by Marcia Meara
“Summer Magic” is a wonderful collection of poetry presented in two parts. The first part was based on a character, Mac, from a favorite series of mine, Wake-Robin Ridge. The poems are an amazing glimpse into his childhood and the mountains he grew up in. The second half of the book offered beautiful images that tugged at my heart or took me on a journey. Here are a few of my favorite passages: “Stars, he thinks, pulled loose/From the fabric of the sky,/And flung toward earth/Trailing silver and gold,/And bringing a piece of Heaven/To those watching below,” “Caught in that space between/Daylight and dusk,/When all things seem possible,/And the ordinary,/Remarkable,” “Reminds me of those early days/When all water rushed clear and cold,/And teemed with Promise so bright/You could almost catch it in your hands,” and “Bees moving slowly from/Flower to flower,/In dance weighed down by heat.” This is a collection I highly recommend, and I’ll definitely be reading it again.
“The Heart’s Lullaby” is a beautiful collection of poems that come from love. I felt many emotions as I read through the poems, some made me smile, and others brought tears. Each one offered something of the heart’s experience. Here are a couple of passages that moved me: “The power of a thousand suns/Delicate as morning dew/The dawn course of enchantment/This is my memory of you,” and “His haggard guitar;/Every note frees his soul/His voice carries on the wind/All welcome this one man show.” A thoughtful book to enjoy more than once.
by Staci Troilo
“Mystery Heir” is a fast-paced, cozy mystery. The Dotson twins, Naomi, and Penelope live in a town that believes it’s cursed, but they don’t. Following the murder of a prominent local man, a burglary occurs during the town’s festival. Naomi, who is the more determined of the twins, jumps right into the situation. Her sister is thoughtful and fashion-oriented and tries to interject reason. I love the interaction between the sisters, including their fights. They can take care of themselves, having learned defensive arts, plus they have each other’s backs. When someone they don’t believe is guilty of the crimes he was accused of, they jump in to clear his name. Naomi is my favorite twin. Although she can get herself into trouble, her relationship with the mayor was fun to watch evolve. I thought I had figured out the whodunit many times, only to be wrong. A well-written mystery with characters I cared about and rooted for until the very end. If you enjoy a good cozy mystery, this is for you!
I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right leaving a review in that case, but I have been known to email the author:) Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!
Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn