Book Review: Dear Me by Anthony Maria

Ah love. It’s an emotion that can make you feel like you’re that delicious maraschino cherry on the top of a mountain high ice cream sundae. On the other hand, love can be so heart-breaking that it is like a disease that slowly eats away at you, with an insatiable smile, until there is nothing left, but an empty soul.

In the novel, Dear Me, written by local author, Anthony Maria, he speaks of a love that you would think only exists in the romantic’s handbook, but in fact, we've all felt it. Mason Gallo has fallen deeply in love with a mysterious woman named Keats Cameron, while on a trip to Niagara Falls, but is devastated when she disappears from his life, only sending cryptic letters, and making brief phone calls to him, which makes him feel like he is on the brink of insanity.

Copyright: Anthony Maria

Returning back to Windsor, where he left the old days behind, Mason hopes to find answers. The recollection of how they first met and all the feelings that flood Mason every day because of Keats sudden disappearance are told to us. She’s his addiction, plain and simple. He is on a quest to find his beloved Keats, at any cost, at any length, even if that means he will search for her forever. 

Meeting many colourful characters along the way, he is faced with agonizing realization that not only the love of his life is slipping away, but there are far more skeletons in his closet that he could have ever dreamed of.

👉My thoughts:

A little on the twisted side, yet brilliant authors like Brett Easton Ellis and Chuck Palahniuk, better take some notes because Anthony’s stylistic writing takes it to a whole new level.

The book is well-written, with subtle poetic sentiments that fill our hearts with hope, yet also laced with intense rawness and explicit language and subject matter, but will still send shivers down your spine.

I also love the fact that Windsor is the main focal point, where Caesars (in this book, known as Casino Windsor) is a prime location, along with Riverside Drive, Victoria Avenue, Hiram Walker, etc. There are also some highlights from our neighbouring city, Detroit Michigan, that are mentioned here, like  the Renaissance Centre and Joe Louis Arena.

I won’t mince words here. You’re in for a psychological mind-fu*k that keeps your heart pounding through every page. In the end, when you think that you are losing something so dear to you that you can’t seem to go on, remember that the truth is out there, you just have to be prepared to find it.

💜Anthony’s book is available online: Dear Me

💜You can also purchase his book by contacting him through IG page

 or by email: anthony.henry.joseph.maria@gmail.com

Book Review: On A Candy High by Steve Almond

Obsessions can be found in just about every aspect of life and so with the book that I just finished reading called Candy Freak, author Steve Almond is the epitome of a candy fanatic. He knows each individual name, all of the ingredients and explores just about every well-known and obscure candy bar out there. The way an artist could describe a painting in precise detail with emotion is pretty accurate on the way Steve can express his gluttonous love for anything sweet and contained within a wrapper.

The author is very opinionated, maybe bordering on arrogance at times, but clearly he knows his candy. Like a mother or father who would cradle their new-born child, you may see similar traits in Steve and how he cares for his candy bars.

In the later chapters though, I got to a point where my interest faded, due to the overly-detailed discussions about every facet on this particular subject. If it wasn't for Steve’s quirky sense of humour and story telling abilities, I believe this book would have been extremely dull.

I thought the book had some good insight into the history and on-going production of the candy and chocolate bar industry from the family owned businesses, to the big corporations. I also gained a deeper understanding of the psychological reasoning behind Steve’s need for copious amounts of chocolate goodness in his home.

I’ll say that I just had one simple question after reading this book: “What wouldn't Steve do for a Klondike bar?”

Book Review: The Night Sky by Maria Sutton

I love my small little family. I have confidence that my mother and father are in fact, my “mom and dad.” They have been married for over 30 years now and so I don’t doubt the legitimacy of me being their daughter. I do have a diverse heritage though, and so there has never been a time where I haven’t been subjected to the absurd comments from others about inferior genetics or just the sense of uneasiness, feeling like an alien in my own skin. The hatred that still exists is often mind-boggling, as we have come so far as a society, The Night Sky: A Journey from Dachau to Denver and Back is the latest book that I have read and reviewed, after receiving a request from author; Maria Sutton.

Simply put, this memoir follows Maria and her 43-year search to find her biological father, who disappeared shortly after she was born in Germany. Her journey takes us back to times that most were either too young to remember or too painful to forget, and even somewhere in between. The bond between Maria and her mother start off at a slow pace with many pages of story-telling but negating to divulge any pertinent information to help solve this mystery. As more questions are brought forth, there seems to be an underlining sense of urgency in Maria’s behaviour and Julia, Maria’s mother, seems to suddenly break down the walls of her own memories with an abrupt switch in dialogue and literally spills her guts on what really happened, or as best as she could recall.

Maria is strong-willed to the very core and you can feel that deeply within her character. With FBI training under her belt, she is a detective searching for the truth and being without the correct spelling of her father’s name, nor even knowing his true birth location, she is willing to do whatever it takes to meet with her estranged father again. Her character is not without imperfection though, and that is what so many readers can relate to. She is impulsive, self-loathing at times, and irrational, but still determined in her quest. Self-identity also plays a large role in this book, as Maria begins to realize that her visions of her father paint a picture she is not quite ready to let go of. The sacrifices her family made so she could be here today are courageous if not heart breaking, but the revelations bring about change that Maria never imagined would be the outcome of such a journey.

The history documented is detailed, and I’m sure you’ll recognize many terms and maybe even recall stories that were told to you by family and even in school about WWII. I’m not a history buff, but it still is fascinating to get a glimpse inside the lives of others who had endured so much adversity, during periods of time where many people had lost all hope for survival.

There is also a sweet reunion that I will not spoil, but I wanted to mention it since it was quite unexpected from the main story line  I will say, it is not between Maria and her father. I think if that was the case, this memoir would be a little too much like a romantic comedy set in New York City.

My only real complaint is the back-and-forth of the past and present. The transitions weren't as smooth as I had hoped for. It was difficult at times to follow because of the emotional impact that you’re digesting from a certain scene that is being explicitly depicted through imagery and words, and then being bounced back to the current place of the characters and story.

It is enlightening to know that as human beings, we are constantly transcending. Our rich history, no matter how it is perceived, proves to be a valuable asset to navigate us through life and as Maria ultimately discovers, she has finally found what she was looking for.

💜You can purchase a copy of Maria's book on Amazon here.

Book Review: Ghost Shadow Unfinished Sins by Author Bob MacKenzie

So when’s the last time that you picked up a good book? I don’t mean downloading one for your Kindle, but physically picking up a soft or hard cover novel and flipping through the pages. As much as I am intrigued by all the new technologies, I still like the simple pleasure of sitting down and curling up with a book. I like to feel the pages brush over my hand and get a sense of who the author is, by his or her choice of artistic touches and to display it on a book shelf so I can re-read it again, if I so choose to.

This time, I didn’t even have to scour the bookstores or even the library, as I was approached by a wonderful author named Bob MacKenzie. He asked me if I would review his book. He also included his cd, just for my listening pleasure. I was very honoured that he took the time to write me, and so I agreed. Honestly, I had never even heard of this man before and so the first thing I did was Google his name. Interesting… a political guru. Why would someone like that be contacting me? Reading further along, he had been deceased since 2011!! Thinking that perhaps by the title of the book “Ghost Shadows” I was somehow being contacted by his ghost, I realized there was no information about him being an author and with such a common name, this was most likely the wrong person. Okay so I was safe and continued to search until I found the right person. Ah yes, not only an acclaimed world-wide author, but a poet, spoken-word performance artist and much more. This was the Bob MacKenzie I would be communicating with and to my relief, he was very much alive and well!

I received a large package in the mail via Express Post and in my hands was the anticipated: Ghost Shadow: Unfinished Sins. Before even opening up the book, the cover in its simplistic form is still quite imaginative. You may just see a ‘possessed’ fiery red-headed girl with demonic and empty eyes, or even something more along the paranormal realms. If you look closer and really embrace the image, the contours of the model’s body speak volumes of intense feeling and the fragility of what was once a young child. It transcends far more deeper than that even, to create a basis for what unfolds inside in the book.

The story itself was interesting as it delved into the psyches of 3 very emotionally-stuck women (Payge Turner-private detective, the professor’s wife, and her daughter, Susan), a cold-hearted and narcissistic anthropology professor, as well as ruthless crime lords and their minions. Deceit, fright, honour, shame, survival and terror fill the pages of this 270 page book!

Taking place in Windsor, since I did attend The University of Windsor (although not in the mid-80′s), landmarks like Erie Hall, were well-known to me, so I felt a connection with the book. I also found the characters were not only well-written but each possessed a trait of the other. Topics such as racial predjudice, mental illness (specifically PTSD-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and various types of abuse were explored in a profound way. I will add that this book is not exactly for the faint of heart, as Bob does depict some rather disturbing scenes. Explosive anger and violence erupt throughout the book, and as innocence is shown to be ripped away, it can leave the reader haunted by their own memories. On the contrary, the strength and hope that lie within each of us, even after the worst circumstances, can prove to be triumphant in our continuous journey throughout life.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Bob MacKenzie has a way with words that really pulls you into his world of story-telling. The story had a predictable nature but that was not necessarily a bad thing. It was the raw emotional content that truly raised the bar in completing a novel that in reality, some could say, really hits close to home.

Listen to the Youtube Interview and check out more of Bob's readings
To purchase Ghost Shadow: Unfinished Sins, it is available at Amazon

Chuck Palahniuk Book Review: Hysteria is impossible without an audience

My book review on Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk

Channeling your inner diva to find the monster within yourself seems to be the best way I could describe Invisible Monsters by well-known author Chuck Palahniuk.

The story is told through the narration of a disfigured woman named Shannon McFarland, who was on top of the world being in love and living the dream of a fashion model. After a freeway accident left her disfigured and unable to speak, fair-weather friendships, an unfaithful partner as well as a shattered identity, the reader can get a real sense of how desperate times can often lead to desperate measures. Along the way, she befriends a pre-op transsexual named Brandy Alexander who is anything but what she appears to be and will teach a valuable lesson to Shannon; to take charge of one’s life means to stop trying to control it.  

As an author, Palahniuk appears to be cynical and probably the most jaded person on the face of the planet. He’s raw and unapologetic and a lot of the dialogue is extremely graphic and might even churn some stomachs. It’s anything but politically correct. The book does not follow any order at all either. It jumps around from thought to thought, weaving in and out to add some witty conversational dialogue, while still managing to tantalize the reader with intrigue. The foreshadowing of events that I picked up on were very subtle too. The laughter that escaped me came from Palahniuk’s twisted humour, showing the epitome of dysfunctional family dynamics. I’m still not sure how something so wrong (you’ll understand what I mean once you read this book) could fit in as well as it did, but I’m sure afterwards, you’ll be thinking your family life is perfectly normal.

Oddly enough, this book is a hit with creative story-telling, interesting characters, memorable lines and overall obscurity. I would consider this mature reading and so heed my warning if you are very conventional and squeamish.

I look forward to reading other books by this author. Surely a warning label should be on any of Palahniuk’s books though. When entering his mind, buckle up, but remember to enjoy the ride!

Chicken Soup for the Soul Book Review: Joy, pain, sunshine and rain.

My book review on Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings:

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings is a wonderful book, plain and simple. All the stories deal with the challenges that we all might face at one point or another in our lives, from broken hearts to broken promises and everything in between. Every story is personal and if you haven't gone through the situation before, you could at least empathize with the person who is sharing his/her experience with the reader and even recall what you can do if you are ever in crisis. 

Chicken Soup for the Soul books are always a favourite of mine because they are incredibly comforting, no matter what my mood is at the time. They are down-to-earth, emotional stories that are meant to be read by everyone, from very young children who want their parent(s) to read them a story before bed, to older individuals who are inspired and want to continue to share their wisdom with others by reading books.

The best part is how encouraging and positive the stories are, even in the worst conditions imaginable. Examples are: a divorce, leaves a family torn apart, and a mother hopeless and alone until finds her purpose again in life in the strangest of circumstances and a loss of a beloved partner allows a widow to reclaim her forgotten youth and find peace within.

A lot of the stories have a religious undertone, which some may not resonate with due to their own belief system or lack of belief. However, no matter what, I feel that everyone in their own way could appreciate the power of faith that is presented in this book.

To end this review, I must quote one of my favourite lines in a Depeche Mode song, which makes total sense because one can learn valuable coping strategies and lessons from this book. 

"Try walking in my shoes, you'll stumble in my footsteps."

Kelley Armstrong Book Review: Werewolves don't have the luxury of sentimentality

My book review on Men of the OtherWorld by Kelley Armstrong:

As young, curious and naive Clayton begins his transformation into a werewolf, he is befriended by Jeremy, another one of his kind, who is anything but your typical Alpha Male. As their bond deepens, Jeremy's aggressive and undermining father enters the picture to make life unbearable. Loyalty remains strong in the Pack but when Jeremy is faced with an important decision, the agonizing pain of trying to integrate Clayton into human society while teaching him the ways of raw survival, now seems all too much to handle.

Kelley Armstrong is a powerful author with a niche for writing empowering stories about mystical women. In Men of the OtherWorld, Kelley continues to show her brilliance of story-telling and takes a different path this time, focusing on the strength and complexity of werewolves; Clayton, Jeremy and Malcolm, all males with extraordinary gifts.

Although I had initially thought that this book would have four completely separate stories, they were woven in perfectly to create a thought-provoking and emotional journey through words.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys tales that extend one's mind into other spiritual worlds, yet can be thrown back into the harsh realms of reality, without a moment's notice.

💜You can go to Kelley's website to learn more: Men of the Otherworld