Book review: ‘In Service to Love: Book 1: Love Remembered’ by Darlene Green

A healer, teacher and empath, Darlene Green began studying vibrational healing in 1992 and has written and led programs on living consciously beginning in 1998 in Seattle, Washington. She left her practice as a massage therapist in 2012 to answer a deeper calling and at a sacred site in Southern France, she connected powerfully with her Council of Light and returned to her ancient heritage as a Scribe. On December 26, 2017, Darlene received an invitation by the Council of Light for divine collaboration in a body of work title “In Service to Love.” It began as a journal for her own spiritual journey and includes daily entries for Day 1 through Day 366 and as a whole is divided into three books: “Book 1: Love Remembered,” “Book 2: Love Elevated” and “Book 3: Love Now.” “In Service to Love Book 1: Love Remembered: A Dynamic Experience of Consciousness, Transformation and Enlightenment” ‘offers a pathway for shifting your awareness from the de-stabilizing chaos of the external world to the ever-present, potent, multi-dimensional, innovative expression of Love this is your authentic nature.’

“In Service to Love” is Darlene Green’s deeply personal guide that helped her to realize and live her divine nature. When she deducted that it is also an invitation for other people to live up to their potential in a way that makes a difference in how they live their lives, she started sharing the daily writings with a close group of friends and family. It is the collaboration between Darlene, the Scribe and the Council of Light. Composed of Masters, the Council of Light includes the voices of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Archangel Michael, Archangel Gabriel, Melchizadek, Infinite Oneness, Isis, the Elohim, Buddha, Sanat Kumara, Metatron, the Hathors, Gaia, the Grandmothers, the Grandfathers, St. Germain, Legions of Light, and many more. The speaker in charge shifts, depending on the subject, and the Egyptian god Thoth, the “Patron of the Scribe” is the mediator of frequency in light. It begins with a Welcome from the author where she explains the purpose of this project: [it] ‘provides a rich environment where your frequency will increase, your perspective will broaden and your next steps become illuminated.’ Book 1: Love Remembered includes Day 1 through Day 122 and is divided as such and is a collection of daily affirmations complete with mental exercises and meditations to help readers live an authentic and fulfilling life.

While it is easy to dismiss books written by healers or new age masters, “In Service to Love” is basically a self-help guide filled with positive affirmations, meditation guides and helpful visualizations meant to enrichen lives. Regardless of where the advice comes from, its intent is to help readers become the best self they can be. Every reader is different, so each will get something different from these daily writings. It can be read all at once and then return to specific days to reexamine important topics or it can be read a day at a time, similar to a ‘reflection of the day’ series. Standouts include Day 15: Presence and Conscious Choice where the emphasis is on being fully present in the day’s daily tasks, one at a time, giving each full attention and then moving on to the next one; and Day 6: From Past and Future to Now where it stresses the importance of not getting stuck living in the past; that if you are getting out of life what you have always gotten it is because you keep doing the same thing. Written in easy to understand language, it is filled with positive and encouraging messages that, considering how divisive and hate-filled our world can be, it does not hurt to take these messages to heart. “In Service to Love: Book 1: Love Remembered” offers readers a way to connect with their authentic self and live a more meaningful life and is recommended for anyone honestly looking to create a more positive vibe in their lives.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Touching the Jaguar’ by John Perkins

touchingjaguar — ‘Touching the Jaguar’ is the new book by author and activist John Perkins. Photo: google

John Perkins is an author and activist who has written books on global intrigue, shamanism and transformation including “Shapeshifting” “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” and “Touching the Jaguar.” His books have been on The New York Times’ bestseller list for more than 70 weeks, have sold over 2 million copies and are published in at least 35 languages. As chief economist at a major consulting firm, John advised the World Bank, United Nations, Fortune 500 corporations, US and other governments. He regularly speaks at universities, economic forums and shamanic gatherings around the world and is a founder and board member of the Pachamama Alliance and Dream Change, nonprofit organizations that partner with indigenous people to protect environments and that offer global programs to change the destructive ways of industrial societies. In his latest book “Touching the Jaguar: Transforming Fear into Action to Change Your Life and the World” Perkins details how his experiences in the Amazon converted him from an Economic Hit Man to a crusader for transforming our failing Death Economy that destroys its own resources and nature itself into a flourishing Life Economy that renews itself.

“Touching the Jaguar,” begins with an Introduction by the author that defines the phrase touching the jaguar – [it] ‘means that you can identify your fears and barriers, confront them, alter your perceptions about them, accept their energy, and take actions to change yourself and the world.’ His goal in writing this book was for it to serve as a connection between his previous books on Indigenous cultures and those on global economics. In the Prologue, he defines EHMs, or Economic Hit Men as ‘highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars…Their tools include fraudulent financial reports, rigged elections, payoffs, extortion, sex, and murder.’ These terms are found throughout his story which starts in the summer of 1968 when he was a young Peace Corps volunteer and an Amazonian shaman saved his life by teaching him to “touch the jaguar.” From there he went on to become an EHM and sincerely thought this was the best model for economic development but soon realized it was merely a new form of colonialism. Eventually he takes his experiences in the Amazon and uses them to transform our Death Economy into a Life Economy. In this book, he shares his strategies for transforming personal lives and defending the earth against destructive policies and systems. It is divided into eight parts that start with The Perception Trap 1968 -1970 and end with Decolonization 2017 – Present.

There is so much to learn from this incredibly eye-opening book: history, personal fulfillment and earth consciousness. It combines John Perkins’ experiences as an Economic Hit Man, expertise on indigenous cultures and shamanism and knowledge of ecology and economics. All of this is told in a down to earth tone with a narrative that pulls the reader into the jungles of the Amazon, among other places. The chapters are short, the action flows easily from page to page and the language is easy to understand. Standout sections include ‘Chapter 2 Ayahuasca’ when he got sick while in the Amazon and the local shaman gave him ayahuasca, a plant used for healing, which resulted in his first vision of touching the jaguar; and the explanations on colonialism and how the United States has affected countries and economies worldwide. The Resources section at the end has ideas to help readers discover what they can do to change themselves and the world. Every reader will get something out of it: in the least, become aware of the dangers of economic hit men and how truly harmful colonialism can be and at most, inspire them to get involved and become a better citizen of the world. “Touching the Jaguar” is not only a lesson in personal empowerment but a wake-up call about the true influence of American politics and economy. A definite must-read.

“It is time to end our fear of change and instead embrace the powers for change the jaguar offers, break through the mind-sets that have burdened us with failing systems, and apply the human and natural resources to create systems that will be successful for generations to come.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Gaijin’ by Sarah Z. Sleeper

Sarah Z. Sleeper is a former journalist with an MFA in creative writing. Previously, she was an editor at New Rivers Press and editor-in-chief of the literary journal Mason’s Road. She completed her MFA at Fairfield University in 2012. Prior to that she had a twenty-five-year career as a business writer and technology reporter and won three journalism awards and a fellowship at the National Press Foundation. Her short story, “A Few Innocuous Lines,” won an award from Writer’s Digest and her non-fiction essay, “On Getting Vivian,” was published in The Shanghai Literary Review. Her poetry was published in A Year in Ink, San Diego Poetry Annual and Painters & Poets and exhibited at the Bellarmine Museum. “Gaijin,” a coming of age novel about a budding journalist who sets off to Okinawa in search of answers when her college boyfriend mysteriously disappears, is her first novel and will be released on Saturday, August 1, 2020.

In Japanese, the word gaijin means ‘unwelcome foreigner’ and it is often used as a slur directed at non-Japanese people in Japan. “Gaijin” centers around Lucy, a college student at Northwestern University who is obsessed with an exotic new student, Owen Ota, who becomes her lover and sensei. When he disappears without explanation, she moves to Okinawa in hopes of tracking him down. The story is told in the first person point of view and begins with a Prologue where Lucy recounts how she ends up in Japan and how her experience with Owen motivates her to seek answers in a foreign land. It all goes back to Japan in 2016 and begins as Lucy arrives at Okinawa’s Naha International Airport. For the next three months, instead of the glamorous culture that Owen described, she is confronted with, among other surprises, anti-American protests fueled by the rape case involving an American military man and a young Japanese girl. She also meets Hisashi, Owen’s brother, who helps her come to terms with Owen’s tumultuous private life that culminates at the base of Mount Fuji and the infamous Suicide Forest. With the biggest mystery solved, Lucy is now content to stay in Japan and enjoy the country and culture she admired for so long.

Sometimes it is easy for foreigners to get wrapped up in the fantasy of an unfamiliar culture and once it hits home, reality can be disappointing. Such is the case with Lucy in “Gaijin,” Sarah Z Sleeper’s superb debut novel. The author has penned a poetic and charming story filled similes and metaphors “His energy was warm, like a favorite oversize blanket” and peppered with poems and haikus. Despite being a small, easy to read book, the reader is immersed in Japanese culture, terms and traditions like tea ceremonies, all of which make the narrative come alive throughout the pages. Impressive character development and descriptions makes them relatable, “As the snow drifts piled shoulder-high on the edges of Northwestern’s campus, I dug myself into a cave of loneliness, busying myself while keeping social interactions at bay.” Of special interest is the background on Aokigahara, a forest on the northwestern flank of Japan’s Mount Fiji. It has a historical reputation as a home to yūrei: ghosts of the dead in Japanese mythology. Also known as “the Suicide Forest”, one of the world’s most-used suicide sites; signs at the head of some trails urge suicidal visitors to think of their families and contact a suicide prevention association. History fans will appreciate the section on the conflict between Okinawa and Japan. “Gaijin” is the chronicle of one woman’s journey from idealistic college student in love with an image to an adult who learns to accept life’s disappointments and build a life on her own terms.

“A culture so beautiful that taking tea was a memorable occasion and yet so dark it contained a forest devoted to suicide.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘The Last Sword Maker’ by Brian Nelson

Brian Nelson is a former Fulbright Scholar who holds degrees in international relations, economics and creative writing (fiction). His first book “The Silence and the Scorpion: The Coup against Chávez and the Making of Modern Venezuela” was named one of the Best Books of 2009 by the Economist. His work has appeared in the Virginia Quarterly Review, Christian Science Monitor and the Southern Humanities Review, among others. “The Last Sword Maker” is his second book and an action packed thriller about a high-tech arms race between the United States and China as they both strive to create the next-generation of weapons using a mixture of artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and nanotechnology.

“The Last Sword Maker” takes place in the not-too-distant future, between January 2025 and May 2026 as each chapter is given a time and place. The action begins with a prologue titled The Letter which informs of a letter written by Nobel laureate and biochemist Bill Eastman after he hosts a conference at the Millennium Institute in San Francisco in August 2018 for some of the greatest minds in science. The letter is modeled after Albert Einstein’s 1939 letter warning President Roosevelt about the possibility of an atomic bomb, but this one warns the current president of the possible dangers from emerging technology and is signed by Eastman and twenty-seven other leading scientists. The novel is divided into three parts: Part One: The Ends of Peace, Part Two: The Race and Part Three: Red Dragon Rising. Part One begins seven years after that infamous letter and has Admiral James Curtiss being called to the Pentagon for an emergency meeting about a massive genocide taking place in the high mountains of Tibet. This is not a disease, but a weapons test. Chinese scientists have developed a way to kill based on a person’s genetic traits. The real danger will come if they achieve “Replication” – the breakthrough that will tip the global balance of power. To try and beat the Chinese, Admiral James Curtiss assembles the nation’s top scientists, which include a promising young graduate student named Eric Hill, who could provide the missing piece to the replication puzzle. Sensing that the Americans have a leg up, the Chinese will stop at nothing, including kidnapping Eric, to force him to help them win this arms race.

Part techno-thriller, part political suspense novel, “The Last Sword Maker” is a thrill ride of a story. It starts off slow, but thankfully the action in the second half takes off and rewards readers for their persistence. The history of the conflict between the Chinese and Tibetan people is eye-opening and serves as back story for Sonam Paljor, a member of the Tibetan resistance who is kidnapped, fed propaganda and converted into an elite solider for the Chinese. The language is descriptive “From here, they could see the top floors of other tech giants—silver-and-glass towers jutting above the trees like Mayan temples above the rain forest” and the deep character building is impressive which makes them relatable. Sometimes the torture scenes can get too graphic and violent but luckily there are not too many of them. Standout moments include ‘Chapter 17: Replication’ during the artificial intelligence final test and replication testing: “They worked silently, like peasant farmers tending to row after row of computer code” and when Eric, Bryan Ying and Mei finally escape the Chinese facility. The programming drama should appeal to programmers who understand the satisfaction of successful programming. Hopefully, since it is advertised as the Course of Empire Series, Book 1, the Inventor, a cryptic ‘observer’ who seems to be a powerful and immortal being, comes back in subsequent books. There is something for everyone, from science, to politics, history and romance and that makes “The Last Sword Maker” a must-read page turner to rival the best from Tom Clancy and David Baldacci.

“You can’t know what it’s like until you’ve felt it. That was what he’d tell them. Bill, Jane, the admiral. When it was all over, he’d make them understand why he did it. Why he had helped the enemy.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Scars in Time’ by Ryan Gutierrez

Ryan Gutierrez is an American author born and raised in Texas and currently resides in the small South Texas town of Los Fresnos. He graduated from The University of Texas – Brownsville with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and worked as a Child Abuse Investigator with the state of Texas for five years. His debut novel, “Scars in Time: A Novel (The Nowhen Stories)” is about Brennan Ramirez, a man determined to change his wife’s traumatic past by going back in time. As Brennan test drives The Machine, he begins to experience true power, true control, or so he thinks. With every trip, every choice, Brennan realizes that his newfound control may be an illusion.

“Scars in Time” begins with a Twilight Zone-like introduction of the main character Brennan “Like all people, we could describe Brennan Ramirez in many ways. …Any time he wasn’t expressing some positive emotion, he looked furious with the world. He had a few decent reasons to be, but we’ll get to that later.” The first part introduces readers to his wife Deidre and her traumatic childhood in the hands of her mother’s boyfriend and an emotionally distant mother. He test drives The Machine a couple of times before he realizes that he can use it to change the past. After quitting his job as a Child Abuse Investigator due to his debilitating anxiety and panic disorder, he feels useless. He is constantly haunted by one of his past cases: Kaylee, a young girl who ends up dead because he failed to help her. The first time he travels to the past is to fix Kaylee’s life but what he wants more than anything is to go back and prevent Deidre’s traumatic abuse. At first it seems to work and he thinks he is in control, but it turns out to be just an illusion and he is reminded that life is unpredictable and not subject to manipulation. It is divided into four parts: Part I – The Present, Part II – 1994 (when he goes back to help Deidre) Part III – The New Present (includes the consequences of his time meddling) and Part IV – Nowhen (the new normal).

With his impressive debut novel, Ryan Gutierrez does an excellent job of introducing readers to Brennan, a complex and flawed character who ultimately just wants to do the right thing. Due to his anxiety and panic disorder, he feels out of control and the only way to regain some of that control is to go back in time to fix other people’s lives. Through it all, he undergoes a transformation because with each person he kills, it bothers him less and less and justifies it by telling himself that they deserved it. The focus is not so much the science of time traveling, but rather in using it to fix life’s “mistakes” and its consequences. He is constantly popping anti-anxiety pills and the vivid descriptions of his panic and anxiety attacks, especially when driving, are hauntingly realistic. The story flows naturally from page to page and the language is easy to understand, even though there is some sporadic Spanish. It has deep character development and is an emotional roller coaster ride, especially when he realizes how his time travelling is changing the “present” and it turns out that he created two timelines by initially jumping back to 1994. The author’s background in Criminal Justice gives the story an authentic voice as Brennan deals with the fall out of being a Child Abuse Investigator and when he is a Detective in the new present. Despite some Christian themes and scripture quotes, it does not come across as preachy. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of Brennan’s adventures. “Scars in Time” is a must-read page turner filled with action, drama and romance centered around a deeply troubled main character. It is recommended for science fiction fans who appreciate time travel stories, Hispanic characters and culture and an abundance of pop-culture references.

“Though the memories of all the changes he’d made, all the rips and stitches in time, were crystalline in his mind, all other memories were as they usually were. Blurrier, murkier, and more likely to be inventions of a mind trying to fill gaps the farther back you go.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Moving Beyond Trauma’ by Ilene Smith

Ilene Smith is a certified professional coach and Somatic Experiencing practitioner with master’s degrees in exercise physiology and mental health counseling. Her research into Somatic Experiencing and eating disorders has contributed to the importance of Somatic Experiencing and body-based therapies in recovery. With master’s degrees in exercise physiology and mental health counseling, Ilene blends talking, touch work and movement to create synergy between a client’s body and mind. In her first book “Moving Beyond Trauma: The Roadmap to Healing from Your Past and Living with Ease and Vitality,” Ilene Smith introduces readers to Somatic Experiencing, a body-based therapy capable of healing the damage done to the nervous system by trauma. She breaks down the way in which trauma impacts the nervous system and presents a program designed to process trauma in a non-threatening way.

It is important to note that, as the disclaimer at the beginning states, “This book is not intended as a substitute for medical or psychological advice from professionals.” “Moving Beyond Trauma” is divided into two parts: Part One: Understanding the Mind-Body Connection which consists of chapters like ‘My Journey to Healing’ and ‘What Healing Looks Like’ and Part Two: Creating Change where in Chapter 5 the reader can assess his or her problem behaviors by taking a series of quizzes and in subsequent chapters, apply healing exercises and get tips for living a healthy lifestyle. In the Introduction, the author emphasizes that because the body and mind are connected, “psychological stress is held and manifests in our physical body.” Even though she believes in talk therapy up to a point because it does have its benefits, most of the time it dredges up past experiences, which are often traumatic. Due to this, some people end up re-traumatizing themselves instead of healing. What she offers in Somatic Experiencing is a way to track and notice body sensations and experiences so that the body can begin to heal.

Since not all human beings are the same, not everyone experiences healing the same way so it is natural that not all methods of therapy work for everyone. While some do benefit from talk therapy, for some, retelling their story can reactive the trauma and therefore they can not move past it. This is where “Moving Beyond Trauma” can help by defining the different types of trauma: developmental, collective and generational and providing healthy ways of coping. Through case stories about her past clients that dealt with anxiety, trauma, depression and eating disorders the author successfully presents her case that by confronting the body’s pain reactions, particularly to the nervous system, people can push past and begin the healing process. The language is not overly clinical so it is easy to comprehend the material. Readers will be able to understand their own trauma and, by doing the self-assessments, hopefully learn more about themselves and what triggers their anxiety and stress. It is an easy read and recommended for anyone looking for self-enrichment or for healthy living tips.

“I believe that it is when we are placed right in the middle of the most adverse experiences life has to present us with that we have the opportunity to build the most resilience for ourselves.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Fire and Vengeance’ by Robert McCaw

Robert McCaw is an American author who graduated from Georgetown University and served as a lieutenant in the US Army before earning his law degree from the University of Virginia. He was a partner in a major international law firm with offices in Washington, DC and New York City and maintained a home on the Big Island of Hawai’i. This allows him to bring a unique authenticity to his Koa Kāne Hawaiian mystery novels in both his law enforcement expertise and his ability to portray the richness of Hawai’i’s history, culture and people. His Koa Kāne Hawaiian Mystery Series includes “Death of a Messenger” and “Off the Grid.” In “Fire and Vengeance,” the third book in the series, police Detective Koa Kāne new case revolves around an elementary school that was placed atop a volcanic vent, which has now exploded. The ebook was released on Tuesday May 26.

The story begins with a brief description of past disasters that have befallen the Big Island of Hawai’i and the surrounding areas: “Ferocious gusts felled century-old trees….Torrential rains pounded the mountains, filling gulches, and gathering into flash floods…..” The latest catastrophe is taking place at the KonaWili School on Hualālai Mountain and the victims this time are children and teachers. As it turns out, the school was built atop a volcanic vent and with the police chief currently in California due to a medical emergency, Chief Detective Koa Kāne is now the senior officer at the horrendous scene. When the school’s contractor and architect are murdered, Koa becomes even more determined to find out the truth. To make matters worse, his estranged brother Ikaika, who is in jail, collapses from a previously undiagnosed brain tumor. This condition might explain his past anti-social behavior and could get him early parole. The investigation into the school explosion uncovers a conspiracy years in the making and it might affect Ikaika’s future when Koa has to decide between justice for the victims and his brother’s freedom.

Robert McCaw is back in full force with his third Koa Kāne Hawaiian Mystery novel. “Fire and Vengeance” starts off strong with the shocking details of the aftermath of the school explosion and with Koa collapsing after rescuing one of the children. Since the mystery involves greed and power grabs decades in the making, the characters are well-developed. The language is easy to folloow and understand and when he uses Hawaiian terms, the author explains them: “He owed it to his mother…to his family…to his ancestors….and to himself as the hiapo, the oldest Kāne male.” It is a fascinating read, with the action flowing effortlessly through the pages, aided in part by down to earth dialogue. The investigation is sidelined because of family drama that is predictably solved, but it gives the story an added touch of humanity. “Fire and Vengeance” is recommended for fans of mystery/crime novels with a flawed leading man whose past continues to haunt him even while he solves difficult crimes. Learning about Hawai’i’s culture and its people is an added bonus. This page turner is the perfect summer read – pack it in your beach bag.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Flying Alone’ by Beth Ruggiero York

Beth Ruggiero York is a former airline pilot for Trans World Airlines. She entered the world of civil aviation in 1984 shortly after graduating from college and, for the next five years, climbed the ladder to her ultimate goal of flying for a major airline. Now she has dual careers–Chinese translator and professional photographer. She teaches photography workshops for Arizona Highways PhotoScapes and her own company, Ruggiero Images LLC. Her popular instructional book on night photography, “Fun in the Dark: A Guide to Successful Night Photography” has worldwide sales and she also co-wrote “Everglades National Park: A Photographic Destination.” She originally wrote “Flying Alone: A Memoir” in the early 1990s, shortly after her career as a pilot ended and the memories were fresh. It relives the struggles and the challenges of civil aviation that she faced thirty years ago.

“Flying Alone” begins with a prologue titled ‘The Promise’ where Beth recalls the moment she knew she would someday learn to fly. She is fourteen and traveling alone for the first time to visit relatives in Colorado when she first experiences the thrill and excitement of flying in an airplane. From there the story picks up with a grown up Beth fueling airplanes for New England Flyers, a tiny flight school in Beverly, Massachusetts. She is working from the ground up to fulfill her dream of flying for the airlines, but the road ahead is a long one. Before any major airline will even look at her, she has to go through ground school, many hours of flight time, instrument rating, she has to get her pilot license and she must have up to three thousand hours of flying experience. It takes her five years and along the way, her dream of making it “in a man’s world” is complicated with a “probable” Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, a romantic relationship with her flight instructor, having to fly run-down airplanes and working for shady businesses whose only concern is making money. She finally makes it to the majors and begins working as Flight Engineer, or Second Officer, in the cockpit of a Boeing 727 for Trans World Airlines. In the Epilogue, she recounts how, after only a year, she is officially diagnosed with MS and can no longer qualify for the certification needed to keep her job. She goes back to school and graduates from Harvard and after completing the master’s program for Chinese Studies, she begins working as a Chinese to English translator.

Beth Ruggiero York’s “Flying Alone” is not only a memoir of her experiences while trying to become a commercial pilot, it is also an intriguing glimpse at the aviation world, including all the necessary regulations, the widespread problem of drunk pilots and what it takes to keep a business afloat. Aside from Chapter 5, ‘Instruments,’ where she describes the inner workings of an airplane, the language is easy to understand and the action flows easily. It is refreshing to read about how hard she worked and her determination to achieve her goals despite what must have felt like one disappointment after another. Even when she could not continue after her MS diagnosis, it is inspiring to read about how she turned that around and still managed to find a fulfilling job “I have continued to live the life I wanted, albeit a struggle.” The most exciting parts are when she is flying , her experiences with faulty equipment and, as in Chapter 26, ‘New Year’s Eve’ in icy and foggy conditions: “Halfway through the turn, Paul panicked. ‘What’re you doing?’ he yelled and grabbed the controls, putting the plane in an even steeper bank. Before I could grab it back from him, we were at a near stall, nose up.” “Flying Alone” is an inspiring story of one woman’s courage and determination to achieve her dreams despite overwhelming odds. It is recommended for readers who appreciate exciting first person accounts of personal struggles and victories.

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘No Truth Left to Tell’ by Michael McAuliffe

notruthlefttotellcover — ‘No Truth Left to Tell’ is the exciting debut novel by attorney Michael McAuliffe. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Michael McAuliffe has practiced law for over 30 years, including as a federal prosecutor, a trial attorney for the civil rights division of the Department of Justice and an elected state attorney in Florida. In his debut novel, “No Truth Left to Tell,” federal civil rights prosecutor Adrien Rush travels to small town Lynwood Louisiana to investigate an incident of four flaming crosses by the Ku Klux Klan meant to terrorize the southern town and start a new race war. He joins forces with Lee Mercer, a seasoned local FBI special agent and their partnership is tested as they clash over how far to go to catch the racists before the violence escalates.

“No Truth Left to Tell” begins with a Prologue set in Lynwood, Louisiana in July 1920 where a young black girl, Nettie Wynn, witnesses the horror of a lynching. In present day Lynwood, 1994, the quiet little town is about to be shattered by the resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan. They want to start a new race war and proceed to carry out a series of cross burnings at the local NAACP office, the courthouse, a home in the black neighborhood of Mooretown, a synagogue and an Islamic center. An elderly Nettie Wynn is the unfortunate victim in Mooretown and as a lifelong resident, these hate crimes bring back dreadful memories of her youth and unfortunately she suffers a heart attack. Her granddaughter Nicole DuBose, a successful journalist in New York City, returns to Lynwood to take care of her grandmother. Federal prosecutor Adrien Rush and Lee Mercer, a local FBI agent lead the investigation into the cross burnings without much luck until a local detective, Jimmy Batiste, arrests the Klan’s new grand dragon Frank Daniels and coerces a confession out of him. Frank is convicted but years later the truth surfaces about how Batiste got the confession and now the town is faced with an ethical dilemma: seeking justice for victims of hate crimes versus who truly deserves a “fair” trial.

Some of the best legal thrillers revolve around ethical dilemmas that make an easy conviction hard to obtain. Such is the case with “No Truth Left to Tell,” Michael McAuliffe’s excellent debut novel about a civil rights case in the Deep South. The courtroom drama is interesting and written without any complicated legal terms so it is easy to follow. Being himself a climber, the author uses plenty of climbing metaphors throughout: “A climber who’s given an extra bottle of oxygen in the death zone on Everest gratefully makes use of it” and regular metaphors as well “The Klansman’s strained breaths dissipated through the car’s interior like the smoky remains of a cheap cigar” both of which make the story really come alive. Foreshadowing is rarely used in modern novels but here it successfully builds the climax “Gill and Mercer both laughed, oblivious to the land mine that awaited.” The characters are relatable and well developed, especially Adrien Rush. This is a fascinating page-turner recommended for John Grisham fans. Hopefully this will turn into a series of novels featuring federal civil rights prosecutor Adrien Rush; he is an intriguing character and readers deserve more of his stories.

“It can’t be some truth you’re selling; it has to be the only truth with nothing left to tell.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Book review: ‘Where the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow’ by Rashi Rohatgi

wherethesunauthor — Rashi Rohatgi is the author of the new novel ‘Where the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow.’ Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Rashi Rohatgi is an Indian-American Pennsylvania native who lives in Arctic Norway. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in A-Minor Magazine, The Misty Review, Anima, Allegro Poetry, Lunar Poetry and Boston Accent Lit. Her non-fiction and reviews have appeared in The Review Review, Wasafiri, World Literature Today, Africa in Words, The Aerogram and The Toast. She is a graduate of Bread Loaf Sicily and associate professor of English at Nord University. Her new book “Where the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow” was released this month and is the beautifully written story of a girl who has no plans to become anything more than what has been promised to her by history.

“Where the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow” is set in 1905 and begins as 16-year old Leela and her younger sister Maya are on a small rowboat in the middle of the Ganges River awaiting the sun rise. They have used the excuse of an early morning ‘prayer expedition’ to spend time on their own. Japan’s victory over the Russians in the Russo-Japanese War has shocked the British and their imperial subjects. In India, Leela and Maya, are spurred on to wear homespun as a sign of protest to show the British that the Indians will no longer be oppressed. But when Leela’s betrothed, Nash, asks her to circulate a petition among her classmates to desegregate the girls’ school in Chandrapur, she is wary. She needs to remind Maya that the old ways are not all bad, for soon Maya will have to join her own betrothed and his family in their quiet village. When she discovers that Maya has embarked on a forbidden romance, Leela’s response shocks her family, her town and her country firmly into the new century.

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Part historical novel, part coming of age story, “Where the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow” offers a glimpse into a young girl’s world that is changing around her. Leela wants to adhere to family traditions but the lure of the possibilities is too strong to resist. Like most teens, she and Maya are rebellious in their own way “Now that we all have to wear the widow’s weeds, we can’t go around getting soaked through like the heroines in the romances we hide under our pillows.” The historical background helps the reader better understand what these girls, and others like them, are experiencing and will certainly appeal to history aficionados. With simple but poetic language, the author successfully combines the tumultuous times in India with the often confusing and difficult teenage years, “I stand at the edge of the flat roof and want to step off, certain that if my body were to act the way I feel I would fly,” to create an interesting first novel. The most unexpected part comes towards the end when Leela sets off a bomb at a speaking engagement, propelled by a feeling of power that comes from the sole knowledge that something big was about to happen. Overall, “Where the Sun Will Rise Tomorrow” is a fascinating look at India at the turn of the century as well as into one Indian girl’s family and traditions.

“Nash agreed with us, at first, with Gandhi: that maybe images of war can replace war, for who on earth could look at images of war and risk bringing it about?”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

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