It's Okay Not To Be Fabulous Every Day by Ally Dalsimer is an inspirational read reminding us that although we should have goals and strive to reach them, we don't have to be at the top of our game every single day. In fact, it isn't possible to do so. When that is our aim, we are sure to become disappointed in ourselves.
Dalsimer began this book as a book of 'lessons learned' for her children as they began to move away from home and start their adult lives. In the end, Dalsimer realized that everyone needs these bits of wisdom. Each chapter has quotes from sources you will recognize, such as Martin Luther King, Jr, but she also throws in Yoda. In fact, she is willing to share truth wherever she finds it to help each of us live a more fulfilled life. I think this book would be a perfect source of daily inspiration and could easily be used for prompts for daily journal writing. It is not a 'one and done' book. Instead, it will stay on your bedside table for easy access whenever life seems just a little bit too hard.
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The Worth of a Ruby by Lya Badgley is her second novel. I thoroughly enjoyed her first (The Foreigner's Confession) and was super excited to get my hands on this one - also set in Burma.
Badgley writes edgy international crime/suspense and gets the reader into the mind of her characters. Mallory Jones, a chef, like the author, wanted to open a restaurant in Burma but not because she was in love with the area. Instead, she was running from her past. However, as is wont when folks try to escape their past by running from it, the past found a way to erupt. As plans for a restaurant fall through, we see a side of Mallory that isn't evident in the beginning. The Worth of a Ruby has it all: great characters, amazing backdrop, kidnapping, blackmail, murder, and a bit of Burmese magic. Plus, in the words of the author, " I like ambiguous endings." Don't miss this book! Neena Lee is Seeing Things by Sheila Athens is a contemporary fiction looking back at the marriage of John F Kennedy to Carolyn in 1996 and their death in a plane crash in 1999 through the eyes of a journalist, Neena Lee.
Neena has suffered loss and hold herself responsible. Her latest lost left her hospitalized in a mental health facility and without a job. She needs to write this article about John Jr to prove her abilities and save herself financially. However, when she 'sees' John Jr standing in the church, she is sure that her mental illness has taken a turn for the worse. I enjoyed how Athens connects those visiting the island today with issues Neena and/or John himself needs to face. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, which is quite appropriate with the upcoming 25th anniversary of John and Carolyn's death in July. |
AuthorTeri M Brown, author of An Enemy Like Me and Sunflowers Beneath the Snow connects readers with characters they'd love to invite to lunch. Follow the Blog Using the RSS Feed link below:
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