relationships are as follows:

Keiontay believed that Ginger’s daughter was his but discovered that Kaleigh was Tarven’s child. Keiontay fathered Nolan with Nova but has not stepped up to the plate as a father. Morgan is Keiontay’s nurse and allows him to stay with her as he recovers from a stab wound.

Nova is doing the best she can for her son, Nolan. Omar is interested in becoming a permanent part of their family, but Nova hesitates to let him in.

Tarven and Keiontay were best friends until Ginger revealed that her daughter was biologically Tarven’s and not Keiontay’s. Tarven is working on creating a family with Ginger. However, Ginger is obsessed with Keiontay, suffering from depression and making life difficult for Nova. 

The most interesting aspect of this book for me was the level of introspection the characters were capable of. Keiontay and Tarven both could see that their behavior stemmed from incidents in their upbringing. Nova and Morgan were also able to understand the origin of the seemingly irresponsible actions of these men. These intertwining relationships illustrate the adage, “hurt people hurt people.” 

As the theme for this third book in the series is “healing,” the characters make transformative observations about their behavior. Some are able to make reparations, while others, although acknowledging the hurt they have caused, decide to move on without apology. 

This book has several explicit sex scenes and deals with domestic and drug-related violence, so it may not be for everyone. Additionally, because of the amount of introspection, sections can be confusing if you haven’t read the previous books in the series, although Love on Thin Ice 3 – Healing can be read as a stand-alone.

I received an ARC from the author.

Mountains, Radio Waves, and a Love Letter: Days of Adventures on the Evergreen Ranch by Shinji Yoshikawa

| C.E. Flores

In 2018, Shinji Yoshikawa, a Japanese ex-pat living in Mexico City, decided that since his family was away during Christmas, he would travel out of his comfort zone and visit a place he’d read about in a magazine. He had no idea about the adventures that awaited him. 

El Rancho Evergreen is located in San Isidro Chichihuistan near San Cristobal, Chiapas. It is run by an American, Samuel, a French woman named Stephanie, and their two multicultural daughters, Zoe and Cheyenne. To get there, our fearless traveler took a smooth plane ride to Tuxtla Guiterrez, the nearest airport, which he slept through, then a bumpy and uncomfortable bus ride he did not sleep through. Finally, his voyage culminated in a shared taxi ride to his destination, which was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable. 

The author’s adventures are sprinkled with humor as he thoroughly enjoys his vacation, even when things don’t go exactly as planned. For those that have not experienced ex-pat life in Mexico, he shares some tidbits about Mexican culture, such as no central heating systems, the rarity of on-time transportation schedules, and the reality that the nearest wi-fi signal is quite a hike up the hill and by the big tree which you can climb to improve your reception. 

I’d have to say that my favorite part was Yoshikawa’s description of Christmas Eve with his host family and other guests. Despite being shy and retiring, the author voluntarily added to the festivities by borrowing a guitar and singing in three languages. What a memorable experience for everyone!

Although Yoshikawa’s high-jinks amused me greatly, there were some writing issues that could be improved upon. As the author’s first language was Japanese and his second Spanish, this English version had multiple vocabulary and word use errors, punctuation mistakes, and a few things that, well, just got lost in translation. Another pass-through by an editor for some additional spit polish and shine would not be amiss here. 

Any world or armchair traveler would love this book, which amounts to a travelogue. It isn’t a long read. After all, the author’s visit to El Rancho Evergreen lasted just four days. Nor is it a tedious read, as many travel stories can be. Yoshikawa pokes fun at his own expectations and finds that the road less traveled is delightful in its own way. 

So if you enjoy a good travel story, Mountains, Radio Waves, and a Love Letter: Days of Adventures on the Evergreen Ranch by Shinji Yoshikawa will make your day!

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

The Upside of Down: The Sky Above and The Mud Below by Joel Bernard

| C.E. Flores

I have to admit that I’m somewhat of a fanatic of post-apocalyptic survival books. I can’t say precisely what it is about the genre that appeals to me, perhaps the promise of a new beginning, but whatever it is, The Upside of Down: The Sky Above and The Mud Below by Joel Bernard fit the bill. 

The story is written from the perspective of the characters in a somewhat futuristic but not too distant future when climate change has caused a global catastrophe. Wildfires, storm surges, flooding, drought, superstorms, tornadoes, and the like were catalysts to a vast migration. People from the southern US were moving North, and those from the coasts were moving inland. 

Although I enjoyed the book, there were some issues. The first drawback I found was that the sheer number of characters was overwhelming. Constantly switching back and forth between characters, perspectives, and even storylines, made it difficult to form an attachment to some individuals. Then some of the characters were dead, and we only hear from them after they are dead, which does very little to advance the plot since all they can talk about is being dead. 

There seemed to be some vagueness about what happened to Moses, a likable character that lived in a church and could “get things.” It appeared that he had become an integral part of one of the wandering groups but then was killed, and there was a ceremony of some sort to mark his passing. However, none of these events are presented to the reader directly. I’m not sure if the chapters were edited out or the author didn’t smooth the plot development out quite right, but Moses got lost in the story. 

I believe the author meant this novel to be a morality tale. The situations presented and the scientific information presented in hindsight musings told the story of a civilization that did not heed scientific warnings. The result was this calamitous new world humans struggled to survive in. Unfortunately, the story lacked immediacy. There was a lot of cloud gathering and navel-gazing by the characters, who realistically would be more focused on adapting to their harsh surroundings as they exhaustingly traveled hundreds of miles on foot to their hoped-for destinations. 

So although I enjoyed the book, the meandering storyline in The Upside of Down: The Sky Above and The Mud Below by Joel Bernard might not be something everyone would enjoy.

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

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

| C.E. Flores

Looking for a feel-good book to read this spring? Then check out The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman.

Lili’s husband was killed in a car accident in front of her house three years ago leaving her with two small daughters. Her sister stepped in to help when Lili had a breakdown. The company that Lili does illustrations for sends Lili to a weekly gardening class as part of the requirements for her next project. The class revolves around turning an empty lot into a flourishing vegetable garden. This is a story of grief, new beginnings, growth, and hope. 

Lili’s efforts at creating a life for her family are a bit irreverent, completely honest, and blessedly hysterical. The chapters are divided by short commentaries about gardening that had me in stitches. Lili finds that life, just as with gardening, provides us with no guarantees of a happy outcome and that’s ok. 

I don’t believe this novel will appeal to everyone, however, being a middle-aged woman who loves gardening and has experienced grief, The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman was right up my alley.