Book Reviews

Review – The Polygamist’s Daughter by Anna LeBaron and Leslie Wilson

September 23, 2020

If you know anything about me, you probably know about my weird obsession with cults. I know it’s ridiculous and macabre, but I find cults to be extremely fascinating. It could have something to do with the fact that I grew up in close proximity with a cult. (And by close proximity, I mean that I had many friends involved in a cult and I visited often. Maybe I’ll talk more about that later.)

But for whatever reason, I’ve always been fascinated by them. You may remember I reviewed The Burn Zone some time ago. Written by Renee Linnell, a cult survivor, this book captivated me and is, to date, one of my favorite books I’ve reviewed. It was fascinating, and Renee’s story was one of strength and redemption and something in that was empowering to me, and I haven’t even lived through anything like that.

A few weeks ago, I was on one of my regular I-can’t-sleep scrolls through TikTok, when the algorithm matched me with Anna LeBaron (@annaklebaron on TikTok if you’re wondering). Anna was doing one of those trends when you answer questions about your life. Your name, your age, etc… and when it got to her siblings, she answered “50 siblings (Not a typo)”.

Immediately I was intrigued. And apparently I wasn’t the only one. The comments were loaded with people questioning her having 50 siblings. They all wanted to know more (and so did I!). So Anna graciously answered the questions as they came in. And through the course of the next hour, I scrolled and learned and scrolled and learned about her life growing up as the daughter of the leader of a polygamist cult. In one of those Q&A videos, she mentioned that she’d written a memoir, The Polygamist’s Daughter.

Review – Rouge: A Novel of Beauty and Rivalry by Richard Kirshenbaum

June 25, 2019

Do you love espionage and spies?

Do you love historical dramas?

Do you love murder? Mystery? Mob stories?

And do you want it all while wearing the best mascara MAC has to offer?

Because holy moly this book had it all.

This week, I had the pleasure of reading Rouge: A Novel of Beauty and Rivalry by Richard Kirshenbaum. When I was contacted about reviewing this book, the jacket copy definitely caught my attention.

Rouge is a sexy, glamorous journey into the rivalry of the pioneers of powder, mascara and rouge. It gives readers a rare front row seat into the world of high society and business through the rivalry of two beauty industry icons (think Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden).
This fast-paced novel examines the lives, loves, and sacrifices of the visionaries who invented the modern cosmetics industry: Josiah Herzenstein, born in a Polish Jewish Shtlel, the entrepreneur who transforms herself into a global style icon and the richest woman in the world, Josephine Herz; Constance Gardiner, her rival, the ultimate society woman who invents the door-to-door business and its female workforce but whose deepest secret threatens everything; CeeCee Lopez, the bi-racial beauty and founder of the first African American woman’s hair relaxer business, who overcomes prejudice and heartbreak to become her community’s first female millionaire.
The cast of characters is rounded out by Mickey Heron, a dashing, sexy ladies’ man whose cosmetics business is founded in a Hollywood brothel. All are bound in a struggle to be number one, doing anything to get there…including murder.

Review – What Could Go Wrong? by Brett Grayson

March 5, 2019

Friday night I came home from school, immediately changed into my pajamas, poured a mug of tea (I’ve been trying to consume less coffee these days) and curled up in my bed with a book. I’ve had very few Friday evenings lately that I could just curl up with a book and ignore the world, so I jumped at the opportunity. I curled up with my puppies, snuggled deep under my covers, and fell into the pages of What Could Go Wrong?: My Mostly Comedic Journey Through Marriage, Parenting and Depression by Brett Grayson.

I’ve had this book sitting on my nightstand for months. It’s been begging to be read. It was sent to me by some lovely folks and I was really pumped about it, I was just dealing with my own struggle through depression, exhaustion, and frazzled. When I get in my own low points, like I was suffering through, I find it difficult to read about somebody else’s journey through depression. I’ve never been much of a “misery loves company” type. Reading about other people’s depression just compounds my own.

But by Friday, I was in a clear headspace. Which was good, because this book definitely required me to be in a clear headspace.

Review – How to Experience Death for Beginners by Jessica Branton

February 14, 2019

So many updates in the Pluckyverse, I don’t even know where to begin. The semester started off crazy with me taking on way more responsibilities than I could manage and somehow getting them done. What that meant, though, was my reading life suffered and my blogging life became nearly nonexistent.

But I am back and ready and rearing to reclaim my time. I’ve got so many amazing ARCs I’m working through, and at some point, I’ll even update you on my 2018 reading challenge. Did I meet my goals? Did I keep up with my Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge? Did I change the world on page at a time?

You’ll have to wait to find out. Until then, please enjoy this review of How to Experience Death for Beginners by Jessica Branton.

So, if you know anything about me, you know that I love crime shows, movies, books, podcasts, etc… I love crime so much, in fact, that I started a podcast, Lifetime Sentence, with my friend Erin. When I say crime, it’s not like I want there to be people running around with guns or knives or whatever committing heinous monstrosities around the world. What I mean is I find the psychology of crime fascinating. I like to study it in a purely scientific kind of way. And before I make myself sound any more like a madman that I already have, I will tell you why this is an important thing to mention.

A clairvoyant introvert can enter the minds of people at their moment of death. When a serial killer emerges in her small town, she receives audacious advances from an enigmatic newcomer. While dodging detectives and falling in love, she joins forces with the FBI to take down the killer.

Review – Becoming Starlight by Sharon Prentice, PhD

December 26, 2018

A few months ago, I was contacted and asked to review a book about a Shared Death Experience (SDE). Honestly, I was a little leery. I had to do some research on the author and on the concept of SDE before I would commit to a book about it. But I do enjoy learning and experiencing new things through books, so eventually I agreed.

I was so excited when it came in the mail, I set it on my nightstand and made it my priority to read next. And then the end of the semester happened. Very quickly October became December, somehow along the way, I had been pulled under a deluge of papers to grade, lessons to plan, concerts to play, and functions to attend. Do you notice something very important missing in that list?

That’s right. Reading. I have had a very large book-shaped hole in my life since October, being so consumed with work that I have not been able to read anything, save for what we have been reading for school.

Review – The Golden Sequence by Jonni Pollard

November 13, 2018

I recently had the opportunity to read The Golden Sequence by Jonni Pollard. This book came as a surprise to me, just bundled in with another book I had been asked to review. Let me tell you, surprise books are the best kind of surprise.

The Golden Sequence is much along the same vein as the past few books I’ve been sent for review; it is a book about finding yourself, discovering your innermost desires and drives, and reaching a certain kind of fulfillment. With The Burn Zone, I followed the story of a woman trapped in a cult, frantically searching for herself after losing her identity entirely to the world she’d been absorbed into. Then in Brother John, I read the essay of a man seeking purpose, hiding out in a monastery and all buy idolizing a monk who lives there.

The Golden Sequence is a how-to guide, more or less. It is a meditation aid and a guide in seeking fulfillment through understanding The Golden Sequence.

“In Western society and culture, we are more connected to each other than ever through social media and mobile communication, yet we feel increasingly disconnected and isolated.”
Jonni Pollard, The Golden Sequence

As I’ve said, this book is a lot about finding yourself and finding purpose in your life. It aims to identify the problems in our lives–why we’re feeling unfulfilled and unconnected–and help us to fix the brokenness in our lives.

Review – Brother John by August Turak

October 20, 2018

Recipient of the prestigious Templeton Prize, Brother John is the true story of a meaningful encounter between the author going through a mid-life crisis, and an umbrella-wielding Trappist monk. This magical encounter on Christmas Eve eventually leads the author, and us all, to the redemptive power of an authentically purposeful life. Uplifting, deeply moving, and set in the magnificent Trappist monastery of Mepkin Abbey, Brother John is dramatically brought to life by over twenty full color paintings by Glenn Harrington, a multiple award-winning artist. Brother John‘s inspirational message takes place at Christmastime, and its inspirational message and rich illustrations are sure to bring the reader back again and again throughout the year.

There’s a theme with the books I’ve been reading lately, it seems. Maybe this is a problem that runs deeper with me than I thought, or maybe it has something to do with my love of psychology and humanity, but I have recently read several books about finding one’s purpose in life. And if I had any disillusions that the theme has continued into my most recent reading, the opening line Brother John has fixed that.

Uncertainty as to life’s purpose is much in vogue today.

Review – The Burn Zone: a Memoir by Renee Linnell

October 6, 2018

If you’re anything like me, you find the psychology of cults very interesting. I cannot tell you the amount of hours I have devoted to reading about Heaven’s Gate, Scientology, Children of God, and Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. Growing up, I had friends who were in a cult and I think that probably sparked the fascination I have with them today.

One thing I’ve never really considered, though, is how somebody gets lured into a cult. I mean, I’ve never really thought about it. And I’ve never really thought about the types of people who find themselves in cults.

I had to stop and evaluate these things before I read The Burn Zone: a Memoir by Renee Linnell. I had to figure out my own preconceptions about cult life before I read this memoir. I felt it would help me focus my reading. What I realized is if you were to ask me what kind of person falls into a cult, I’d tell you somebody who was weak, stupid, or both.

But ten seconds with Linnell’s memoir taught me otherwise.

Review – The Storm Runner by J. C. Cervantes

September 18, 2018

Some time ago, I read that Rick Riordan was opening his own publishing imprint. As an avid reader of Riordan’s work, I was pumped. The more I read, the more excited I got. Not only was he starting an imprint, he was going to use this imprint and his influence to publish original middle-grade works by authors of color.

His goal, as he has stated on his own website, is to publish authors of various cultural backgrounds to retell the stories of their mythologies, the way he has with Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythology.

I love few things the way I love a modern retelling of an ancient culture or mythology. I gobbled up the Percy Jackson books like they were candy. I swallowed up The Kane Chronicles whole. The Heroes of Olympus books held me captivated. And I’m not typically a serial reader. But these series were all so entrancing and wonderfully, brilliant delivered.

Review – Fresh Ink edited by Lamar Giles

September 14, 2018

Several months ago, I received an ARC for this anthology, Fresh Ink. It’s been sitting in my Kindle for far longer than I’d care to admit. I remember reading the description and thinking it sounded so interesting and, well, fresh. And then, I guess I just forgot about it.

Recently I was roaming the shelves of Barnes & Noble (because, you know, I don’t have enough books to read at my house, sitting on a shelf, unread and gleaming for my attention), when I saw Fresh Ink sitting on the shelves.

I always feel so happy when I see the ARCs I’ve receive come to fruition as books on the shelf. It’s not a pride–it’s not like I discovered them or anything. But it’s so nice to seem them out and published and able to be in people’s hands. Usually, though, I also finish the ARC before it’s on the shelves. So, to make sure my joy was appropriately placed, I dusted off my Kindle and read my way through this anthology of short stories.

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