Svetlana's Reads and Views

Name of Book: Before the Larkspur Blooms Author: Caroline Fyffe ISBN: 978-1612187136 Publisher: Montlake Romances Part of a Series: Prairie Hearts Type of book: Wholesome, Wyoming, slight inaccuracies, 1881-1882, second chances, wholesome romance, trust, family of all types of people Year it was published: 2013 Summary: Caroline Fyffe returns to the windswept prairies of Wyoming with a beautiful story of rekindled love… Thomas Donovan spent eight long years in prison, convicted of a crime he didn't commit. Finally released, he returns home to Logan Meadows, Wyoming, to discover his parents long buried and his neighbors wanting nothing to do with him. Suddenly the fresh start Thom longed for seems downright impossible until a spirited beauty from his past becomes his unlikely champion, and the walls around his injured heart begin to crumble? Hannah Hoskins was brokenhearted when Thom Donovan was sent away. While the rest of the town was quick to brand him a...

Name of Book: Gracious Living Without Servants Author: Brenda Cronin ISBN: 9780985233839 Publisher: Stoneslide corrective Type of book: 1991, widowhood, May/December romance, newspaper, investigation, reporter, wealth, Washington area Year it was published: 2013 Summary: Juliet has done the right thing all her life, and where’s it gotten her? She’s a thirty-year-old widow who’s had to move in with her parents. Things start to look up when her glamorous—but married and much older—neighbor Seth seems to be flirting with her and his wife helps her land a job at a local paper. Then she’s assigned to investigate Seth’s wife. Juliet is quickly immersed in lies, manipulation, and a deepening sex scandal. But she feels alive for the first time in a long time. Maybe she needs to do the wrong thing for once. Or maybe she’s headed for disaster. Characters: There's actually very little back-story on Juliet and her marriage. The reader is given only snippets here and...

Name of Book:  Corpus of a Siam Mosquito Author:  Steven David Justin Sills ISBN:   9781475116267 Publisher:   Alcibiades Press Type of book: Thailand, art, reflection, philosophy Year it was published: 2008 Summary: This explores the life of a Thai man in dire poverty rising to success and control of his life as a prostitute artist Opinion: This time I didn't even get an opportunity to read word/sentence per paragraph. Why? I was reading an e-version of it, and for some odd reason it formated horribly on my e-reader. From what I can tell though, it seems to be either a prequel or sequel to Nawin, or at least it contained the same named characters which I doubt is a coincidence. I was too frustrated with the e-reader to pay much attention to the story, although it seemed to be the same old song and dance routine that I am familiar with.   Quick notes: I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read and review the book. 1 out...

Name of Book:  The Unfettered Life of Kenyon of New Orleans Author:  Steven David Justin Sills ISBN:  9781475116182 Publisher:   Alcibiades Press Type of book: Louisiana, morphine, scoliosis, philosophy Year it was published: 2012 Summary: This is a fictional account of a woman with a deteriorating ailment who is in solitary confinement and, because of morphine, slipping in and out of consciousness. Opinion: Yet once more I must write the review and say that its typical of the author. I am beginning to get headaches from reading his books, but I must in order to look forward to more pleasurable activities. The book is very similar to modern art, which I don't like, don't understand and can't stand.  This is written from the woman's point of view, and I don't get how this is supposed to be a classic so to speak, or rather the author thinks its supposed to be a classic. In a sense that no one gets the story the author nails it, but often clas...

Name of Book:  An Apostate: Nawin of Thais Author:  Steven David Justin Sills ISBN:  9781475122336 Publisher:  Alcibiades Press Type of book: Train travel, homosexuality, marital problems, Thailand, artist, Laos Year it was published: 2012 Summary: This is the story of a successful artist in Thailand on a journey into Laos, seeking to discard relationships of the past and embark on something new Opinion: This has similarities with with Tokyo to Tijuana; that of a man realizing he's gay and endless put downs of romance, love and becoming connected to a partner as well as repetition of same ideas and so forth. The good news is that the book is much shorter, but it continues to be frustrating as well, although not as frustrating as Tokyo to Tijuana. Basically a playboy artist named Nawin travels on a train and meets a Laotian man whom he likes and the two spend the trip together while he reflects over and over and over over his age (forty) his broken...

Name of Book : Tokyo to Tijuana: Gabriele Departing America Author: Steven David Justin Sills ISBN:  9781475116243 Publisher: Alcibiades Press Type of book: Homosexuality, discovery of self, secrets, too intelligent Year it was published: Originally 2003 Summary: This story contrasts the lives of two people: Gabriele and Sang Huin in their search for finding their place in society without sacrificing individual liberty. Opinion: I hate being mean; yes I do, believe it or not, but for some odd reason the story angered me. I tried to read it, but there was something detestable about Gabrielle and Sang Huin that I merely skimmed through the whole book, and even that was more than enough. From skimming the author's previous works, one can tell that he's an extremely well-read and intelligent man, but his style is not for me, unless you enjoy running to a dictionary every minute trying to translate words such as lugubrious and so forth. Somehow the story is rem...

General Information: Name of Book:   Academic Essays on Miscellaneous Authors Representing the Classics of the Western Canon: From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Nietzsche and the Very Canon Itself ISBN:  9781475116274 Publisher:  Alcibiades Press Year it was published: 2012 Author: Steven David Justin Sills About the Author: (from goodreads.com) url https://www.goodreads.com/StevenDavidJustinSills born in Moberly, Missouri gendermale websitehttp://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/boo... twitter usernamepoetinasia influencesClassical books of the Western Canon member sinceMarch 2008 Contact me at poetinasia@gmail.com. Facebook: Steven David Justin Sills Summary: The following academic essays explore the works of various writers of the Western Canon 1. The Epic of Gilgamesh, Sumerian Literature One Sentence Summary: An examination of the Epic of Gilgamesh and how it became one of the great "classics." 2. The Greeks One Sente...

Book to be reviewed: N/A What I'm Reading right now: Academic Essays on Miscellaneous Classics of the Western Canon by Steven David Justin Sills (e-book) The following academic essays explore the works of various writers of the Western Canon Chapters: 8 out of 50 Pages: 94 out of 442 What to Expect Before You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff, Sharon Mazel Announcing the prequel. From Heidi Murkoff, author of America's bestselling pregnancy and parenting books, comes the must-have guide every expectant couple needs before they even conceive the first step in "What to Expect: What to Expect Before You're Expecting." An estimated 11 million couples in the U.S. are currently trying to conceive, and medical groups now recommend that all hopeful parents plan for baby-making at least three months before they begin trying. And who better to guide wanna-be moms and dads step-by-step through the preconception (and conception) process than Heidi Murko...

Name of Book: Truths and Roses Author: Inglath Cooper ISBN: 9780615701585 Publisher:  Fence Free Entertainment, LLC Type of book: Romance, clean, 2000s, Virginia, football, history, secrets, violation, trouble reading, books, library, high school romance Year it was published: 1994 (updated for 2012) Summary: When Will Kincaid’s professional football career comes to an abrupt end in a single night, he’s left to figure out what he’s going to do with the rest of his life. He heads home to the small Virginia town where he grew up and crosses paths with Hannah Jacobs, the only girl in high school who had ever rejected him. It’s Hannah who once made him question the choices he had made, and it’s Hannah who’s making him question them all over again. But with the weight of a secret he’s managed to hide from the world his entire adult life hanging over him, he can’t afford to question his choices. Hannah Jacobs had once made the choice to deny her feelings for Will Kinca...

Name of Book: Killer Rumors Author:  Antonello Fiore ISBN:  9781300183334 Publisher: Createspace Type of book: Mystery, thriller, church, killings, twists, 2000s, Year it was published: 2012 Summary: Father D’Angelo and Bakeman, two devoted priests were brutally murdered while going on one of their nightly walks. Detective Frank Rinelli is called to the case- not only due to his close friendship with the priests, but with his expertise of tracking psychotic killers. Rinelli suddenly discovers these murders were based on a scandal that occurred several years ago at the same Church where the two murdered priests preached. And it doesn’t stop there. The list of people being murdered in connection with the scandal continues to grow until the killer has his ultimate vengeance- and the truth released. Characters: I honestly liked Frank and Lorenzo. Both of them are described as devoted, determined, lucky and gutsy. Tom Blanchard can best be described as angry,...

Opinion: Its odd that I'm not a poetry person; I'm pretty sure I'm good at reading and reviewing fiction and Non-fiction, yet poetry is something that has always been forced upon me. I never really cared for it for one reason or another. I'm not putting down poetry, but its something hard to wrap my mind around. If I was asked to discuss poetry found within Tale of Genji or somewhere else, perhaps I might do a better job; but with this I am a failure. I don't feel comfortable with the language that the author chooses to use, nor of the descriptions and metaphors. I am familiar with nature, with love, but I'm not liking the poetry and imagery he chooses to use. 2 out of 5 (0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)

Name of Book: Azlander- Second Nature Author: Gabriel Brunsdon ISBN: 978-0-9874656-5-8 Publisher:   Published December 12th 2012 by Gabrielle Brunsdon Type of book: Fairies, demons, reincarnations, lives, romance, relationship, different worlds, video games, struggles Year it was published: 2012 Summary: AZLANDER is a fantastical esoteric journey throughout the realms of Faerie, of Hell and the virtual worlds. Snapshots of magic, spiritual insights - telling of the elven Puck who was formerly known as Robin of the Forest and his travels throughout the mortal world today. Characters: I found the characters to be interesting and multidimensional, at least that of Puck and Goober and Eric. Marley had potential to be interesting character, but for one reason or another I felt removed from her and I only saw barest glimpses of her life before she disappeared once more. I liked that Puck was multidimensional and was more kind than mean. With some characters I ...

Name of Book: The Lost Art of Mixing Author: Erica Bauermeister ISBN: 978-0-399-16211-4 Publisher: Putnam Part of a Series: The School of Essential Ingredients a.k.a Monday Night Cooking School is a prequel. Type of book: Cooking, restaurant, food, rituals, memory loss, relationships, surprises, changes, capturing lives and moments, 2000s Year it was published: 2013 Summary: Lillian and her restaurant have a way of drawing people together. There’s Al, the accountant who finds meaning in numbers and ritual; Chloe, a budding chef who hasn’t learned to trust after heartbreak; Finnegan, quiet and steady as a tree, who can disappear into the background despite his massive height; Louise, Al’s wife, whose anger simmers just below the boiling point; and Isabelle, whose memories are slowly slipping from her grasp. And there’s Lillian herself, whose life has taken a turn she didn’t expect. . . . Their lives collide and mix with those around them, sometimes joining in ef...

Book to be reviewed: The Color of Light by Helen Maryles Shankman NEW YORK CITY, 1992. At the American Academy of Classical Art, popular opinion has it that the school’s handsome and mysterious founder, Raphael Sinclair, is a vampire. It is a rumor Rafe does nothing to dispel. Scholarship student Tessa Moss has long dreamed of the chance to study at Rafe’s Academy. But she is floundering amidst the ups and downs of a relationship with egotistical art star Lucian Swain. Then, one of Tessa’s sketches catches Rafe’s attention: a drawing of a young woman in 1930s clothing who is covering the eyes of a child. The suitcase at her feet says Wizotsky. Sofia Wizotsky, the love of Rafe’s life, was lost during the Holocaust. Or was she? Rafe suspects Tessa may be the key to discovering what really happened. As Rafe finds excuses to interact with Tessa, they cannot deny their growing attraction to one another. It is an attraction forbidden by the Academy Board and disapproved of by ...